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Carissa Williams 🌿 Birth Doula Atlanta

@hooladoula

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The Hoola ⭕️ Doula
Hoop Pregnancy/Postpartum Fitness
Joyful Catholic Wife & Mama of 3 💝💝💝
Founder @hoolaforhappiness
Let’s CHAT about YOUR Birth ⬇️

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Hi, my name is Carissa, and I am the Hoola Doula ⭕️⭕️⭕️ A little about me…I absolutely LOVE Birth & believe YOU were Made for This! Birth is Powerful, Sacred, Wild, Beautiful, Supernatural & Transformative🌿 Supporting and Empowering Mothers is my PASSION 🙏🏼

I’m grateful to be a Wife to an amazing, supportive Husband and a Mama to 3 adorable little Girls 💝💝💝 I started a nonprofit called @hoolaforhappiness back in 2010 and traveled the world (20+ countries) teaching Hoop Dance and spreading JOY 🦋 Now it’s come FULL CIRCLE ⭕️

I am a Certified Birth Doula & mostly support midwife-assisted home births in the Atlanta, Georgia area. (Based in Roswell serving a 45-min radius.) Hoola pregnancy stretching/ fitness classes are also available for clients in my home dance studio ⭕️

Let’s CHAT 💬 to see if I would be a good fit to support your pregnancy & birth journey🤰🏻Can’t wait to meet you!!

🤍 My Birth Doula services include:

🌿Free initial consultation (virtual or in-person in Roswell)
🌿Unlimited text/email support & resources/referrals throughout pregnancy
🌿At least 2 prenatal meetings (1 home visit)
🌿Birth plan preparation & access to my library of handouts & books to aid in planning + Digital Client Workbook
🌿Exercises for labor prep + Hoop for You ⭕️
🌿Discounted Hoola stretch/workout classes in my home dance studio (1 FREE)
🌿On-call 24/7 at 38 weeks of pregnancy
🌿Physical and emotional support throughout labor & birth + several hours postpartum
🌿Use of my Labor props
🌿Photos (non-professional) and detailed notes during labor & birth to aid birth story processing
🌿Postpartum home visit within 1-2 weeks + a yummy meal
🌿Emotional & spiritual support throughout the whole journey

📸 Gorgeous photo by @alexecade with beautiful client @megbayliss91

#hooladoula #atlantadoula #atlantacatholicdoula birthdoula #christiandoula #catholicdoula hoopdance pregnancyfitness christianbirthworkers pregnancyworkout hoopfitness hoopworkout hoolahoop pregnancydance dancingdoula roswelldoula by @hooladoula

Every client gets a Free handmade travel HOOP at their first prenatal meeting + ideas for pregnancy hoop stretching ⭕️ Adding an extra dose of JOY to pregnancy🤰🏻

#hooladoula #hoopdance #birthdoula #atlantadoula #labordoula #hulahoop #hoop #pregnancyfitness #pregnancyworkout #prenatalworkout #hoopworkout #hoopstretch @hoolaforhappiness by @hooladoula

🤍 Some things your DOULA can help with during Labor & Birth:

🌿 Be PRESENT
🌿 Counterpressure & Good Hip Squeezes 🔥
🌿 Back, neck, foot or hand massage
🌿 Words of affirmation & encouragement
🌿 Listen & validate feelings
🌿 Prayer & spiritual support 🙏🏼
🌿 Use of labor props such as peanut or birth balls, birth sling, rebozo, massage ball, comb, hot/cold therapy, etc.
🌿 Suggestions for relaxation techniques, rhythmic breathing, and finding a helpful, calming ritual through contractions
🌿 Set up a peaceful & calm birth environment
🌿 Use of aromatherapy/ essential oils
🌿 Play your favorite playlist 🎶
🌿 Use fan & cool washcloths for relief or nausea
🌿 Offer drinks & snacks whenever desired
🌿 Remind you of your birth plan/desires & using “BRAIN technique” when birth options or interventions are presented
🌿 Support your Spouse/Birth Partner with rest, options, suggestions & encouragement
🌿 Suggest position changes to encourage labor progress
🌿 Move & Breathe alongside you with contractions, one surge and wave at a time 🌊
🌿 Take lots of photos/videos (if desired), and take notes of key moments throughout labor to help you later process your Birth Story
🌿 Cook a meal, help clean up the birth space or help with siblings during the immediate postpartum time
🌿 Keep the oxytocin flowing!!! 💖

🤍 Did you know that evidence-based studies have shown that women who use DOULAS have lower reported pain levels in labor, shorter labors, use of fewer medical interventions, lower C-section rates, and higher satisfaction of their birth experiences?

