Since 2022, Mary Claire has attended numerous births as both a doula and a birth photographer - documenting the emotional and sacred beginning of new life, while also providing support and helping families advocate for the birth experience they desire. She attends births in homes, hospitals and birth centers throughout the greater Atlanta area.
She’s passionate about supporting women through pregnancy and birth because she believes in the innate wisdom and capability of a woman’s body to bring her baby safely into the world. She aims to cultivate birth spaces that prioritize safety, comfort, connection and empowerment, while using her camera to tell the unique story of each birth she attends.
Mary Claire is a trained doula and is pursuing official certification under DONA. She is also a member of The Doula Network - an organization that creates pathways for community-based birth doulas to be fully recognized maternal health professionals eligible for Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement.
Mary Claire offers her doula services on a sliding scale in order to accommodate a variety of financial circumstances. Birth photography is also available as a stand-alone service. For more information on pricing and services, please send an inquiry below.
DOULA + BIRTH SUPPORT
WHAT IS A DOULA?
A birth doula is a non-medical support role that provides education, hands-on comfort measures and emotional support throughout pregnancy and labor. Doulas are experts when it comes to the physiological and psychological processes of birth, and they maintain a calm and steady presence that helps their clients feel safe and supported. They use techniques such as counter-pressure and massage during contractions, as well as making recommendations for different laboring positions and breathing techniques to cope with discomfort.
The word doula is greek for “one who serves,” and although it is a relatively new term in its application, women have been supporting each other through pregnancy, birth and parenting throughout human history. The heart and posture of a doula is to come alongside and lovingly serve families as they enter the sacred portal of birth and bring a new life into the world.
"Mary Claire was a joy to work with and provided incredible support as a doula for my husband and me. She saw me as capable and innately wise about my body and saw our baby's birth as a natural and beautiful process. Even with this being our third baby the ways she helped us prepare were incredibly helpful; I better understood what I wanted during delivery and advocated for myself effectively in ways that wouldn't have happened without her support. Her skill, compassion, and ability to quickly build trust with my husband and me helped lead to a great birth. I'm so thankful for Mary Claire's work and definitely recommend working with her.”
— Katelyn