Katie Shuler Birth Doula

A little about me...

I am the wife of an amazing husband and the mother of 7 kids under the age of 19.  My husband, Phil, and I have lived in Columbus since we were married in 2001.  We always knew we wanted a large family, and so we began having kids right away.  Our first daughter, Mikaela, was still born around 35 week's gestation.  Although this was one of our greatest trials in life, we had a complete peace from God.  Not long after that we got pregnant again and were blessed with another beautiful girl, Jane.  We continued to have kids about 18 months apart, and now currently have 4 girls and 3 boys, Jane, Michael, Abigail, Gabriel, Thaddeus, Elisabeth, and Anna Kate.  We are so richly blessed!  ​After 8 births, I have learned, not all birthing experiences are alike.  All my births have been different: different pregnancy symptoms, different complications, and different birthing positions.  But the end result is always the same; a beautiful baby and one excited momma!  Throughout all my pregnancies I have experienced the following conditions at various times (not all at once, thank goodness) gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, cholestasis, "being overdue", still birth @35 weeks, and miscarriage @11 weeks; even with the varian circumstances, all my births have been completely natural, vaginal births.

I became passionate about being a doula when many of my friends began to experience cesarean deliveries.  Labor and delivery is a very NATURAL process, and it is discouraging that our society is now turning it into a major operation.  Cesarean section is necessary in some circumstances, but now 1/3 of all births are delivered by C-sections.  I have found that many women end up with C-sections because they are simply not informed of their options.  If they knew various exercises to help them labor better, if they knew walking is better than lying in bed, if they knew epidurals lead to other problems, if they knew once you consent to a cesarean section, it is almost impossible to deliver vaginal (VBAC) again.  IF THEY ONLY KNEW...

And so it was, my friends started asking me to join them in their labors.  It was then that I began researching what a doula was, and became doula certified through DONA International.  I got certified in 2011 and have served over 50 clients in Columbus, Fort Benning, Opelika, Atlanta, and Lagrange.

It is my passion to help women labor.  To help them labor more comfortably, to help them avoid unnecessary complications or surgeries (such as C-sections that could have been avoided), and to help them achieve one of the greatest birthing experiences possible.