Birth is so powerful, a time set apart from all other moments and hours of your life when you bring new life to the world. For some, birth is a magical time. For others, birth is an anxious time. Some women end on a magnificent high because they now see how strong they are and that they can do hard things. Other women end on a confused low–what just happened and why didn’t things go as I had planned?
My husband and I have a fun journal where we each answer the same question every night. The other night, the question was: “If your partner was a super hero, what would he or she be called?” According to my husband, my name would be Super Empath. I think he’s right, truth be told. I’m a notorious cry baby during movies and I crave emotional connection with the people in my life. Having experienced four very different births myself, I understand the emotional hues of pregnancy and birth. During this time set apart, we ride waves of delight and concern, vulnerability and empowerment, submission and strength.
My arrival at doula work stems from this desire to connect, my own experiences with pregnancy and birth, and my firm conviction that every birthing woman deserves the support of a professional who is firmly in their court. As a birth doula, I am that one professional who is by the mother’s side from start to finish. In a room full of people whose shifts might end in twenty minutes, this helps mothers feel safe and grounded. As a birth doula, I understand the mother’s wishes for this birth and help her remember her goals and desires during those moments when the experience consumes her and her mind needs to focus on other matters. As a birth doula, I am the mother’s advocate and her guide as she taps into her own strength and power. Whether she is birthing at home or in a hospital, with pain medications or without, as a birth doula, I am there for her.
And the thing is, I know it makes a difference. Having birthed with a doula by my side, I witnessed first hand the calm and security that her presence brought to my birth. And down the road, when I birthed without a doula, I missed that focused attention and support. Studies show that having a doula on your birth team can increase the odds that you will have fewer interventions and a safer outcome for mother and baby. Doulas make a difference and I want to be part of that difference. I am drawn to birth and to the incredible life-changing time that it is. I want to support women during this amazing time so that they can look back on their birthing with pride, satisfaction, and joy. If a woman knows that she was supported and has a guide there to explain what is happening and why, it’s far more likely that she will emerge from the experience empowered. And I believe every woman deserves that chance.
I am excited to be that support and guide for women and to connect with them during this transformative time. It will be my pleasure and my honor.
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