Family First Birth Services

02/10/2026

Are you passionate about supporting families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum?

Do you believe that every woman can find a strength she didn’t know she had in her most challenging time?

Are you willing to step into the mystery, the mess, and the unknowns of labor?

If you answered yes to more than one of these questions, you may have the heart of a doula! My workshops are more than just training—they’re an opportunity to step into your calling, refine your skills, and join a supportive community of like-minded individuals.

My training meets the requirements of ICEA’s path to doula certification. ICEA certified professionals are trained to provide family-centered perinatal care and to promote the freedom of choice based on knowledge of alternatives in childbirth.

Now, more than ever, we need doulas as part of the care team for birth. Join me as we help families enter parenthood with courage, confidence, and connection.

05/07/2024

Delighted to be a guest on the BirthGuide Podcast, talking about aligning with your partner as you make decisions in pregnancy and birth.

There can be an overwhelming number of choices to make when preparing for a baby's arrival, and not all family members are on the same page about the answers. But this is also a time of great opportunity for learning about each other and becoming an even stronger team!

Take a listen and share with your pregnant friends. ❤

A couple needs to make many decisions in pregnancy, and patterns of decisionmaking established now can impact your family’s life for decades. In this episode, two couples counselors and two doulas explore some of the common areas for conflict in pregnancy, and offer advice on how a couple can find...

10/21/2022

Listen to doula Tara Van D**e as she talks about why she loves supporting families in birth!

What does a birth doula do? Is it all about fetching ice chips and giving back rubs? After attending hundreds of births, I (Tara) am convinced the magic is in the continuous care. Families welcoming a new baby need someone they can count on to guide them through the unknowns of labor and birth. I fo...

03/11/2022

Besides supporting families through birth in Chicagoland, we at Family First have a heart for new mothers around the world. Especially those facing extra challenges. For every birth we attend, we make a donation to an amazing organization, Every Mother Counts.

Here is their recent statement about what is happening in Ukraine:

Around the world, more than 60 percent of maternal deaths take place in countries experiencing humanitarian crises.
Over the last several weeks, the Every Mother Counts community has been horrified by reports of pregnant and newly postpartum people struggling to access the maternity care they need in makeshift and shell-damaged wards. Most recently, images of the destruction of an operational maternity hospital in Mariupol has demonstrated–yet again and in the starkest way possible–how, in the face of violent conflict, it is so often pregnant women and children who bear the brunt of the aggression.

Today and every day, Every Mother Counts stands with the mothers and families in Ukraine who have been forced to flee their homes, separate from their loved ones, and seek lifesaving maternity care in a dangerous and rapidly deteriorating situation.

In times like these, we remain committed to our mission: to ensure equitable access to safe and respectful maternity care for all. Our strength comes in standing together. Now more than ever.

Every Mother Counts is currently reaching out to organizations from and working in the region to find out what is most needed on the ground, and how we can best support mothers and pregnant people in Ukraine going forward.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to this work, to the mothers and families impacted, and will provide more information at the earliest possible time.

The coming days and weeks will be filled with uncertainty as the conflict continues to unfold. One truth that remains: every mother deserves access to the maternity care she needs, and every mother counts.

Sincerely,
The Every Mother Counts team

01/24/2022

It's a joy to work collaboratively with compassionate providers. The midwives at OMG Women's Healthcare are some of the best around. We interviewed midwife Megan Belleavia so you could get to know her a little better. Enjoy!

As doulas, we have worked alongside many of the medical practices in the Chicagoland area. While choosing a medical provider is a very personal and individual decision for each family, we believe the best ingredients include evidence-based care, open communication, and a relationship built on trust.

01/16/2022

Keeping a sense of humor in parenting is key, and these illustrations are SO on point!

The not so secret life and feelings of a parent, revealed.

01/16/2022

All births are sacred. But not all births are sunshine and rainbows.

Nicki Rehs Worden knew her 6th birth was going to be complicated, and understood she could benefit from emotional and physical support. She has attended hundreds of births, so she knew her options and how to ask for them. But doulas give of themselves so much, they aren't accustomed to receiving.

It was a joy and an honor to care for Nicki & Corey as they welcomed sweet baby Silas. As Nicki's body was sick with preeclampsia, the birth was a struggle. But there were so many sacred and shining moments as I witnessed their teamwork, love, and commitment to their family.

Silas is nearing his first birthday now. He is precious and oh so loved.

I recognized this would be a planned, high-risk pregnancy. It would be at a hospital. And, thankfully, it would be with the OB that I trust most in the world. I was only able to give up control because of the immense trust I had in the team that was caring for me. I knew without question that they w

01/06/2022

We have been working hard to build something new for 2022, and here it is.

Introducing...Family First Birth Services.

We started this partnership and new business model to make doula life sustainable for ourselves and our families, and to provide even better depth of care for our clients.

2021 was our trial year of working together, and it was an amazing one. Together we supported 126 births, added new services, and navigated the challenges of of ever-changing Covid-19 restrictions.

We believe more than ever that people need skilled support and compassionate care during their big life transitions. We believe the birth of a baby is one of the most sacred and challenging times a family will face. And we're here for it, learning and growing alongside our colleagues and clients.

Please join us by writing a review, sharing our website, and following our page. We are grateful for your support as we serve growing families in the coming year.

Many thanks and happy new year! ❤️
Tara and Nicki