My name is Lesley Spradlin and I am a certified birth doula. I live in the north Fort Worth area of Watauga with my husband, son and 1 "4 legged child". (For those of you who are wondering, "Where is Watauga?" It is right between Keller and North Richland Hills.) 
When I am not working with pregnant women, I enjoy spending time with my husband and son born in May 2007. I am involved in my church, love to read, love educating people about the "non main stream options" and keep very busy running after my little one.
In addition to being a doula I also have been employed by the American Pregnancy Association (APA) for since 2002. The APA is non-profit agency located in Irving. We have a national toll free helpline and comprehensive website that we use to help further our mission of "Promoting Reproductive Health and Pregnancy Wellness" for women and families. In November 2007, I left the APA as a full time employee so I could be home raising our son. I now do contract work for APA in addition to birth and postpartum doula work and teaching pregnancy and child birth classes.
In 2003, I stumbled upon the word doula in a pregnancy magazine and my life has not been the same since! After becoming certified through DONA, I started Laboring Hands Doula Services. I serve clients throughout the entire DFW metroplex and have worked in all birth settings.
 | A little more about Lesley... | | | What made you become a doula? | | | I began my work at the APA in 2002 and realized through my work there that I had a passion for women and families who are pregnant. At the APA I did phone and email counsel all day and I really wanted the opportunity to have more personal and hands on contact with women. After doing some research, I learned about being a doula. I had attended births before my doula training, but after I went through my trainings, I saw birth in a different light and loved it. I knew that this was part of God's calling on my life, so I went through the certification process. In the fall of 2005 I was able to travel to the Philippines as part of a missionary birth team and it was incredible! I feel so honored to do doula work as a job. | | | What is your philosophy on childbirth? | | | My philosophy on childbirth is that it is a normal, natural process that God created women to do. I believe that the birth of a child is one of life's most momentous occasions and my job as a doula is to help each couple have a positive, fulfilling birth experience. I feel that through education and information, couples can learn how to make the best choices for their family regarding childbirth. | | | What is being a doula like? | | Unlike anything else I have ever experienced! When I have a client due, my life is constantly in preparation for labor. I have my birth bag in my car, have my cell phone charged, have contingency plans for anything my husband and I are doing and try to get as much sleep as possible.
Being a doula is the chance to be invited as a special guest to one of the most intimate moments a woman and family will ever experience. There is no other feeling like that of seeing a brand new baby slip into the world and take his first breath. No matter how many births I attend, the miracle of birth always brings tears to my eyes as I stand in awe of what women were created to do.
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Trainings I have received:
|  Labor Doula Training-- November 2003
Rebozzo Skill's Workshop-- March 2004
Breastfeeding Managment I and II -- June 2005
Advanced Doula Training-- January 2006
Perinatal Loss Sensitivity Training -- March 2006
Infant Adoption Training -- March 2006
Vaccines; A matter of choice, safety and value-- August 2006
PostPartum Doula Training-CAPPA February 2008
CPR Certified--Septemeber 2008
Neonatal Resuscitation Certification--June 2009
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