Call or text for a free consultation!
Empowering Your Pregnancy and Birthing Journey
Licensed and certified expert care and support for expecting parents
Our Mission
Ally Birthing & Consulting (ABC) is dedicated to supporting families during their pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum journey. Our mission is to provide knowledgeable and compassionate care that empowers parents to make informed choices.
Please call or text (612) 308-0694 for a FREE CONSULTATION!
Please scroll down for more information about ABC and how to invest in your birth experience. Together we can elevate and empower one of the most memorable and momentous events in your life.
About
Ally Birthing & Consulting was started by Jeri Tongen, a Perinatal Mental Health Professional who spent 12+ years of hearing highly preventable birth traumas of all kinds. Jeri is happy to be on the opposite side of delivery and working in a preventative and educational manner.
The name was created because Jeri views your baby, your partner, and herself as your greatest allies. This is YOUR BIRTH! Ally Birthing is passionate about creating an informed and positive birth experience that you want.
Space is limited due to only taking 1-2 births a month
Call or text for a FREE CONSULTATION!
(612) 308-0694
Ally Birthing Supports
- First time parents
- Birth after traumas
- Birth after miscarriage/stillbirth
- Birth with and/or after mental health, including: depression, anxiety, panic disorders, OCD, bipolar, postpartum psychosis, etc.
- Birth after infertility struggles
- Birth after having a baby spend time in the NIC-U
- Birth with or after pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, hyperemesis, gestational diabetes, and other pregnancy related concerns with mom or baby
- Birth of twins or multiples
- V-BAC births
- Adoption or Surrogacy Births
- Birth after medical and/or birth discrimination
- Teen Moms
- History of abuse
- And more
Birth Doula Services
- Unlimited sessions
- One-on-one birth prep education (Includes birth partner)
- One-on-one individualized and well-worded birth plan/preferences
- Time to ask individualized questions about up-coming labor and delivery
- Time to clarify and ease concerns
- On-call status as delivery approaches
- Full attendance of labor and delivery; support with informed consent, positioning, advocacy, and more
- Pictures of delivery
- Postpartum sessions
At ABC there are unlimited sessions before delivery. This is because first time parents and families coming from difficult situations (trauma, loss, etc.) usually need extra support, have extra questions, and feel more confident and empowered with more information.
Please call or text for a free consultation and to assess for fit
(612) 308-0694
Labor and Delivery Prep and Birth Plan Writing
- One-on-one birth prep education (Includes birth partner)
- One-on-one individualized and well-worded birth plan/preferences
- Time to ask individualized questions about up-coming labor and delivery
- Time to clarify and ease concerns
- Postpartum sessions
Consulting and Education Services
- MFT and BBHT Supervision
- PMH-C Supervision/Consultation Hours
- Education and CEUs for Professionals
- Labor and Delivery Medical Psychoeducation and How to Support Clients
- Teaching Clients the Medical and Mental Health Systems and How to Advocate for Themselves in Different Perinatal Circumstances
- Newborn Characteristic and Care
- Perinatal Mental Health Diagnoses and Treatment Modalities
- Perinatal Loss: Terminology, Perinatal Grief, and Subsequent Pregnancies
*Note: These Educational Presentations are adaptable to your time-frames and educational needs.
Location
Ally Birthing and Consulting services the greater Minneapolis Metro area.
Sessions will be on a secure on-line platform and birth doula will meet you when labor starts and stay until baby is delivered.
Supervision, Consultation, and Education will either be provided on-line or at your site of choice.
Providers: Jeri E. Tongen, MS, LMFT, CD, PMH-C [She/Her]
- Certified Birth Doula (2015)
- Completed Spinning Babies Workshop
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (2009)
- Perinatal Mental Health Certified (2020)
- Postpartum Doula Educated
- Trauma Educated in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Certified in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
- AAMFT and MN LMFT and BBHT Board Approved Supervisor
Jeri became a Licensed Mental Health Professional before attaining a Certification as a Birth Doula. For that reason, Jeri views this as "YOUR BIRTH," and will go above and beyond to get you the birth that you want.
Due to being trauma educated and certified, Jeri can bring trauma tools and techniques into this birth, so you can be present.
Jeri will attend your hospital or birthing center delivery, and she is passionate about providing an empowering birthing experience.
Cost
ABC values getting accurate and up-to-date information to the perinatal community. For this reason, prices are set lower than expected so more people can financially attain a birth doula, birth prep, and education.
ABC currently has a NPI (National Provider Identification). If your insurance covers a birth doula; ABC can provide you a printed "Superbill" to send in for reimbursement.
FREE CONSULTATIONS!
Call or Text (612) 308-0694
Birth Doula Services is a flat rate of $1,500: this includes all the birth prep sessions, attending your full labor and delivery, postpartum sessions, and more
*This price is similar to most birth doulas in MN; although Ally Birthing is also a Perinatal Mental Health Professional and trauma certified
Labor and Delivery Prep and Birth Plan Writing is $50 per session
*If you want to up-grade to the full Birth Doula Services all payments up to that point will be deducted from the flat rate fee.
