Nanny care · Birth & postpartum support
From the first contractions to the first steps, Ethereal offers calm, experienced support so parents can rest, bond, and feel truly cared for.
Meet your caregiver
I'm a certified full-spectrum doula. I began caring for mothers in the postpartum season in 2019, years before I held a certification, and since then more than 30 families across the DFW area have trusted me with some of the most tender weeks of their lives.
Sitting with mothers in those first weeks showed me that a new mother needs care as much as her baby does. When a woman is rested, heard, and held up well in that season, it stays with her for the rest of her life.
In 2026 I earned my credentials and made this work official. Becoming a certified full-spectrum doula means I can walk with a family through the whole journey: pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the weeks that follow. I stepped into the birth room because I have seen how drastically a doula can change a mother's experience of welcoming her child.
I am a dedicated Christian, and my faith is at the center of how I care. This work is my ministry, and I treat every family I serve as one I have been entrusted with.
Supporting women is my purpose. I believe every woman deserves access to a doula, whatever her budget, so I work to keep my services affordable and reliable.
I'm dedicated to my families, and I believe in fostering a true village: one where a mother is never left to carry everything alone, and where support keeps showing up long after the baby arrives.
— Lakayla Phillips, Founder
Services
Care that grows with your family — before birth, in the tender newborn weeks, and through the years that follow.
All packages include 2 prenatal visits, birth planning, and continuous support through labor and delivery, unlimited calls/text. This package also includes access to the Ethereal Childbirth Workbook. There will be two postpartum follow-ups after baby arrives. Please contact for more information on plans.
Hands-on newborn and family support in your home. Includes 1 virtual prenatal visit, unlimited phone and email support, 24/7 on-call availability starting 2 weeks before your due date, shifts of 4 to 8 hours, and access to the Ethereal Postpartum Education Book.
Part-time and full-time in-home care for infants and young children, with gentle routines, play, and enrichment.
This service is for the encapsulation of your placenta which includes a 30 minute consultation, pick-up of placenta, vegan capsules, capsule storage, an umbilical cord keepsake, & front door delivery within 7 days, and the option of 4 weekly virtual check-ins.
Feel informed, calm, and ready for labor and birth. You'll receive the Ethereal Childbirth Education Workbook, plus a 2-hour guided session with Lakayla, offered virtually or in person. Contact us for details and pricing.
Every family is different. Book a free consultation and Lakayla will help you build the right mix of support.
Book a ConsultationFlexible payment plans are available for our larger packages.
View Payment Plans“Caring for the parents so they can care for the little ones.”
The Ethereal promise
How it works
A relaxed call to hear about your family, your hopes, and the support you're looking for.
A care plan and schedule built around your routines, values, and due date or start date.
Consistent, caring presence — with regular check-ins so your care evolves as your family does.
FAQ
Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out and I'll be happy to help.
A birth doula offers continuous emotional, physical, and informational support before, during, and just after labor. That includes prenatal visits, help creating your birth plan, comfort measures during labor, and a follow-up visit after your baby arrives. A doula doesn't replace your medical team. She supports you and your partner alongside them.
A birth doula supports you through pregnancy and delivery. A postpartum doula helps once baby is home, with feeding support, newborn care, overnights, light household help, and rest for parents, especially through the first 40 days.
Care is provided in your home throughout Arlington and the greater DFW area.
Yes. Lakayla is a certified doula and is CPR & First Aid certified.
It's a relaxed call to hear about your family, your hopes, and the support you're looking for. There's no obligation. From there, we build a personalized care plan around your routines, values, and due date or start date.
Carefully prepared capsules with a cord keepsake, with optional tincture and salve add-ons and express delivery.
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A 25% deposit reserves your dates, and the balance can be split into equal monthly payments. See our Payment Plans page for sample plans and our Cancellation Policy for details.
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The Ethereal Shop
Children's books written by Lakayla, plus Ethereal merch for parents and babies.
Get in touch
Share a little about what you need and I'll reach out within [48 hours] to set up your free consultation.
