My Philosophy
Both my formal training and my personal experience have taught me that a positive birth and postpartum experience is more likely when birthing people are safe and well-supported.
Being safe and well-supported means having:
- a clean, comfortable, soothing place to give birth
- a care team that respects your pronouns
- life-saving measures accessible if you are at high risk
- anti-racist care providers
- an environment that affirms and respects your cultural and/or religious beliefs
- a birth team that you trust and that listens to you
- time and support as you listen to your body and your baby
Unfortunately, the traditional American medical system is not able to meet all of these needs because it isn’t built for it. Medical care providers (OBs, midwives, and other care providers) must necessarily be focused on your physical care and safety, and sometimes must run on a schedule. But what about those other pieces of the safety and support puzzle, like helping you find care providers who align with your cultural beliefs, or keeping the birthing space comfortable and soothing? That’s where a doula comes in.
My primary focus with my clients is comfort and confidence, which can make a huge difference in the way you experience your birth and the first weeks with your baby.
My Training
Part of being a good birthworker is continuing to educate oneself and stay abreast of important changes and trends in perinatal care. A good doula is well-connected to the community, well-read, and open to many perspectives.
In addition to the high-quality birth and postpartum doula training I've received, I've also sought out educational opportunities that broaden the scope of my practice and allow me to support under-resourced birthing people, specifically queer and trans birthers and plus size and fat birthing people.
Below you'll find information on all the folks who've trained me. I'm always looking for more opportunities to expand my knowledge base and I look forward to adding to this list!