I’m happy you’re here! My name is Nicole, but most of my friends call me Coley. I grew up here in Burlington but since getting married in 2016, my husband and I spent several years of our married life in Scotland for him to pursue higher education. Our time there was beautiful and such a fun adventure full of twists and turns, but as of summer 2024, God brought us back to North Carolina to be closer to family. We are now settling into our new home in Burlington and it feels quite surreal to be back in town, but I’m really loving it.

My journey into birth work began after I gave birth to my son in 2017. He was born at Alamance Regional Medical Center just two months before we were planning on moving to Scotland. During my pregnancy, I struggled with what we later found our was undiagnosed Antepartum Depression (APD). It was a very lonely time for me, filled with guilt and shame because the expectations I had for pregnancy looked very different than my reality. I felt very much like a shell of a person. I couldn’t connect with the baby in my belly, and I didn’t have any energy to put towards advocating for the type of prenatal care or labor/birth I really wanted.

My labor was precipitous (he was born almost 3 hours after labor started) and immediately after he was born, it was as if I had woken up from a long, fuzzy, sad dream. I knew then that my hormones had majorly affected my birth experience. In my postpartum appointments, I discussed everything with my midwife, and she confirmed that it had been APD. After doing some research and realizing that a significant number of women suffer from APD, I knew I eventually wanted to get involved in birth work in some way, so that I could be on the lookout for other mamas who may be experiencing what I had.

When we got pregnant with my daughter, it happened again. The first pregnancy “symptom” I had was telling my husband I needed to start counseling again. One week later we got a positive pregnancy test. This time around I knew what was happening and that I wasn’t the only woman experiencing this and I was able to get help early. on. My husband, midwives, counselor, and family were extremely supportive during this time of vulnerability and struggle. A dear friend of mind offered to be my birth doula and was a huge support during pregnancy, but sadly, due to the 2020 restrictions, she was not allowed in my delivery room.

Luckily, I knew that once my baby was born, I would feel like a person again. This fact was the light at the end of my very dark tunnel and a driving force when my second precipitous birth became very intense, very fast. Sure enough, an hour and twenty minutes after labor began, my daughter was born and I felt whole again. The long, sad dream was over!

Looking back on my pregnancies and birth experiences, I can see now how God was gracious and gentle with me. He placed precious friends and family members around me during those times of struggle. He has brought about such beauty from my deep pain and has allowed me to share my birth stories for His glory. Because of these experiences, I believe He has given me the capacity to hold the stories of other mamas and make space for whatever those stories might be.

I jumped into birth work education with with the thought that I would become a midwife, but after a lot of reflection and prayer, I realized that my calling is to support new mamas a birth doula. I have since had the honor of supporting other friends and family members during their pregnancies and births, both in home birth and hospital settings. My heart is to come alongside women and help them find and establish their peace and power while in labor.

I desire to create a calm space for women to experience the life-altering moment of becoming a mother - whether for the first or the fifth time! I don’t enter that space lightly. For each of my mamas, I commit to spending time in prayer for you and your babies as we approach your due date together. I commit to being a resource for when curve balls come our way and be a strong support so you can enter your delivery space informed and confident.

I will hold your story with you and help you process along the way. I commit to being the hands and feet of Jesus for you and your family during this incredible time of transition and joy. I am thrilled to be working with this team of doulas and it is my honor to have this opportunity to support you as you and your family begin this exciting, new chapter.