Parent checklist
The right doula is someone you trust. Use this list to get ready, ask the right questions, and feel confident in your choice. Tick items off as you go.
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Payment plans
Good care shouldn't feel out of reach. Here's how payment plans work at Ethereal, so you can plan with confidence.
Pick the package or combination of services that fits your family. A free consultation will help you decide.
A deposit of 25% of your package total reserves your dates, including your due-date window.
The remaining balance is split into equal monthly payments.
This is my ministry, please contact me and we will find an agreement that works with your budget. Doula's are essential and everyone deserves to have access.
The Ethereal blog
Practical, gentle guidance on doula care, birth planning, preparing for labor, and raising little ones. This blog is for general information and isn't medical advice.
September 30, 2026 · Birth plans
Birth can be unpredictable. Preparing for change helps you feel capable, no matter how your story unfolds.
Read more →August 26, 2026 · About doulas
These roles are often confused, but each plays a different part in your care. Here's a simple way to tell them apart.
Read more →July 22, 2026 · Toddlers
Toddlers learn through touch, movement, and connection. Here's why simple, screen-light play gives them so much.
Read more →June 17, 2026 · Holistic prep
Holistic preparation is about caring for the whole person. These gentle practices can help you feel steadier going into labor.
Read more →May 13, 2026 · Birth plans
A birth plan isn't a script. It's a conversation starter that helps your care team know what matters most to you.
Read more →April 8, 2026 · About doulas
A doula is a trained, non-medical support person who helps you feel informed, comforted, and cared for. Here's what that looks like in practice.
Read more →About doulas · April 8, 2026
By Lakayla Phillips
If you're expecting, you've probably heard the word “doula” and wondered what it really means. In short, a doula is a trained companion who provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to a family around birth and the early postpartum weeks.
Before birth, a doula helps you understand your options, explore your preferences, and feel ready. During labor, she offers comfort measures such as breathing, movement, positioning, counter-pressure, and a calm presence, and she helps you and your partner communicate with your care team. After birth, she can support feeding, rest, recovery, and the transition into life with a newborn.
A doula is not a medical provider. She doesn't deliver babies, perform exams, or make medical decisions for you. She also doesn't speak for you. Her role is to help you feel confident speaking for yourself, and to be a steady, familiar face while everything around you changes.
Birth and new parenthood are big. Many families want someone whose only job is to be in their corner. Research on continuous support during labor has linked it with more positive birth experiences, and families often tell us the biggest gift is simply not feeling alone.
Doulas support all kinds of births, including hospital, birth center, home, vaginal, and cesarean, and all kinds of families. If you'd like to talk it through, a free consultation is a great place to start.
Have a thought or question about this post? Send Lakayla a message and she will get back to you.
Birth plans · May 13, 2026
By Lakayla Phillips
Many people think of a birth plan as a rigid list of demands. A better way to think about it is as a set of birth preferences: a short, clear summary of what's important to you, shared with the people supporting you.
Before writing anything down, ask yourself what you want to feel during birth. Calm? Informed? Heard? Your answers will guide everything else. If your top priority is feeling involved in decisions, that matters more than any single procedure on a checklist.
Consider your preferences for the environment (lighting, music, who is in the room), movement and positions, pain relief options, and what you'd like right after birth, such as skin-to-skin time and feeding. Include the questions you want to ask your provider, so you're not trying to remember them mid-labor.
A short plan is more likely to be read. Use plain language, lead with your top three priorities, and say what you'd like rather than only what you want to avoid. Bring a copy for your chart, your partner, and your doula.
Review your plan with your provider at a prenatal visit. It's the best moment to learn what's standard where you're giving birth, and to find out where there's room for your preferences.
Most of all, remember that the plan is a starting point. The process of writing it, learning, asking, and deciding what matters, is where much of the value lives.
Have a thought or question about this post? Send Lakayla a message and she will get back to you.
Holistic prep · June 17, 2026
By Lakayla Phillips
Preparing for labor holistically doesn't mean avoiding medical care. It means looking after your body, your mind, and your surroundings, alongside the care your provider offers. Always check with your provider before starting new exercise or wellness practices during pregnancy.
