A woman lying in bed with a newborn baby, both resting peacefully. These first few hours after birth are known as "the golden hour"

Expert Doula Support to Help You Feel Informed, Supported, and Held

Compassionate, Evidence-Based Doula Care Honoring Your Values, Intuition, and Choices.

Where Your Story Leads and Care Follows

Every birth is unique — and so is every family. Golden Hour Birth Services was created with the belief that real support meets you exactly where you are, honoring your story, your needs, and your vision for this experience. With over six years in this work and more than 175+ families supported, I bring a deep well of knowledge and perspective. I’ve walked alongside parents on many different paths to parenthood — from first births to IVF journeys, high-risk pregnancies to water births, single parents to surrogates, and everything in between.

This breadth of experience allows me to be a steady, grounded presence in the birth space, weaving together compassion, adaptability, and trusted expertise. My role isn’t just to be there when labor begins — it’s to help you build a strong foundation long before that moment, so when your birth unfolds, you feel calm, supported, and truly held.

Based in Northfield, MN, I support families from Rochester to the Twin Cities and everywhere in between.

175+

Families Served

6+

Years Experienced

100%

Reliable Support

Discover Doula Support

Birth is Movement. Birth is Breath. Birth is Flow

Somewhere along the way, we were taught that labor is something to endure rather than actively move through. But birth is meant to be responsive, supported, and rooted in choice.

I help birthing parents use movement, breath, touch, and position changes to find relief, build confidence, and understand their options as labor unfolds—while offering steady, grounded support when interventions become part of the story.

Birth isn’t something that happens to you. It moves. It shifts, pauses, and asks to be met with care.

Upcoming Labor Workshops

“I believe deeply in birth — not the flossy, filtered version, but the full, honest truth of it. The magic and the mess. The power, the surrender, the humor, the healing. Birth isn’t one-sized-fits-all, and neither is the way I support it.”

-Kat Stangler

Meet Kat

Birth Doula Support

Physical, emotional and informational birth support— holding your hands, hips, and heart through every step of labor.

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Circles, Workshops & Childbirth Education

Virtual and in-person pregnancy and postpartum circles, childbirth education classes, and holistic workshops designed to support, connect, and empower you through every stage of your journey.

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Postpartum Rituals

Restore, nurture, and care for yourself with postpartum healing sessions for your mind, body, and spirit.

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What Families Are Saying

“Kat is A M A Z I NG ✨ From the very beginning, she felt so down to earth and easy to connect with, and she supported us in ways we didn’t even know we would need. Kat helped us create a birth vision that felt right for us, and stood by our side every step of the way. Her soft energy brought peace and reassurance to the process, and we always felt safe and cared for in her presence. During labor, she was our anchor, steady, encouraging, and full of wisdom. Because of Kat, we look back on our birth experience with so much gratitude and love!🩵”

-Elizabeth M.

“I recently gave birth to our third child, and I was so lucky to have Kat by my side before, during, and after delivery! She is extremely knowledgeable, warm, and professional. Kat asked great questions to really get to know what my ideal birth looked like during our prenatal appointments and was such a strong advocate for me during delivery. I truly believe she was a HUGE part of me having such a positive birth story! It was very comforting to have time with her in my early postpartum days as well. I would highly recommend working with Kat to any expecting parents!”

-Jenna H.

“We are beyond grateful for Kat. After going through IVF and having a high-risk pregnancy, we knew we wanted extra support, and Kat was everything we hoped for and more. She brought such calm, grounding energy ✨into a time that could have easily felt overwhelming, and she reminded us to breathe, trust, and stay present.

During labor, she was our steady anchor offering encouragement, comfort, and reassurance exactly when we needed it most. She made us feel safe, empowered, and cared for in such a vulnerable moment.”

Arielle Y.

What Sets This Care Apart

What makes my support unique isn’t just the years of experience—it’s the way I walk alongside you with compassion, intention, and respect for your story. Here’s what you can expect when we work together:

Comprehensive Prenatal Preparation
Evidence-Based Education & Guidance
Advocacy & Communication Support
Curated Resources & Trusted Referrals
Collaborative Care with Providers & Birth Teams
Compassionate, Judgment-Free Support
Holistic Postpartum Care & Planning

Choosing a doula is deeply personal—you deserve someone who not only shows up on the big day, but who walks beside you with knowledge, intention, and heart.

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Your experience with a doula is built on a strong personal connection. Before making a decision, an in-depth video call allows us to get to know each other, discuss your needs, and determine if we’re the right fit!

Curious about working together? Let’s connect

Schedule a Meeting!

From the Hearts of Families

I recently gave birth to our third child, and I was so lucky to have Kat by my side before, during, and after delivery! She is extremely knowledgeable, warm, and professional. Kat asked great questions to really get to know what my ideal birth looked like during our prenatal appointments and was such a strong advocate for me during delivery. I truly believe she was a HUGE part of me having such a positive birth story!

Jenna H.
Without a doubt, hiring Kat to be our doula was one of the best decisions we made for our birth. After a difficult delivery and recovery with our first we decided to do what we should have done the first time around and hire a doula. After interviewing three different ones, Kat’s holistic and data informed answers, along with a clear passion for her work made her a clear fit for what we were looking for in a doula.

Katie T.
Highly highly recommend! The level of physical and mental support Kat provided my partner and myself, I don’t know where to begin.. As a first time parent, she provided a lot of guidance throughout my pregnancy and helped my partner and I prepare for what to expect pre and postpartum. Kat is amazing at what she does. She’s attentive, empathetic, and a joy to be around!

Parisa L.
I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Kat. She ensured I had the birth that I wanted every step of the way. Her presence was calming and comforting. I know that I would not have had the same experience without her!

Lyssa G.
We are so thankful for Kat’s unwavering support, and we highly recommend her to anyone looking for a doula who is not only knowledgeable and professional but also incredibly compassionate and dedicated to ensuring you feel heard and empowered throughout your journey.

Julia K.
Kat was a wonderful doula. She was deeply attentive to our physical, mental, and emotional needs throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She asked us thoughtful questions, listened carefully, and gave us information to help us make our own educated decisions.

Kate S.
I cannot recommend Kat as a doula enough. Each step of the way, she gave the most incredible advice, encouragement and guidance. I was able to get the reassurance throughout pregnancy that I was doing all the right things and she was also able to help us really focus our birth plan and determine what was important to us and how to advocate for ourselves.

Kirsten K.