About
4 Hearts

Kathy
O'Brien CD (DONA)-Service
includes-birth
place choices/options support, caregiver choice support, for birthing
(in home and birth site) birth (till 2 hours after your birth) nursing
support (including in home support), Birth Day Card story about Birth
for Baby
OR
Hypnobabies
Class-6 weeks, Pregnancy photos, Hypnodoula support
OR
Baby
nurse, night or day-singletons and multiples
OR
Parent
Training/Consultation
I
moved from San
Diego, California and met my husband, Danny O'Brien while working
at the Fort Worth State School for the Mentally Retarded .There, we began
a collaboration working with families and a very exciting relationship.
We share a basic Humanitarian Philosophy. We believe in partial barter
for our services when needed.
Our
son, Ian Matthew, was born prematurely,
suffering extensive brain damage, hydrocephalis, heart murmurs and Hylines
Membrane Disease. Not one word of hope, only imminent death was on the
lips of careproviders.
Our
miracle (faith never wavered) stayed 6 weeks in Neonatal Intensive Care
(NICU) at John Peter Smith Hospital,
and received prayers from around the world.
Dr.
Nelms was our Neonatologist along with Dr. Schwartz and
Ian
Matthew came home the day ater Christmas.
Our
second miracle, our daughter Kamala
Arielle (Kami) was born10 and 1/2 months later and was well, premature
and low birth weight, in the Birthing Room pilot program at Harris
Methodist Hospital by invitation of Dr. John Jeffers. Kami stayed
11 days in Harris NICU, I returned around the clock to nurse her.
Both
were breastfed and as part of a Preemie study and were followed by the
Child Study Center for 2 years.
Ian and Kami have been gifts beyond measure in our lives.
Ian
has a post graduate degree and Kami has her degree.
While
sharing parenting at home, Danny continued his service to the our community
in the areas of Mental Retardation, Autism, Runaways, Emotional Disturbance,
Juvenile Parolees, Drug Addiction, Mental Health Clinics, In-Home Parenting
Training, Sexual Abuse, and Alternative Education. And today participates
with me in our Hypnobabies Classes
and is a great resource for Dads and Moms.
Danny
is an artist whose chosen medium is digital/graphic arts, we love picturing
people together and the bonds between them. He has focused on the therapeutic
value of..."Picturing People Well".

Danny
and I share photographic artistic endeavors. The value of "Picturing People
Well" has lead to:
Bonding
Photography
and
The NIN Project-Nursing
"IS" Normal.
something I consider to be the ultimate in beauty and bonding. Together
we use the term "Bonding Photography" to describe the profound, visible
and possible connections between parent and child.
My
skills learned from caring for my 4 siblings in a single parent home and
commitment to strong family health has allowed me to focus on our family
including 5th-8th grade Calvert
home schooling with Ian and Kamala.
I
am committed to providing support and services to other families in my
vocation as a Doula, trained by Linda
Worzer. Many of the first births I attended were as a volunteer in
the Labor Companion Program at Peter Smith Hospital from 1995-1997. I
was trained by Marlys Spikes while she was at JPSH. I believe in a Doula
for every Birthing family who wishes one. I was Certified in 1998 after
completeing hundreds of volunteer births.
I
serve in birth with families of singletons, twins and triplets, am experienced
with preemies & special needs- Down Syndrome, Autism, Hydro &
Micro Cephally, CAH, failure to thrive, SUA & Postpartum Depression
as well as many other issues.
I provide one on one early parenting, Childbirth Education, breastfeeding
support & education as a Postpartum Doula. As a Birth and Postpartum
Doula, I provide Breastfeeding and Proactive Parenting Support in your
home , at birth and in our community. I have been In-Home Parent Coaching
for 12 years.
By
raising your confidence and skill level, I hope to happily and in good
faith, work myself out of a job.:) Though never out of contact!
Service to families, Breastfeeding ,Community Education, empowerment of
Families and a Doula for every Birthing woman who wants one, are my priorities.
I
have served The State School for the Menally Retarded, MHMR, Littlest
Angels, Autistic Treatment Center, YMCA,
The Bridge Emergency Youth Shelter, Westwood Emotionally Disturbed Juvinile
Unit, and the United States Census.
I am a member of Hypnobabies, Doulas of North America (DONA),
Founder of Doulas of Tarrant County (DOTC),
CAPPA and have been an Advisor toThe Fort Worth/Dallas Birthing Project.
I am founder of the NIN Project, now in 4 states.
I
am published in the International Doula and have provided photographs
for several nonprofit publications. I am a New Lives and Fort Worth/Dallas
Birthing Project Supporter.
I
teach in the community, have spoken at The University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center Conference, to Nursing Students at Arlington Memorial Hospital,
to Senior Nursing Students at UT in Arlington as well as at the State
Capital representing Doulas . I educate, and support fully Informed Consent
and Refusal, CIMS, the Patient Bill of Rights, lecture, speak, teach and
inservice by appointment as well as make referrals to Doulas, Midwives,
Doctors, Hospitals and Services in our community. I am very fortunate
to be a Doula:) and equally fortunate to know so many wonderful Mother
Centered, Mother/Child Friendly care providers,families, educators, volunteers
and supporters in the Metroplex!
I
am now a Certified CHILDBIRTH INSTUCTOR WITH HYPNOBABIES AS WELL!

I
am so grateful to all of the families that have allowed me to serve them,
you fill my heart with the most remarkable memories and beauty.
"Unless
you know what your options are they do not exist"
817.924.1773
for
options
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