Mary Rudd, The Merry Doula

Bringing comfort, peace, and confidence to your birth journey

Meet Mary

I am a mother of four and sister to seven. I have lived in the Seattle area for 15 years - and I’m still surprised at the number of surfaces covered in large quantities of moss!

I trained through DONA International and certified with both DONA and PALS. I have over 5 years of experience and have assisted in over 200 birth days in Seattle, Bellevue, Renton and throughout King County. I’m ready to walk beside you through any variety of birth experience in hospitals, homes, or freestanding birth centers.

I listen deeply to your unique needs and work diligently to meet them. I honor you and your choices as your family grows. I bring my excitement and expertise to your birth, as well as my humor and deep sense of awe. It is my privilege to help you welcome a new member of your family.

See more details in my profile on doulamatch.net

“Rick and I couldn’t have asked for a better birth experience and Mary’s role as our Doula made all the difference.”
Georgia

My Services Include:

On Call Support
As soon as we sign our contract, I begin my service as your doula. You can call, email, and text me to answer questions and receive a timely response. Beginning two weeks before your due date, I am available to you 24/7 until your baby’s birth.

Prenatal Research Assistance
As your pregnancy progresses, the challenge of sifting through the many voices and choices is easier with an experienced companion. I can help you address any questions you have, and help you discover what is most important to you about your baby and your body throughout your perinatal period. This facilitates effective communication and dialogue with your care provider, bringing you a more peaceful birth experience.

Prenatal Visits
We will meet in your home twice before your birth. We use our time connecting and refining how I can best support you. We talk about your concerns and actively prepare to utilize the tools I have honed to become your doula. We will create a customized plan based on your preferences to help you feel confident and prepared for birth and your postpartum period. 

photo credit -www.bravelybirth.com

Labor Support

I am your trained labor specialist. I will join you during your labor, potentially in your home, and stay with you continuously throughout your baby’s birth. Other members of your birth team may be strangers, or change throughout shifts and schedules. As your doula, it’s my privilege to stay with you every step of the way, if we spend 6 hours together or 26.

emotional support - reassurance, understanding, perspective, calming, and confidence
physical support - training and experience to help labor progress through movement, relaxation, comforting touch, and other techniques.
informational support - decoding jargon, elevating your voice, facilitating communication and collaboration with your care team, assuring you have the time and information you need to make informed decisions in the moment.

During your labor I provide:

Postpartum Visit
I will meet with you after your delivery to help you process and reflect on your birth and adjust to life with a new baby. I can help with feeding and sleeping, or discuss referrals for further care and support.

Also included:

  • Non-professional birth photography - while prioritizing labor support, I will capture important moments when possible

  • Trained use of TENS unit for pain management

  • Spinning Babies - I have attended a Spinning Babies workshop, a program designed to understand and support the ideal physiology for birth

  • Rebozo - a traditional Mexican technique which can help labor progress and increase coping

  • Health Insurance Reimbursement - If offered by your employer or health insurance plan, I have all the required certifications and documentation

All inclusive price: $1,900

“Out of all the decisions, preparations, and purchases we made in preparing for having our baby, hiring Mary was definitely the best.”

-Tori

Praise for Mary

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  • Mary was exceptional. Great communication throughout the process. She really helped me advocate for myself when I wanted a lower dose of pitocin for my induction. If you're considering a doula, hire Mary, you will not regret it.
    -Dee

  • Mary was an adaptive, supportive doula who I would highly recommend. She worked with me when I had my second baby. She met me where I was at - I didn't need as much education on my options since this was my second baby but really needed someone to affirm and refine my plans before birth, help during the most intense stages of labor and delivery, and then help me process it all afterwards.
    -Meredith

  • [Mary] was very in tune with my needs and often knew what I needed before I did. It was such a blessing to be able to focus on my body and birthing my baby and answer questions with yes or no than to try to tell others what I needed or even try to figure out what would be helpful.
    -Sarah

  • I really don't think I could have had the natural birth that I had without Mary by my side. She kept me grounded and brought me back when I was letting my fear in. She guided my husband in ways that he could support me, and got along perfectly with my midwives. She truly was my rock. I know that every birth can be so different, but Mary (if she doesn't retire before I'm done having babies!) will always be my constant. Do yourself a favor and bring this incredible women onto your birth team. You will not regret it!
    -Vanessa

  • Having Mary be part of the birth of our third daughter was one of the best decisions my husband and I made. I didn’t even consider using a doula for my first two children, but I felt that extra support and someone to advocate for me would be much needed and appreciated this third time around, and that’s exactly what Mary provided. She was there for me, exactly when I needed her, giving me support, suggestions, and both physical and mental strength.
    -Melania

  • Mary knew exactly what I needed, and I am so happy I found her. Mary has an expert array of natural pain management techniques and she kept me moving throughout labor. Time passed quickly, and I know my labor was shorter for her suggestions. She knew when to offer encouragement and when to offer comfort, and I delivered my perfect baby boy calmly and without fear. I highly recommend Mary to assist you with any type of birth plan you choose - you will be so happy you did!
    -Davania

Contact Mary: