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Lyra is a small, friendly hypoallergenic goldendoodle who attends visits and births with me. She is my Service Dog. She has also brought comfort, joy and ease to people in therapy offices, clinic hallways and other settings. In addition, all of my birthwork-adjacent and birthwork training over the last decade was done with Lyra by my side. I would say she knows about being a doula!

 

During visits and birthing Lyra waits quietly to the side of the room (or outside a client's home if weather permits), leashed to a stable structure. My clients, their loved ones and their providers are welcome to ignore or interact with Lyra as much as they wish.

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Please feel free to ask me any questions about Lyra, and to let me know how I can adjust her presence to meet your needs. 

 

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A Benefit Of Human-Dog Interaction

 

Should interacting with Lyra be of interest to you, you might be pleased to know that interacting with dogs increases oxytocin* levels in our bodies - a crucial hormone for uterine contractions, milk expression, decreasing stress hormones, lowering anxiety, activating the body's natural opiodergic mechanisms, and parenting instincts**

 

 

*Handlin et al., 2011; Miller et al., 2009; Nagasawa et al., 2009; Nagasawa et al. 2015; Odendaal & Meintjes, 2003

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**Amico et al., 2008; Burbach et al., 2006; Kendrick et al., 1986; Keverne and Kendrick, 1994;  Linda, 2010, 1987; Neumann et al., 2000, 2008; Pedersen and Prange, 1979; Pedersen et al., 1982; Petersson 1999a, 2005a, 2005b; Peterson et al., et al., 1996;  Stachowiak et al., 1995; Uvnas-Moberg, 1994b; Windle et al., 1997

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