“If a Doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to offer it.”

🤍 Reminder that your DOULA does NOT take the place of your Spouse or Birth Partner. They work together as a TEAM to better support you, and your Doula supports your Partner as well! Teamwork makes the Dream Birth Work 🤍

📸 : Awesome photos by the talented @alexecade at our beautiful client’s birth, Meg @megbayliss91 💖

#hooladoula #atlantacatholicdoula #christianbirthdoula birthpartner doulasupport dreambirth empoweredbirth @madeforthisbirth #letsdoulathis #homebirthdoula by @hooladoula

💖 Sweetest Moments welcoming Baby GIRL Clara Katherine 💖

For this Child we have Prayed 🙏🏼

“Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her REJOICE who gave birth to you.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭23‬:‭25‬ ‭NASB

Amazing Family: @megbayliss91 @ericbaylisssdc
Midwives: @hannah_penaluna @thewendcollective
Birth Photography: @alexecade
Doula: @hooladoula

#homebirth #waterbirth #birthphotography #hooladoula #atlantacatholicdoula @madeforthisbirth by @hooladoula

🩷 Welcome Baby Ava Grace 🩷

What a long awaited gift and miracle baby 🥹 My heart was literally exploding with JOY this entire labor. Alexis is the most genuine, hilarious, fun, authentic & beautiful woman & I felt so lucky to be the doula for this doula 🫶🏼 Walking with you in life and our mutual calling of birth work has been such a great JOY & blessing for me…I love you so much friend & what a PERFECT DAY!!!!! 🩷

We walked over hills…literally lol…laughed and cried…prayed and rejoiced- birth is TRULY AMAZING & SACRED! Alexis was blessed to have a beautifully progressing daytime birth for her 3rd child and first #homebirth experience- fully receiving everything she prayed for & deeply desired after so many long, difficult years of hard losses & hopeful waiting 🙏🏼

We have witnessed the GOODNESS OF GOD 🎶🎶🎶🎶

Look at that Radiant Smile and the tender love & support of her amazing husband 🥹 Such a warrior mama 🔥 And her little boys kissing her during labor was the sweetest thing ever… they are going to be the BEST big brothers 🩵🩵

Thank you to Midwife Amanda @manda_2288 & Birth Assistant Alex @thebergerbungalow @wildflowermidwifery_georgia for your compassion and care through this gorgeous birth & along her journey 💐

#hooladoula #waterbirth #sacredbirth @alexischambers2959 @alexischambersdoula #christianbirthworkers by @hooladoula

🙏🏼🩷 The Birth of Ava Grace was a Marvelous Answered Prayer 🩷🙏🏼

This is what a Miracle Feels Like

This is a HALLELUJAH Moment

This is a Taste of God’s Goodness

This is the Rainbow 🌈 after the Storm ⛈️

This is the “Joy that comes in the Morning” after the sorrow, pain & tears through the Night

This is the PEACE of a Praying Birth Team 🙏🏼

This is the Faithfulness of God we rejoice over and long to see & experience in this lifetime

🤍…More of this beautiful birth story & photos coming soon from my dear doula friend @alexischambers2959 @alexischambersdoula 🩷🩷🩷

What a perfect day for a sweet & stunning #homebirth with Midwife @manda_2288 & @thebergerbungalow with @wildflowermidwifery_georgia 💐

Thank you to EVERYONE who has prayed and supported Alexis & Adam along the way….those prayers were so deeply felt 🥹🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 by @hooladoula

🔥 HOLY SPIRIT and HIP SQUEEZES 🔥

Obsessed with the best doula shirt ever….thank you soooo much @megbayliss91 for your thoughtfulness 🫶🏼🙏🏼🩷

I pretty much live in comfy cute t-shirts these days…thanks also to @madeforthisbirth merch & @nova.chiropractic giveaways 🩷

Thanks be to God…just living my best life over here ☕️☕️☕️

#hooladoula #atlantacatholicdoula #doulaswag #letsdoulathis #holyspiritandhipsqueezes by @hooladoula

❤️ Could there be any more LOVE in this picture??? ❤️

You can have whomever you want at your #homebirth 🫶🏼 Beautiful Lina @linisgomez decided to have her Mother, Sister & Sister-in-law + her supportive husband, 2 awesome midwives @birthingwaymidwifery @intouchbirth & me (her doula) 🎊

