Birth Doesn’t Have to be Scary
(Yes, really!)
Meet Katie Painter, Your Practical, Go-To Guide for All Things Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum
Your whole world is about to change, and you probably have a LOT of questions, like:
→ What’s labor going to be like, really?
→ Um, what is going on with my body? Is that… normal?
→ Do I want all of the drugs? None of the drugs? Some of the drugs?
→ Oh my god, what if I poop on the delivery table!?
You want to know ALL THE THINGS, but there’s a fine line between being well-informed and not being able to sleep at night because you fell down a Google rabbit hole and now you’re nervous about every tiny detail.
Pregnancy and parenthood can be magical (you know, aside from the parts that are literal shit). But for plenty of parents-to-be, the fear of the unknown, not-so-helpful horror stories from friends and family, dramatic birth scenes on tv and in movies, and changes in everything from your daily routine to how your body feels all have the potential to take away from your joy.
I’m here to tell you that you deserve support, you deserve empowerment, and you deserve to have a say in the kind of birth you have.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Birth Nerd
I’m Katie Painter (she/her/they), a certified Birth and Postpartum Doula based in Richmond, Virginia, who has helped hundreds of families grow over the past 5 years.
I take an evidence-based, judgment-free approach – because this journey isn’t just about preparation, it’s about peace of mind, too.
You might’ve noticed I say pregnant people, not just pregnant women. I’m a feminist, anti-racist, and proud supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community. I believe in accessible healthcare for all, and I believe we have a responsibility to the planet and to each other.
And hey, if any of that has you going “nooope,” then I’m probably not the birthworker for you.
But if you’re still here? You’re going to get so much more than facts and stats (if you want those, though, I’ve got plenty!)
I’m here to help you find the power and confidence to plan your ideal birth, to give you honest, candid guidance that’s uniquely tailored to you, to hold space for you and hold your hand on the hard days, and to prepare you and your birth partner(s) for any curveballs your body or your baby throw at you.
I will never judge you, and I will never make decisions for you.
There’s no “right” way to give birth. Instead, I want to know what you want. I want to know what your ideal looks like. We’ll map out Plan A, and if we need to pivot, I’m here to help you figure out Plans B, C, D, E, F, and G, too.
If you’re feeling a little skeptical about the possibility of pregnancy and birth being anything other than awful, scary, and something to be endured rather than celebrated, I hear you… because that was me, too.
My Story —
When I was pregnant for the first time, I saw firsthand just how much bad, outdated information there is out there. I kept reading stuff that just didn’t make any sense, and when I’d talk to my friends about it, I realized that they were all getting different answers, too.
It was really freaking frustrating.
Then, when I was attending prenatal yoga, my teacher introduced me to books by women like Ina May Gaskin and Penny Simkin. For the first time in my pregnancy (and, um, my life), I wasn’t just hearing stories about how painful and unbearable childbirth was – I was hearing about how beautiful and empowering it could be, too.
Yes, I was skeptical. I mean… could birth really be magical? Like, seriously? But it was! I had a great birth where I felt truly badass. I didn’t know it could be so empowering or so fun.
Then, early in my pregnancy with my second daughter, I took a deep dive into specialty certifications in prenatal and postpartum yoga and fitness.
And when I attended a birth as a doula for the first time? Pure magic. It was amazing. I was like, “I need to be doing more of this immediately.” All I wanted to do was teach yoga, work as a doula, and talk about birth and raising children.
Five years later, here we are! I’ve had the privilege of helping to welcome more than 50 babies into the world while supporting hundreds of new parents – both virtually and in person – through childbirth classes and in prenatal, postpartum, and recovery yoga.
Are you next?
Love note
Katie's a reassuring, calming, and empowering force to walk beside you through a process that can be any number of things, including amazing and terrifying and sad.
“And if you have times when you feel really powerless, Katie will be there to help you take back some of that power. Both of my children’s births could have felt very scary and out of control for me if I hadn’t had her. If I ever lose my mind and decide to have a third baby, Katie will absolutely be there.”
-ma
Trainings & Certifications
certified Birth + Postpartum Doula
Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator
Prenatal + Postpartum Certified Coach
Registered Yoga Teacher, Yoga Alliance RYT 500
Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher, Yoga Alliance RPYT
ACE Certified Personal Trainer
What You Want Matters
I don’t think my doctor ever asked me “What kind of birth would you like?” and I think the same is true for so many people.
But here’s something that might surprise you:
The number one predictor of how satisfied a person is with their birth experience isn’t whether they had a medicated or unmedicated birth, or whether they had a c-section or a vaginal delivery. It’s whether or not they felt like they had choices and were involved in the decision-making process.
Too often, parents-to-be get stuck on what I like to call the birth conveyor belt: you move through the process without really knowing 1) that you have options and 2) what those options are.
Instead of feeling confident and empowered, you’re left to Google it on your own or hope your provider has enough time during their overscheduled day for a 5-minute conversation to ease your worries.
It doesn’t have to be that way.
The kind of birth experience you want matters, and I’m here to support you throughout the whole journey.
Love note
Katie's not afraid to get real.
“It was so nice to have someone tell me exactly how things were going to feel and just be so honest about it. There’s so much about pregnancy and birth that just doesn’t get talked about, and thank goodness Katie’s here to be like, ‘No, we’re going to talk about it, because it’s going to help you through the process.’” Being able to talk openly about what’s “normal” really helped reduce my fear.”