LMFT and BBHT Individual Supervision is $60 per session: LMFTs can have 2 supervisees and split the cost
PMH-C Supervision/Consultation is $70 per session
Education and CEUs for Professionals is $15 per person per hour: please call for large group price points
*NOTE: ABC is flexible with payments. Can pay all at once or in divided out installments.
FAQ
Why hire a birth doula?
A study of over 1,000 women indicated the following benefits of adding a doula to your team: shorter labors, lower C-section rates, reduction in pain medications and number of medical interventions, improved neonatal outcomes, continuous support from one trusted individual, lower levels of anxiety and stress hormones, improved communication with medical team, higher over satisfaction with the birth experience, improved parent-infant bonding, and more.
What is the difference between an OBGYN, midwife, and birth doula?
An OBGYN is a medical doctor that also did a 4 year residency in obstetric and gynecology; OBs are also qualified to perform surgeries, such as C-sections.
A midwife is a master's level nurse who have added training in midwifery; midwives usually care for low-risk pregnancies.
A doula is a non-medical professional; their role is to provide emotional, physical, and informational support.
A pregnant individual has to choose between an OB and a midwife; whereas a doula can be added to both types of deliveries. Typically the role of OB's and midwife's is to focus on the medical safety of both the mother and baby throughout pregnancy, labor, and delivery. A doula's role is all about you. ABC will advocate for you, provide information at all points of pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum, support with position changes, ease worries, get answers to questions, put your partner at ease and allow them to to be present at delivery, and so much more.
When do you arrive and how long to you stay at deliveries?
ABC will arrive when you are in labor and stay until baby is delivered. Typically, after baby is born, and mom and baby are doing well the medical staff will clean up the room and leave. ABC will take some family pictures and leave the new family for bonding. Depending on the situation ABC is willing to stay longer when necessary.
Unlike nurses, doctors and midwives a doula is the most consistent person during your labor and delivery.
Can you bill insurance?
Yes and no... ABC currently has a NPI (National Provider Identification). If your insurance covers a birth doula then you can submit a "Superbill" to your insurance for re-imbursement. To find out what your insurance covers, call the number of the back of your insurance card; you can also ask what codes are covered. Then request a "Superbill" from ABC when all fees are paid.
What is your approach?
ABC has an educational and strength-based approach, with a focus on hope and empowerment. During labor ABC will set a 30-minute timer and we will change positions with or without an epidural (unless you are sleeping; then we let you sleep).
What are the sessions like?
In the free consultation ABC wants to hear all about you and answer any questions you may have.
If all parties agree that we would be a good fit, we will start regular sessions. A typical session starts with a check-in; any updates, questions, or concerns. Then ABC will individually tailor discussions to fit your needs in this pregnancy, labor, and delivery. We will usually meet once a month until it gets closer to delivery and then we will meet every other week to weekly depending on circumstances.
What topics do you discuss in sessions?
Nothing is off limits! Topics can include: previous births or perinatal experiences, options to make informed decisions at each stage of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum, writing a detailed birth plan with a back-up plan, worries and concerns, newborn care, hunger and sleep cues, sex after baby, hormones, extended family, setting boundaries, mental health, and anything else you need to discuss. If ABC does not know the answer to any of your questions, we will reach out to other professionals to get you that answer.
At how many weeks pregnant should we start meeting for sessions?
At ABC we are open to starting at any time. ABC has started with couples before even becoming pregnant, all the way to the month of delivery. The sooner you start the better. We do have a lot of people that reach out as soon as they are pregnant and space is limited so please keep that in mind.
Where and who do you deliver with?
ABC delivers at any hospital or birthing clinic in the greater Minneapolis Metro area. ABC also delivers with OBs and midwives.
Can you attend C-Sections?
YES! Birth Doulas are now being viewed as part of the birth team, and being let into C-Sections along with a birth partner. On top of the shift in thinking about a birth team, ABC has a pre-written letter that can be signed by your doctor, psychiatrist, and/or therapist to make sure the ABC provider can be let into your C-Section.
When and how do we meet postpartum?
ABC usually likes to meet 2 weeks postpartum. We will meet 1-2 times postpartum; although ABC is open to meeting more often if needed. We will meet on a secure on-line platform. However, I'm here to support you so if anything comes up before the scheduled meeting, I encourage you to please text or call.
Can you provide therapy as well as birth doula services?
Unfortunately, no. Due to continuing to hold a marriage and family license, ABC has to follow those ethical guidelines. If you have worked with an ABC provider therapeutically, and it has been at least 2 years since our last session, ABC is open to discussion of taking on the role of your birth doula.
Discussion Points
Trauma educated and certified is vastly different than being "trauma informed." Professional education and certifications indicates that provider can treat trauma and has tools, techniques, and interventions to provide when necessary. "Trauma informed" simply indicates that provider has been informed about what trauma is.
Spending hundreds to thousands of hours with individuals struggling with trauma is also vastly different that simply being informed about what trauma looks like.
What is the your birth experience worth?
Families spend $1,500 to $2,000+ on gender reveals, maternity photos, baby showers, and more. Investing in your birth experience is just as valuable. This is one of the most monumental events of your life, so having a great birthing team is invaluable.