Samantha Wainright
ECB Publishing, Inc.
You might know Heather Futrell as local business woman and owner of Traditions Embroidery and Rust and Rose, but did you know that she also serves as a 24/7 on call doula and midwife assistant?
After having a doula at her first birth, Futrell became passionate about providing the same support and care she received for other mothers. What is a doula? A doula is similar to a social worker for expecting mothers. They are there for emotional support, often attending prenatal appointments, coaching throughout labor and delivery and providing postpartum emotional support. Throughout the pregnancy, many doulas are also available on call, 24/7 for emotional support.
In addition to the emotional support provided to her doula clients through her birthing business, Olive Branch Birth Services, Futrell provides midwife assistant services under licensed Tallahassee midwife, Tanashia Huff.
Futrell has been a doula for the past seven years, and a midwife assistant for four years. As a doula, she is able to participate in home births, hospital births and those at the Birth Cottage in Tallahassee. As a midwife assistant, she exclusively serves mothers who are having at home births. Throughout her time doing birthing work, Futrell has been able to take part in 200 or so births! Each time unique, each time just as exciting and wonderful as the last.
Since taking over Traditions Embroidery in February of 2020 and opening Rust and Rose in August of 2020, Futrell has scaled back her birthing work, though she is still on call and accepting a limited number of new clients. Even with two businesses in town and a family of her own, Heather makes time to attend three to four births each month.
Heather is married to Jarid Futrell, and together they share three children, daughters Olivia (7) and Harper (5), and their son Tucker (2). Heather was accompanied by a doula for her first two pregnancies but not her last. She says there was a very noticeable difference in her experience, and highly recommends a doula to every expecting mother, whether it be their first experience or their tenth.
Futrell is also passionate about making sure that those in the Monticello area are aware that home births are definitely a viable option for them to explore. Most mothers in rural areas don't know that it is possible for them to do this, and may give birth at the hospital, though they would prefer to remain at home. She encourages all mothers to research doula services, interview multiple doulas and make sure that they are a good fit for their families.
You must be logged in to post a comment.