This powerful first-time mama absolutely rocked her home #waterbirth for her first baby girl 💝 More inspo coming soon…🎊

#hooladoula #atlantacatholicdoula #firsttimemomhomebirth by @hooladoula

🩷 Congratulations Maria & Patrick 🩷

SO many hugs
SO many snuggles
SO much love
SO much JOY
SO much Fun
SO much coffee ☕️ lol
SO many cuties 🫶🏼
SO many Polaroids 📸
SO many answered prayers
SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR 🎶
Thank you Jesus! Amen 🙏🏼

*Swipe to the last 2 photos to see the last 2 births’ group photos side by side…too FUN #spooning 🥄🤣

#hooladoula #atlantacatholicdoula #homebirth @manda_2288 @thewendcollective #dreambirth @maria.m.sand @patricksandwich by @hooladoula

🩷🙏🏼 Blessingway Catholic Edition 🙏🏼🩷

I love how many of my clients are choosing to host a Blessingway gathering with sweet friends in the last few weeks of pregnancy leading up to labor & birth as a way to prayerfully prepare and invite faithful community into the birth intercession process 🙏🏼

🤍Some things the Blessingway can include:

🙏🏼 Specific Liturgy & Prayers for Birth with Scripture Readings, Responses, Intercessions & Litanies
🙏🏼 A time for the women in attendance to write down and read out loud their own prayers and encouragement over the mother
🙏🏼 Lighting of Candles and sending them home with each of the women to light and pray when the mom goes into labor
🙏🏼 Rose offering to the mother with Scripture verses of Blessing attached to spiritual attributes🌹
🙏🏼 Offering of beads during the prayer time to be turned into a rosary which could be used during birth + postpartum
🙏🏼 Adding prayers + affirmations on notecards to a book or board which could be used during the birth (I love hanging up these cards to be seen and read aloud during labor)
🙏🏼 Social time before & after with yummy snacks & drinks to celebrate the mom and her upcoming birth
🙏🏼 Gifts optional from a registry list, or for subsequent babies, consider bringing diapers + wipes or spiritual/ handmade gifts 🎁

What would you add to this list? 🩷🙏🏼🩵

#blessingway #catholicblessingway #catholicblessing #prayerparty #birthaffirmations @maria.m.sand @sav_alyse @rebeccamirolli @alinadance11 @kristi.n.johnson @vanessa_delvillar @bridget.keller.doula @living.mia.life @nicolemcapaldi by @hooladoula

ALL HANDS ON DECK for the most beautiful home birth of Allie & Steve’s first baby GIRL 🩷

I met Allie when she was barely 5 weeks pregnant and she knew EXACTLY what she wanted! What a rockstar mama who prepared in every possible way with childbirth education, alllllll the books & podcasts & classes, chiropractic care, pelvic floor therapy, pregnancy fitness & top notch nutrition, postpartum meal prep, and breastfeeding prep🤱🏼 She was ready for the whole journey, and not scared of the hard moments - truly trusting the process 🔥

Her birth unfolded beautifully throughout a long day, and she did all the right things in early labor - staying restful, distracted & undisturbed until she finally just knew she needed her Birth TRIBE around her. Her intuition guided her every step of the way & there were so many gorgeous moments of sweet support from her chosen village… What an honor to support such a cool first time mom 🔥 I’m so proud of her perseverance, fortitude, stubbornness 😉 and TRUST 🙏🏼

You are an inspiring mother, overcoming so much already with a resilient spirit and excitement to always learn & grow! I truly LOVE getting to walk with you 🩷

What an awesome team to support Amazing Allie in her first home birth for her first baby 🩷 Thank you to Midwife Beth @bee_aveta with @birthingwaymidwifery , Midwife Assistant Yvonne @eightmoonsbirthing , Bridget @bridget.keller.doula , Allie’s supportive husband Steve & her sweet mother & precious in-laws 🫶🏼

#hooladoula #homebirth #waterbirth #firsttimemomhomebirth #dreambirth by @hooladoula

🩷🙏🏼 Do you wanna see the most beautiful prayer and affirmation board of alllllllllll time for pregnancy, labor & birth 🙏🏼🩷 I’m soooooooo in love!!!!! 😍

Let this sweet work of art inspire you as you prepare for your own birth soon 🙏🏼

#hooladoula #atlantacatholicdoula #catholicbirth #sacredbirth #homebirth @maria.m.sand @madeforthisbirth by @hooladoula