PUSH featuring
SEASONED DOULAS YOU NEED TO KNOW! 7 Fun Facts About Doulas “FROM A BIRTHING MOM’S PERSPECTIVE”
-First Edition-
YOUR EDITOR IN CHIEF…… Welcome to PUSH!” The Doula Magazine”. I first want to say Thank You for choosing this magazine. I know there are many other magazines you could have chosen from online or paperback, but you chose PUSH and we are very excited that you’re here. This magazine is for Doulas of all types; Birthing, Post-Partum, Antepartum and Adoption Doulas just to name a few. We can’t forget our Aspiring Doulas, and our most important readers of all, the moms to be, that really don’t know what a Doula is or for that matter what we do. We are here to bring Doulas to the world like never before! I am so excited about this magazine that I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Quiana Richard’Noble. I am originally from New Orleans, La. I have been in every part of the medical field, but nothing ever satisfied me or brought me more joy than working with mothers and babies. When I was a young child, I always wanted to be a midwife. God, however, had a different plan and I was blessed with 5 beautiful kids. Being a midwife was in the back of my mind and in my heart, because it is my passion. In 2016, I was introduced to the life of a Doula. I started watching countless birthing videos, doing a whole lot of research and eventually became a Doula myself. My heart was on fire and my passion for mothers and babies was being fulfilled. So through this magazine, I can’t wait to connect and explore the world of Doulas with you. Sincerely your Editor In Chief.
Quiana Richard’Noble
History of Doula (why you’d love a doula) What is a doula and where that person, place, thing are phrase came from.? That is a very great question is it. Therefore, as a doula magazine we just had to answer this question. Let start with just the word (DOO-LA) doula is a Greek word for (“servant-woman”) are for the modern world (birthing support coach) are should we go deeper “women supporting other women in a life changing event”. However, you want to categorize the word doula, know they are here to serve and support you. In 1969 doulas were first recognizes and welcomed in the birthing rooms of Greece. By working in the birthing centers side by side with midwives. Doing non-medical support for birthing mothers. Therefore, to all the first doulas we salute you and we thank you. But wait I KNOW, I KNOW you’re probably saying well haven’t we been doing that anyway in the United States and in the rest of the world. The answer is YES! So can a family member are friends be called a doula too. MAYBE; MAYBE NOT! So now, the question goes to “Why you’d love a doula”. Even though your family members and friend are there trying to be a good support system. LET US FACE IT! The truth is most of them bringing their negative experience into the room thinking that they are helping. Do not get me wrong doulas have many experiences that they went through too. Some have different experience as for as difficult births, c-sections, lost of a baby, premature births and the list can go on, and let the truth be told that is why most of them became doulas. So again, the question remains “Why you’d love a doula”. Even though your family and friends are there is not nothing like a trained doula. A person that has the passion and experience to teach you what to expect when expecting. A doula is a person that knows your birthing plan. To support you when you think you cannot do this and feel like given up, a doula steps in and get you back focus and let you know your body is meant for this. A doula is there to bring you calmness and to support you in any way that you need. The modern doulas are not just supporting you during your birthing experience they support you at your home and many other areas in your life. They are so many types of doulas that you can choose from, that you can have support before, during and after your buddle of joys get here. So the answer your question (“Why You’d Love a Doula”). Because they are more than a woman support system, they are the family support system.
CONTENTS
P U S H History of Doulas (Why You’d Love a Doula)
Page 3
Different Type of Doulas (Which One is Right For You?
