Hana Grace Lehmann (she/they) was going to support her close friend Annalise (she/her) through her pregnancy and birth. Annalise was set to have an unmedicated birth at the hospital, but when she reached forty weeks, COVID-19 hit, and shelter-in-place began. With Annalise now looking at different birthing options, Hana faced the possibility of providing virtual support for the first time, or hosting her friend’s birth in her own house.

If you’d like to connect with Hana, you can find her on Instagram @philadoula and her website is philadoula.com 

If you or someone you care about needs support for perinatal depression or anxiety, check out these resources: the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color (pmhapoc.org) and Postpartum Support International (postpartum.net)

Hana would like to thank Annalise & Damian for letting her be a part of their story, and for being open to her sharing their story. Thank you also to Wes and Cecilia who held her, and kept her going at that time. Finally, thank you to Samm Magpi of Magpi Midwifery, for being a grounding and calming presence.

You can follow the Doula Stories podcast on Facebook or Instagram @doulastories or learn more on our website, doulastories.com