Gentle, regular movement such as walking, stretching, or prenatal yoga can help you feel strong and connected to your body. Eating nourishing foods and staying hydrated supports your energy. Practicing different positions, like leaning, kneeling, or swaying, gives you options to try when labor begins.
Breathing practices, guided relaxation, and affirmations are tools you can build well before labor. Practice them when you're calm so they feel familiar when you need them. A childbirth education class can also replace fear of the unknown with understanding.
Think about the environment where you'll labor. Dim lights, a playlist you love, a comfortable temperature, and familiar scents can help you feel safe. If you're giving birth in a hospital, a few small items from home can make the room feel like yours.
Choose the people around you carefully. Talk with your partner about how they can help, and consider adding a doula to guide you both. Feeling supported is one of the most powerful parts of any preparation.
Start with whichever practice feels easiest and let it grow from there.
Have a thought or question about this post? Send Lakayla a message and she will get back to you.
Toddlers · July 22, 2026
By Lakayla Phillips
Toddlers are wired to learn through their senses and their relationships. Stacking blocks, splashing water, and listening to a familiar voice teach them more than any screen can, because real life responds to them.
Open-ended toys like blocks, balls, simple instruments, and art supplies invite toddlers to experiment. They strengthen fine motor skills, problem-solving, and imagination, and they let children lead their own play.
Back-and-forth moments, such as talking, singing, reading, and playing together, are how young children develop language and feel secure. When screens are on, those moments are easy to miss. Pediatric organizations recommend limiting screen time in the early years, and many families find that fewer screens makes days calmer.
Keep a basket of toys within reach and rotate them often. Spend time outdoors, even for ten minutes. Build short routines around books, music, and movement, and let boredom happen. It's often where creativity begins.
Low technology is a direction, not a test. Every family has busy days, and that's okay. Small, consistent choices matter more than perfection. For personalized guidance on screen time, talk with your child's pediatrician.
Have a thought or question about this post? Send Lakayla a message and she will get back to you.
About doulas · August 26, 2026
By Lakayla Phillips
When you're expecting, you may hear about doulas, midwives, and obstetricians (OBs) and wonder how they fit together. They each have different training and responsibilities, and many families benefit from more than one.
OBs are medical doctors who specialize in pregnancy, birth, and complications. Midwives are trained health professionals who provide prenatal care and attend births, and the type of midwife and where they practice varies. Both are medical care providers who are responsible for your health and your baby's.
A doula is non-medical. She provides continuous emotional and physical comfort, helps you understand your options, and supports your whole family before, during, and after birth. She doesn't replace your provider. She works alongside them.
Your provider may be responsible for several patients at once and often comes and goes during labor. A doula's focus is you. Having both means your medical needs and your need to feel supported can each be met.
Ask your provider about their approach and how they work with doulas. Then find a doula whose style fits your family. A free consultation is a good opportunity to ask questions and see how you feel.
Have a thought or question about this post? Send Lakayla a message and she will get back to you.
Birth plans · September 30, 2026
By Lakayla Phillips
You can prepare thoughtfully and still find that birth takes its own path. Preparing for the unexpected isn't pessimism. It's part of being ready.
Learn about common interventions and why they might be recommended, so a change in direction doesn't feel like a surprise. When you understand the choices, you can make decisions that feel right for you.
Many people find it helpful to remember a simple set of questions: What are the benefits? What are the risks? Are there alternatives? What if we wait a little while? Asking them helps you stay involved, even when things move quickly.
A good birth isn't only one that matches a plan. It can be a birth where you felt respected, informed, and supported. Naming that ahead of time can help you feel proud of your experience however it unfolds.
Some families need or choose a cesarean. Adding preferences for that scenario, such as who is with you, how you're welcomed after birth, and how you'd like to feel supported, can make a big difference.
You don't have to hold every decision alone. Your partner, your provider, and your doula can help you think things through. And afterward, make space to talk about how it went. Your feelings about your birth are valid.
Have a thought or question about this post? Send Lakayla a message and she will get back to you.