Page 5
Season Doulas You Need To Know
Page 7
Perspective of a Birthing Mom
Page 23
Fun Facts About Doula
Page 24
Different type of doulas and which one is right for you. Birthing Doulas- Also known as a birth companion is a non-medical person who assists a before, during or after childbirth, as well as her spouse and family, by providing physical assistance and emotional support. Postpartum Doulas- Provides evidenced based information on things such as infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, mother baby bonding, infant soothing, and basic newborn care. A postpartum doula is there to help a new family in those first days and weeks after bringing home a new baby. Antepartum Doula- Antepartum doulas help during high-risk pregnancy. They also give emotional support which is very vital for women on bed rest, and talking over concern is another way a doula can help. They also help with household needs like laundry, cooking and meal planning and sibling care. Abortion Doula- Abortion doulas provide the emotional support that is desperately needed by the mother and family after an abortion, miscarriage or stillbirth. Adoption Doula- The primary responsibilities of an adoption doula is to ease the transition of the newborn from one family to the next. Family life Doula- Newborn babies can cause a dramatic shift in a family’s dynamics. Doulas that assist in soothing the introduction of newborn into the new family are called family life doulas. Death Doula-Geriatric doulas are commonly employed by hospices to provide comfort and companionship to dying patients to ensure that they do not die alone and without support. There so many types of doulas of doulas to choose from why not pick the one that is best for you!
DOULA (N.) A TRAINED NONMEDICAL WOMAN WHO ASSISTS A WOMAN BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER CHILD BIRTH.
CONTINUOUS
SUPPORT DURING LABOR HAS PROVEN TO RESULT IN HEALTHIER OUTCOMES FOR MOTHER AND CHILD.
SciHonor Devotion
About SciHonor Devotion… SciHonor Devotion is a NYC native. She currently has a team of Doulas who serve the NYC, NJ, CT and Philadelphia areas. She began to study in the field of Women’s Reproductive Health in 1999 when she became pregnant with her first child. She began her journey training and certifying as a Labor Doula with Doulas of North America (DONA) in 2001. She also trained with the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) and became a certified childbirth educator and Postpartum Doula in 2004 . SciHonor has worked and volunteered in a variety of environments including women’s shelters and birthing centers, teaching pregnant women about their reproductive bodies, the pregnancy process, labor, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding and positive parenting skills. She was a founding member of the New York City Chapter of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) which was called Sistahs for Better Birth and held the position of secretary . SciHonor has gained additional experience in the birth field over the years by working as a Homebirth midwife Assistant and she is also in her second year of an Advanced Midwifery Program. SciHonor also remains current in knowledge, experience and advanced Doula Skills by continuing to take courses to better understand Women’s Reproductive Health by studying Midwifery, Perinatal Bereavement, Womb and Birth Trauma, Newborn Assessments, Breastfeeding Developments, Hormonal Wellness, Fertility, Perinatal Psychology, Herbalism, Homeopathy and Aromatherapy for the Childbearing Year, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders and more. She has taken trainings with many organizations along the way such as Mothering the Mother – Ancient Holistic Postpartum Doula Training, Divine Birth Wisdom – Grandma’s Hands: Pregnancy & Postpartum Herbs and Nutrition in the Southern Tradition, Indigenous Remedies – Herbal Therapy for Women’s Health and Wellness, Hearthside Perinatal Bereavement Care and more. SciHonor recommends that all Doulas take supplemental trainings no matter how long they have been in the field.
SciHonor Devotion She is a published writer and has written for magazines, blogs, The Hood Health Handbook Volumes 1 & 2and The Source Magazine’s online Hood Health 101 column. Her most recent accomplishment is The New Doula Skills and Mentoring Program through her business, Earth’s Natural Touch: Birth Care & Beyond, which is a program for Doulas who want to continue on their path of knowledge and to gain advanced Doula skills. The Graduates of the program have become Earth’s Natural Touch Community Doulas and Perinatal Advocates. She found the need to start this program from the ground up because she wanted to ensure that there would be competent Doulas to serve the community. After their initial Doula training, many Doulas are left not knowing the next steps and with little to no guidance. This program serves as a way for Doulas to feel supported and to advance their skill set. This program also trains Doulas to work towards minimizing the gap between the racial disparities in birth outcomes by being prepared to serve ALL women no matter their background. Currently, SciHonor is working to make this program available to Doulas in all areas who are interested in making a difference by advancing their skills and becoming more culturally competent as providers. We asked SciHonor what one word she would use to describe the Doula Profession. This is her response… “Devotion. The word “Devotion” encompasses the Love, Loyalty and Enthusiasm that a Doula should have in order to be great at what they do along with their compassion, nurturance and skill set to serve mothers and their families with highest level of standard during a very intimate time. Doulas are afforded the opportunity to serve women who open up to them, trust them and allow themselves to be vulnerable and cared for. Therefore, Doulas should show Devotion to that family every step of the way.”
