Eleison Doula Services

06/09/2026

Tell me you’re postpartum without telling me you’re postpartum 😅

If you know, you know.

Postpartum is a wild little season, and sometimes the smallest things can feel like a very big deal. You deserve support that makes the day feel a little more manageable.

Need postpartum help? If you're in the Birmingham, Alabama area, I’ve got you covered. Go to the link in my bio and complete the contact form — I’ll text you to set up a time to talk.

06/08/2026

Life’s transitions shape us in profound ways. At Eleison Doula Services, we bring care, clarity, and compassionate doula support to help you move through with confidence and peace.

Whether you are beginning a new chapter or closing one, we are here to walk alongside you. At Eleison Doula Services, we provide compassionate care and guidance at every stage, ensuring you never feel alone.

Rachel and Nicholas Bailey are the husband-wife team behind Eleison Doula Services. Rachel is a birth & postpartum doula and childbirth educator, while Nicholas is an end-of-life doula.

Let us know about your pregnancy, birth, or loved one approaching transition and see how we can help! Complete the contact form at https://eleisondoula.com/contact-us/ (link in bio).

06/06/2026

You would not guess how I became a doula.
Before I was a doula, I was a university professor teaching public health. Before that an anthropologist. And before that a stay-at-home mom.

Each of those jobs taught me something I still carry into my work now.

I was young when my kids were born — 23 when I had my first — and living in England. It was an exciting time, but also hard to be starting a family so far away from the rest of my family. One thing that really stayed with me was the midwifery-led maternity care, including home visits in the first days after my babies were born.

I became interested in midwifery, but with small children the clinical hours didn’t seem practical. So I stayed home with my kids and threw myself into breastfeeding, play groups, and trying to be patient with the little people I loved so much.

During that time, I started graduate school in anthropology. I was fascinated by the idea that understanding culture could make a difference in health care. With an amazing mentor who let me bring my kids to our meetings, I completed my PhD while staying home with my children. My research on how parents make decisions about vaccination taught me how complex those decisions can be and how to be a great listener.

Then we moved to Lampeter, Wales, where I taught at the local university. In 2015, I took a job teaching public health at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. The move from anthropology to public health surprised a lot of people, but to me it made perfect sense. I’d really been working in public health all along — just through the lens of culture.

But I never lost my interest in birth. A few years after moving to Birmingham, I learned about doula work and was immediately intrigued. In 2020, I took a doula training and attended my first birth, and I was hooked. Six months ago, I resigned from my university position to focus full-time on birth and postpartum doula work and childbirth education. And that’s where you find me now.

So, what's next in my doula journey! Maybe it will be supporting your birth and parenting experience! To learn more about having me as your doula, complete the contact form at https://eleisondoula.com/

05/27/2026

Happy Friday! I can accept BCBS clients, and for those without insurance, I do pay-what-you-want! 🤍 reserve your appointment with me today 🤍

05/22/2026

Unmedicated Academy class with local meet-up

You will receive: Unlimited access to the complete self-paced Unmedicated Academy curriculum. 4 live virtual classes with Rachel, integrated with the academy content. These classes will help you get to the key information quickly, provide you with an opportunity to ask questions, and introduce you to other local parents with similar due dates - a built-in peer network! Handouts for each class, for easy reference…...

Learn natural birth skills in Unmedicated Academy, our virtual childbirth class with a local meetup. Gain confidence, practical tools, and support for labor.

05/14/2026

ChatGPT can give information.
But it can’t hold your hand through a contraction, help your partner stay calm, or look at you in transition and remind you that you can do this.

Birth support is human work.

That’s why I love combining childbirth education with real doula support through Unmedicated Academy. You get evidence-based birth education, honest conversations, and support from someone who has actually walked with mothers through labor, birth, and postpartum here in Birmingham.

Because women were never meant to prepare for birth alone.

If you’re due in August, September, October, or November 2026 and looking for birth prep that combines childbirth classes with doula support, comment ENROLL and I’ll send you the details. 🤍

05/08/2026

Hey, friend. As your doula, I promise to be here when you need me - so I get a lot of texts from moms struggling through those early days, feedings, and sleepless nights.

“I’m just feeling so sad.”
“Is it normal for breastfeeding to hurt like this? Will it get better?”
“Do you think you could come tomorrow and help me figure this out?”

Here’s what I want you to hear from me. This stuff is hard. Having a baby is beautiful, but it’s hard. You can feel overwhelmed, sad, enraged, and it’s ok to express those raw feelings with me. You’re a great parent and you’re not alone. I may be working in my garden today but I’m still here for you on the other end of the phone. Your feelings are so valid. It will get better, but you don’t have to wait to reach out for support. Let’s walk through this time together. #