*Maia Doula* Professional Labor/Birth/Postpartum Support Svc. Minneapolis/ St Paul, MN Metro Area

Birth Doula
The word Doula comes from the Greek meaning ''woman’s servant".  A Doula is a Professional Labor Assistant who understands the emotional and physical needs of a woman in labor, and provides continuous support and care for a woman throughout labor and birth. She provides no clinical tasks.

Maia Doula

“Maia” was the ancient Roman Goddess of fertility and Spring and the source of the name of the spring month of May. In Greek the word “Maia” means  “mother” or “nurse”. No other word could be more appropriately paired with the word “Doula”! Maia is also the name of my youngest daughter, whose home labor and un-medicated hospital water-birth heralded my calling as a Doula.

My name is Lisa Erbes. I am certified as a Birth Doula through the premier Doula organization DONA International. I am a member of the MN Childbirth Collective, and I have been a volunteer Doula at Woodwinds Health Campus in Woodbury, MN for the last 3 1/2 years. I am also a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE) and have been employed by Fairview Health Services/Metro Hospitals as a Birth and Family Educator, teaching birth and parenting preparation, breastfeeding, Sibling Preparation and Post Partum Support classes for 3 years. My educational background is in Psychology and I hold a BA. 

I am the mother of 2 young daughters, ages 5 and 7, whose births heralded my journey into motherhood and into the field of labor and birth and postpartum support.  I have been a Doula since February 2005 (Certified November 2005) and have supported mothers in a majority of the Twin Cities Metro hospitals during unmedicated births, medicated births, twin birth, waterbirths and cesarean (planned and unplanned) births.

It is my personal belief that every birthing woman instinctually and intuitively possesses all the wisdom she needs to give birth. When provided with a doula who understands the emotional and physical needs of a woman in labor, and who provides continuous support and care for a woman throughout labor and birth, a laboring mother can achieve the birth she envisions. As your doula, I can help you realize and achieve your goal of a safe, satisfying and rewarding birth experience as you define it.

I am also available for Postpartum support, education and guidance. I help families discover their baby and guide them in creating a new normal as they journey thru the postpartum experience. I believe that helping families early on builds a strong foundation for the attachment process and helps build parenting skills that families will use as they grow and change throughout the years.

I believe that with the support and guidance of a doula, you can have the safe and satisfying birth that is your right, and the empowering effect of the birth experience can transform your life.

Lisa Erbes, B.A., CD(DONA), LCCE *952-895-1585 * lisa.erbes@gmail.com