PUSH MARIA POKLUDA
She was born in Greenville, South Carolina. Her father is a professor and teaches frequently in England so my childhood was spent both in South Carolina and in an area of England just south of London. She left home to go to graduate school in Miami and met her now husband there. He is a true Texan and shortly after we got married we moved to his home state. When we decided to start a family we quickly discovered that pregnancy was not going to come easily for us. They pursued a lot of avenues to reach our goal and after several years we had our first child – a beautiful baby girl. At the time she had her, she knew very little about birth. She had spent so long trying to figure out how to get a baby “in” that she never paid attention to how to get a baby “out”. I joke now that if the doctor had suggested they pull her through my nose she would have been totally fine as long as she got my long-awaited baby in my arms. One thing she did learn during those years of infertility was that having support matters. She was involved in an infertility support group and she loved it. Once her daughter was born, she decided to start a similar group in my local suburb. It was a great success and leading this group quickly put me in a position to directly serve and support expecting families. It was at this time that she started going to labors to be with the women that had been involved in fertility struggles. Our group was a faith based group and she was often asked to come pray with a laboring woman or just be with her until her husband could arrive etc. This went on for a few years. During that time I went through fertility treatment again and conceived a second child and then a few years later got pregnant “for free”. At that time she decided that someone else should lead the group but as she was stepping down, someone told me she should consider becoming a doula. I had never heard of the term and looked it up. When she did – she knew this was what she wanted to. She certified right after her 3rd child was born and have been a doula since then. That child is almost 12.
PUSH MARIA POKLUDA
She worked as a solo doula for many years but it quickly became apparent that she could not serve all the families that wanted my help. She formed Great Expectations Birth to meet that need. Great Expectations is doula agency matching expecting families in the Dallas and Fort Worth area with the perfect doula. I lead a group of dynamic and diverse doulas who all provide exceptional doula care and we love using our vast experience and professional network to match up families with a doula that they are going to love and that will help them have an amazing birth...no matter what that looks like for them. If an expecting couple need anything...Great Expectations Birth can make it happen. We aim to delight with our service and we love offering a modern spin to the age-old act of giving birth. Besides creating a doula agency, a lot has happened in the time between when she started as a doula and now. For one, Google is a much bigger deal now than it was when I got started. Expecting families today have access to so much more info and so many options. Becoming a successful doula 12 years ago did not mean having killer SEO or a nice logo – in fact most of the doulas had neither back then. It also was not a profession where one could make a living and the options for becoming a doula were very limited. Now she strongly believe that being a doula needs to include the business skills of a CEO and we cannot ignore the digital world we live in. Doulas are expected to be able to design websites, Facebook ads and understand marketing. It is a lot that we need to do in addition to having wonderful.
