The Face of BIRTH SUPPORT Blessingway Doula Lara Kling, BCD, ICBD, BCP, CPT, 4TFM PHOTO CREDIT: BUTTERFLIES OF HOPE PHOTOGRAPHY
P regnancy and birth can at once. For Lara Kling, founder of Blessingway Doula, supporting families through those transitions is both a calling and a commitment rooted in compassion, education, and evidence-based support. feel exciting, overwhelming, and deeply transformative all Lara is a birth and postpartum doula, certified fitness instructor, and founder of Blessingway Doula. Since 2010, she has walked alongside growing families, offering emotional, physical, and edu- cational support throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. Her journey into birth work began while stationed in South Korea with her husband during their military service. There, Lara found herself supporting military spouses through labor and delivery while many of their partners were deployed. Those early experi- ences profoundly shaped her path and inspired her to pursue formal doula training through DONA International
in 2011. Over the years, she has contin- ued expanding her education and certi- fications to better serve families across a wide range of birth experiences. Through Blessingway Doula, Lara supports families from preconception through the first year postpartum. Her approach is deeply individualized, recognizing that every family enters parenthood with different needs, goals, and experiences. She works with first- time parents, growing families, VBAC families, military families, and those navigating fertility journeys, surrogacy, or assisted reproduction. Movement and body awareness are also central to Lara’s philosophy of support. As a certified instructor through the 4th Trimester Fitness Method® (4TFM) she incorporates education about movement, positioning, strength, and flexibility into prenatal preparation. “Labor is physically demanding,” Lara shares. “Helping families understand how the body works during birth can support both confidence and comfort
throughout the process.”
Lara emphasizes that doulas are not there to replace a partner or existing support system, but to strengthen and enhance it. “A doula does not replace your significant other,” she explains. “We support the entire family dynamic while helping create space for connec- tion, confidence, and communication during a major life transition.” For Lara, the most meaningful part of her work is witnessing transforma- tion—not only the birth of a baby, but the birth of a family. The name Bless- ingway reflects that philosophy: honor- ing the emotional, physical, and deeply personal transition into parenthood. Through every stage of the journey, Lara remains committed to helping families feel informed, supported, and connected during one of life’s most powerful transitions.
For more information, visit Blessingwaydoula.com.
14 Faces & Places ® | Summer 2026
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