Pregnancy, birth, feeding, insurance, and choosing support can come with a lot of questions. Whether you're considering working with Starlight, trying to understand your coverage, or simply figuring out where to start, you'll find answers to some of the most common questions here.
Questions are always welcome
Looking for questions about a specific service? You'll also find more detailed FAQs on each service page.
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Starlight Birth Services offers birth doula support, childbirth education, lactation education and support, and additional educational resources for growing families. Services are available in a variety of formats, including individual support, group education, online learning, and community-based programming.
You can explore each service in more detail through the Services and Classes pages.
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Starlight Birth Services is based in Bend, Oregon and serves families throughout Central Oregon. Availability outside the immediate Bend area may depend on the service and location, so you're always welcome to reach out and ask.
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You don't need to know exactly what you need before reaching out.
If you're interested in doula care or individualized support, complete the inquiry form for that service and tell me a little about yourself and what you're looking for. For scheduled classes, you can view upcoming offerings and register directly when enrollment is available.
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Yes. Choosing someone to support you during pregnancy and birth is personal, and it's important that you feel comfortable with the person you're inviting into that experience.
For services where a consultation is appropriate, we'll have an opportunity to connect, discuss what you're looking for, and determine whether working together feels like a good fit.
Working With Starlight
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Starlight Birth Services works with families using private payment as well as eligible insurance benefits. Payment options vary by service and insurance plan.
If you're unsure which option applies to you, you can provide your insurance information when you inquire and we can determine the appropriate next steps.
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Yes. Starlight Birth Services accepts Oregon Health Plan clients for covered doula services.
Coverage and any required steps can vary depending on your coordinated care organization and circumstances, so we'll determine what is needed for your specific coverage.
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Starlight is working with commercial insurance plans that offer eligible doula benefits. Coverage, provider participation, reimbursement, and member cost-sharing can vary considerably between insurers and individual plans.
If your insurance includes a doula benefit, reach out with your plan information so your specific coverage can be reviewed.
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That's okay. Many families aren't sure whether doula care is included in their benefits.
You can provide your insurance information when you inquire, and we can determine what information needs to be verified for your particular plan.
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Yes. Private-pay services are available, and having health insurance does not necessarily mean you have to use an insurance benefit for every service.
If you have insurance coverage and aren't sure which payment option makes the most sense for your situation, we can discuss your options before you book.
Payment & Insurance
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A doula is a non-clinical support professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum period.
For more about what doula support looks like, visit the Doula Services page.
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No. Doula support can be valuable across many different birth settings, preferences, and circumstances, including hospital births, births with epidural or other pain medication, and cesarean births.
Starlight's role is to support your informed choices rather than promote one particular way of giving birth.
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No. Doula support can help partners and other support people participate in ways that feel comfortable and meaningful to them.
You'll find a more detailed explanation of partner support in the Doula Services FAQ.
Birth & Doula Care
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Starlight offers comprehensive childbirth education along with additional classes and workshops related to pregnancy, birth, infant feeding, and early parenting.
Available classes will continue to expand, and upcoming offerings can be found on the Classes page.
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Yes. Private education is available for families who prefer individualized instruction or want education tailored to their questions, experiences, birth plans, or learning needs.
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Yes. Depending on the program, education may be available through live online instruction as well as in-person classes. On-demand learning options are also being developed.
Current formats will be listed with each class or course.
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Yes. Starlight Birth Services can collaborate with healthcare organizations, clinics, public health programs, nonprofits, family resource programs, and other organizations serving pregnant and parenting families.
Programs can include individual workshops, comprehensive childbirth education, recurring classes, or education adapted to the needs of a particular community.
Classes & Education
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Everyone.
Starlight Birth Services is a trauma-informed, LGBTQIA+ affirming, anti-racist, and body-inclusive practice. All identities, family structures, birth choices, and lived experiences are welcome here.
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Yes. Starlight welcomes LGBTQIA+ parents and families, including families whose pregnancy, birth, parenting roles, or family structures may not fit traditional assumptions about pregnancy and parenthood.
Language and support can be adapted to reflect your identity, relationships, family, and preferences.
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Trauma-informed support recognizes that past experiences can influence how someone experiences pregnancy, birth, healthcare, touch, communication, and decision-making.
My approach emphasizes consent, autonomy, communication, choice, predictability, and respect. You are always encouraged to communicate your boundaries and preferences, and you do not need to disclose a trauma history to ask for trauma-informed support.
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I want education and support to be as accessible and useful as possible. If you have communication, sensory, mobility, learning, accessibility, or other needs that would help you participate more comfortably, you're welcome to tell me.
We can discuss what accommodations may be possible for the particular service or class you're considering.
Inclusivity & Your Care
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No. Starlight's Resource Library is designed to help families find pregnancy, birth, postpartum, feeding, parenting, and community resources whether or not they are currently receiving services from Starlight.
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Not necessarily.
The Resource Library includes both informational resources and recommendations. When a resource has been specifically recommended by Starlight, it will be clearly identified as such. Otherwise, inclusion is intended to provide information and help families explore resources that may be available to them.