PUSH DENISE BOLDS Denise, a native New Yorker, born in Harlem New York holds a MSW degree in Social Work as a Medical Social Worker, she is also a DONA International certified birth doula and is known as Bold Doula of Bold Selah, LLC since 2014. Ms. Bolds specializes in High Risk, VBACS, First Time Pregnancies, Same Sex and Hospital Births. She also supports breastfeeding and is a Placenta Encapsulator. Denise has supported over 60 births. She is also employed as a Hospital Doula at Morristown Hospital, Morristown NJ. Being a birth worker of color, Denise spends her time doing both advocacy work and mentoring doulas of color. Her advocacy work began in her mother’s womb where she recalls hearing the Civil Rights speeches of 1964. Ms. Bolds continues her advocacy journey; she was a New York Delegate for former President Barak Obama in 2012. Ms. Bolds was raised by southern born parents, she carries her culture and heritage of healing into her doula practice. Denise chose the name ‘Selah’ apart of her business name for it’s meaning. Selah is a mysterious word of a sacred space where God and man meet. Denise has supported over 58 births, she believes when a birth giver labors and births; they enter Selah. Denise is recently elected as Regional Director, Northeast USA with DONA International as of January 2017. She is a author of a self-help book for single black mother’s raising their children: “Raising Princes to be Kings: A Single Black Mother’s Guide to Raising Her Black Son.” This book is sold on a Amazon. Her blog; ‘The Audacious Black Woman’ is raw and real on today’s provocative topics. ‘Awake In Birth’ is the internet radio show Ms. Bolds hosts/produces reflects her passion in maternal health disparities awareness and equality in birth work. This show has over 100,000 listeners since 2009. The show is a must listen to in birth work with birth leaders/ professionals as co-hosts/guests. With the constant, chronic statistics of black women having the lowest/ poorest birth and maternal health outcomes, Denise believes the world of doulas have much work to do. Her one word for the doula profession is: ‘Awakening.’ Ms. Bolds’ goal is to leave a legacy of birth work that breaks down maternal health disparity. Bold Doula is located: www.BoldDoula.com denisebolds@gmail.com 845-797-4177. She is also found on social media; her Google search is vast and interesting. She loves music, Mexican food, traveling, Algebra and rollercoasters!
MELISSA ESPEY Melissa was born in Escondido,California and moved to Dallas as a child after her parents divorced. Growing up in a new place, she relied on her sister and believes her calling as a birth worker was built on a foundation of sisterhood. Before Melissa was a doula, she worked in Hospice nursing providing comfort, dignity, and transitional support to those in the end of their life. When her unit at the hospital closed due to funding she was thrown into the world of birth and the rest is history... She has now been serving women as a Doula for 18 years and is the founder and owner of North Dallas Doula Associates,LLC. She began her journey as a doula in 1999, and quickly became certified through DONA . She worked, in tandem, as a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator and the assistant coordinator of Parent Education at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas for nearly 10 years. Melissa currently works as the Director of Parent Education at Medical City Dallas Hospital where she provides evidence based education to thousands of families a year. Most recently, Melissa trained with Shirley Jefferson, adjunct professor at The Farm, as a Gynecologic Teaching Associate for Texas A&M University. She has won Best Doula in Dallas in 2013,2015,2016 &2017. Melissa is a master at building relationships with hospitals and physicians and has created a strong network and birth community in her hometown of Dallas, Texas. She has seen the doula profession become a much more valuable and recognized profession over the years and believes it is due to seasoned doulas, like herself, who have helped pave the way for new doulas at the beginning of their own journeys. She has been a requested, guest speaker for the Louise Herrington School of nursing, and the Association of Women's Health,Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN). She serves as an educator and mentor for internationally certifying doulas and offers training's specific to labor and delivery interns and nurses. During her time at Baylor, she developed the Mommy and Me Class, for postpartum support, and the Mommy and Me lactation program in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Primarily practicing in Dallas, she has attended thousands of births and worked with midwives and physicians alike. Her birth philosophy consists of being “open� to the unpredictability of birth, trusting your body, and letting go of fear. If Melissa had to use one word to describe the doula profession it would be DIVINE. She truly believes that her path was divinely aligned and that birth work is holy work and a true calling from God. She closes by saying something her grandmother always told her, "If God gives you a gift it is your job to give it away", and she strives to give women the gift of non judgemental support and education everyday because there is nothing more powerful than a supported and educated woman! Melissa offers one on one birth business coaching and offers workshops for nurses,hosted by local doulas, with the objective to build stronger birth collaborative between doulas and medical professionals.
