FREQUENTLY ASKED qUESTIONS
how long have you been a doula?
I’ve been a doula since 2014. I’ve been working full time and exclusively as a birth and postpartum doula since 2018.
What training did you receive? Are you certified?
My initial training was through the Simkin Center at Bastyr with DONA trainers Kim James and Sharon Muza in February of 2014. I hold a current certification through DONA international. Seattle is a doula hub and I’ve been lucky to soak up a number of classes and courses on various topics. There is a long list of continuing education courses I’ve taken in the last few years under Related Trainings listed here.
How many births have you attended?
I’ve worked with over 300 families: first time parents, second time parents… parents birthing for the 3rd, 4th and 5th times, ART and IVF families, low risk/ minimal intervention births, medicated and unmedicated births, home births, water births, birth center births, hypno births, TOLAC/VBAC births, induction births, high-risk births, highly medicalized births, planned and unplanned cesarean or belly births...
What have you learned from those births?
So many lessons. It’s actually part of why I love this work so much. I’ve learned there are many different ways to birth a babe. No matter which way someone chooses to birth, they will be challenged and learn new parts of themselves, new love and new strength. Our bodies have so much innate intelligence; I’ve been honing my ability to catch the subtle messages it sends. I still sometimes get surprised, but my ear and intuition for labor have been fine tuned over the past few years.
Labor comes in waves and often people remark on how odd it is to be so normal and relaxed in between contractions. It also seems like there is a dance of sorts, where the birthing person moves into the intensity of labor and then shies away and re-enters into that greater intensity in their own time.
Where do you attend births?
I attend home, hospital and birth center births. I will go wherever you choose to birth. I travel north up to Everett and east over to Snoqualmie with a southern cutoff around Renton and Burien.
I’ve attended births at Puget Sound Birth Centers in Kirkland and Renton, Sprout Birth Center in Lynnwood, Center for Birth in Eastlake and have worked with many midwifery practices in the area: Journey Midwifery, Seattle Home Maternity, Eastside Midwives, Lake Washington, In Tandem, Renton Midwives, Neighbor Care Midwives, Seattle Midwives, Rainy City Midwives, Snohomish Midwives, North Shore Midwives and Ground Floor Health. I’m always excited to work with more practices out of hospital.
I’ve attended births at all of the greater Seattle area hospitals that have labor and delivery wards. This list includes: Swedish First Hill, Northwest hospital, Virginia Mason, UW hospital, UW Valley, Providence Women and Children’s Pavilion in Everett, Swedish Edmonds, Overlake in Bellevue, Evergreen hospital in Kirkland, Swedish Issaquah, Auburn Multicare, St. Anne’s in Burien, St Francis in Federal Way.
Do you have back up doulas?
YES! Having good Back-Ups are crucial to sustaining a solo practice. We are only human and life happens, whether 2 babes decide to come on the same day or more likely there is an illness or a family emergency. It is a beautiful community of folks that are in this field… You may have met a few already! We all work together to support each other as birth work is unpredictable and a challenging realm to live in. (BTW, if you’re a fellow doula reading this and interested in connecting, send me an email!)
When will you be on call for my birth?
I’m available as a resource from point of hire. I go on call for clients for their due month: two weeks before EDD until birth. If anything birth-related were to happen before 38 weeks, I am still available for support and would make every effort to be available. Just for purposes of maintaining my sanity and reserving time for my family and clients, I keep on-call availability limited to times when folks are most likely to birth.
How do you define your role during birth?
I look to see what can be sweeter, small things make a big difference. Everyone is so different, so I find that my role is constantly evolving based on what needs to happen. Some folks want me very hands on, helping direct activities and movement and some folks want me there as a sounding board and encouragement. Sometimes I hold space and witness. Sometimes I do all the things.
What techniques will you use to help me move through labor?
I have a hefty tool bag of tricks that we can utilize, but what is needed varies greatly person to person. I think uteruses are smart and babies are smart and they are working together to do the best that they can. Labor patterns give us clues to what is happening with the spaces in your body. I love using Spinning Babies exercises and the Miles Circuit to help loosen up your body, make space and move labor along. We might try various distraction techniques like music or meditations, a calm atmosphere, various scents and sounds or labor songs. I think acupressure and massage, comforting touch can be helpful throughout labor. Sometimes clients and I work together to find phrases or mantras that will work for them. Sometimes we use breath work or find a rhythm to manage their labor contractions. Sometimes we talk about framing and how the words we use can make more or less work for ourselves. We might use my TENS unit or jump in the shower to relax and reset the tension building in your body. You might not need any of these things!
How many clients do you take a month?
There seems to be an ebb and flow to birth work, just like labor. Some months I have 1 or 2 birth clients and some months more towards 5 or 6.
Do you have any other clients that have due dates near mine?
I might. I’ve found that estimated due dates are just that; estimated and absolutely no indication of babe’s arrival. I’ve seen a client deliver their babe at 43 weeks, and a day later another labor started with gestation of 37 weeks. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
What do you typically cover during your prenatal visits?
It varies family to family. My goals are always to get to know you and your partner, your family, your birth wishes, see if you need any resources around breastfeeding, labor and parenting, life with new babe, postpartum plans. We might draft a birth plan together. We will likely practice a few positions we might use in labor and they also happen to *bonus* help make the late days of pregnancy more comfortable.
When do you join us in labor?
Every labor shows up differently, but most of the time, I join you at home. I prefer more communication, so as your labor unfolds, you might be notifying me and checking in. Typically, I’m offering suggestions to help you relax and find a ritual or a groove with your contractions. At some point, either you decide that you are ready for me to join or I might hear something that indicates you are ready for support, or we might decide to meet at the hospital or birth center.
Do you stay for the entire labor and childbirth, or do you have a time limit for long births?
Once I join you in active labor, I am there until babe arrives. In the event of a longer birth, I may take a break to eat a real meal or even a nap! I could also call a back up doula either to provide respite support or replace me. In the event of an inductions, we check in when you are settling in at the hospital and we continue to communicate and check in as your labor develops, joining you when you are ready for hands on support.
How do you work with a husband or partner?
Again, this is so dependent on your family. I am working for both of you and invested in the quality of your joint experience. Some folks have hired me to provide support for the birthing partner. A lot of families find that the doula normalizes labor and reduces anxiety.
Overall, I find that it is helpful to have a third party so partners can catch snack breaks and naps if needed. There’ve been times when the partner needed to ask questions or process in the moment without getting in the birthing person’s zone. Some folks have found it helpful to have suggestions of activities to do or have appreciated someone modeling movements and encouragements, or an extra set of hands to help with hip squeezes and other chores that come up in birth.
How long do you stay after the birth?
I like to see every one fed and settled… including baby! Depending on the events of labor that generally looks like an hour or two.
Why did you become a doula?
I got into this work because I was thinking about becoming a midwife… but I fell in love with this role. I love meeting folks and learning their stories. I find that this work is incredibly unique and the subtleties of support can dramatically affect outcomes for families and satisfaction with their birthing experience. I’m passionate about reproductive rights and maternal health. The current state of our medical care system has gaps and doula care can be a safety net in those needed moments.