PUSH JAMIE SCEARCY
Is the owner of Nurturing Birth Doula and Photography Services. She is a mother of three, a military spouse, a VBAC mom, and a doula. She was born and raised in Charlotte, Iowa, but currently reside in Eagle River, Alaska. I completed my doula training while stationed in Okinawa, Japan in 2013 through DONA International. I have been supporting mothers ever since with an emphasis on serving other military families. Since completing my training is has become much more common for families to hire a doula to attend their birth. I think people are realizing the value of having a trained support person in the labor room. If I had to choose one word to to describe the Doula profession it would be, “Supporting�. My job is always to support women and families in whatever capacity they need; no matter what their journey to motherhood looks like. I know there is so much more we can do as a society to support mothers, babies, and families. www.nurturingbirthdoula.com
MARJORIE “MAMA” BAER, CD(DONA) There’s a lot to be said about being over 50. There I said it! And being a Doula over 50 has some advantages. Whodathunkit, right? My children – now 26 and 24 – are graduated from college and beginning their own lives, so I can really focus on my business … my passion … my purpose in life – being a Doula! And, my children are grateful I’m a Doula too, because my life is filled with babies and they don’t get pestered by me to make me a Grandma (although I cannot wait!). That freedom affords me the opportunity to love on families and babies freely and, yes, they do become like family. Right now, I’m working with a family as their Postpartum Doula with a little boy whom I’m completely in love with … Jamie! Born and raised on Long Island in a little hospital in Patchogue, NY, I was the youngest of 5 children in a struggling family with a single Mom. It was certainly not the usual family unit at time, but we were blessed to have each other. That familycentered environment was the start of my passion for family since we needed each other for survival. All my life I’ve been loving on families it seems … a neighbor who is struggling with a breastfeeding issue, or a friend has a baby with a persistent diaper rash or ear infection … and there I go with a bag of natural goodies and ideas to assist. I’m blessed to have a brother (and my daughter too) who are chiropractors and natural healers that have helped me learn natural methods for healing.
MARJORIE “MAMA” BAER, CD(DONA) The Doula certification process takes perseverance and time. I’m proud to say I’ve been a certified Labor and Postpartum Doula for more than 3 years now. I also obtained a third certification as a Postpartum Placenta Specialist where I encapsulate placenta for Moms. Originally, the agency that certified me, hired me! I spent almost 2 years there, but I really wanted the freedom of my own business and Mama Bear Doula Services was birthed (pun intended)! I’ve been Mama Baer (that’s not a typo!) for a long time as a Sunday School teacher, so this was fitting for me to be Mama Baer Doula! Since my tenure, there seems to be more Doulas and more knowledge of what a Doula is. And that’s a good thing. I remember I needed my job description handy to blurt out at a moment’s notice, and now I see a great trend … people already know what I do! That is comforting to me. I think every birthing mother should have a Doula. We are so important in the process. Not only labor itself, of course, but, the pre-natal visits, helping the mother and father feel more prepared, easing their fears, solidifying Mom and Partner as a team, and so much more. We are not medical, so we are more on their level to delve deeper into their feelings, fears, perceptions. And, the best part of all, I become a part of the family. The birth is never the end of the relationship. I always visit after the baby for a postpartum “project” and I stay in contact with voice and texts throughout the year. If I had to sum up the Doula profession in one word … it would be comfort. We are about comfort … comfort to speak your mind, comfort for pain with positions, massage, aromatherapy (and more!), comfort for available knowledge and explanations that are on their level, comfort for non-judgmental support, comfort for continuous presence … and comfort with love. You can’t be a Doula without enjoying the process of loving on someone else and their families! This has been a wonderful journey and it’s full steam ahead for me! Being a Doula is special in so many ways. It’s exhausting too … but nothing worthwhile is easy, so bring it Mamas …I’m ready to be your Doula for labor and delivery, postpartum/newborn care or placenta encapsulation services. Feel free to check out my website – www.MamaBearDoulaServices.net or my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/MarjorieMamaBear/
DARLA BURNS In the late 70s, I have a clear memory of my mom returning home after supporting her best friend through her labor and birth. I clearly remember the joy on her face as she explained to my older sister and I about what she just witnessed. That memory stuck with me my entire life. I have been fascinated by pregnancy and babies for as long as I can remember. In 1990, one of my friends was pregnant and I was invited to be present as she went into labor. I entered that labor room not really knowing what I would see and feel, but quickly figured out that she needed calm and nurturing support. I breathed slowly with her, did effleurage on her belly, encouraged her, and never left her side. I remember after her son was born, telling myself, "that was so cool! I wish I could get paid to do this!" Fast forward to 2003, after supporting several other friends and family members through their births and experiencing two of my own, I found out there was a name for the work I was doing and I could get paid! I immediately registered for my labor doula training and that began my journey into the perinatal field as I created my company In Due Time Doula Services.
DARLA BURNS Soon after earning my certification as a labor doula, I trained as certified as a childbirth educator, then a postpartum doula, lactation educator, Happiest Baby on the Block Instructor, and infant massage instructor. Again, I love all things birth and babies! In 2007, I was blessed to have been approved to train postpartum doulas for Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) and have trained several hundred postpartum doulas that serve the US, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Malaysia, and beyond. In 2009, CAPPA asked me to serve as their Executive Director of Postpartum Doula Programs, which I did as 4 years. This experience allowed me to create curriculum and expand the postpartum doula program and is one of my proudest achievements. Throughout my many years in this field, I have spoken at conferences, contributed to books, written published articles, been quoted and published in magazines, and participated in a documentary on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. The doula industry has changed quite a bit since I began. When I first started, I often got blank stares from people when I said I was a doula. They often mistook me for a midwife or thought I only supported unmediated births. When I would tell people I was a postpartum doula, they either thought I was a "baby nurse" or that I only worked with women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. It has taken a lot of education to inform the community about our role and scope of practice. There is still more work to be done but I am grateful that the word doula is now much more understood and is equated to "support". My favorite service that I offer is Postpartum Doula Trainings through CAPPA. The fact that I get to educate and inspire others to support new families in those early weeks ignites my soul. The American culture does not place importance or emphasis of new moms after they give birth. We have no rituals, no standard support, very little education, and very little guidance. Families NEED support and I am so grateful that I get to train new postpartum doulas to do this important work. I love educating, supporting, and mentoring doulas and am happy to answer any questions you may have. I can be reached at darla@douladarla.com
PERSPECTIVE OF A BIRTHING MOM Jellybean's First ivsit with Nikki Noble, my Doula. He looks up at her adoringly as if he knows she helped get him here in a calm and peaceful manner. đ&#x;˜‚đ&#x;˜‚đ&#x;˜…. No for real, Doulas rock! Thanks to her and YAHWEH, 3 hours active labor was managed without ANY drugs and 15 minutes of pushing and 3 contractions got him out of me and into the world! You rock @prosperitymoguls
P U S H Some Fun Facts about Doulas! Most Doulas cry while watching birthing videos or even watching live streams. (Yeah we are very emotional for you guys). Doulas are always ready to put their foot down for our clients. (So when our clients tell us someone has to leave out the rooms or the birthing area. GET OUT!) As Doulas, we are going to do everything in our power to make sure our clients are comfortable in the birthing process. (So let's dance, sing, dim the lights, play music and etc. Just know whatever you want, we will do it.) Doulas anticipate the baby’s birth more than the parents do. (Checking our phones, getting rest, making sure babysitters are on standby for our own children and etc.) Doulas always have their bags packed and ready for action. (Some Doulas always have a bag in their car just in case… you know who you are .) For the Doulas who have kids, by the time your child turns the age of 3 years old are older. (They are ALREADY DOULAS)! Face it we always get asked that question. What are you again? And our response is: A DOULA Then we get hit what with “Say that again.” (Then we start saying it slow DOOOUUULLAA).