When I tell people what I do, some people still say, "You're a what?" But when I started, 14 years ago, almost no one knew what a doula was. In the years since, pregnancy magazines, birth books, blogs and doctors offices have touted doulas as the greatest new help for laboring mamas.
Birth doulas accompany women and their partners in labor, providing emotional support and physical comfort. They facilitate communication with caregivers to keep clients fully informed, provide reassurance and perspective and help with pain management, relaxation, positioning and other labor support techniques.
The word doula comes from the Greek word meaning "a woman who serves." Studies have shown that a doula’s presence at births results in shorter labors with less complications, fewer requests for pain medications and/or epidurals and a reduction in labor-enhancing drugs (Pitocin), forceps, vacuum extraction and cesareans. Doula care has also been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of postpartum depression.
I started on the path of childbirth professional in 1994 when I had my first baby. I had a very difficult yet empowering and ultimately very good experience because I had been so well educated by an amazing childbirth educator. Soon after, I myself became certified as a childbirth educator. I was thrilled to be working with pregnant women and two years later became a certified doula. I've since worked with hundreds of pregnant and birthing women and their partners. In 2002 I became an approved doula trainer with DONA International, and have been privileged to train many, many women in the art of "doula-ing."
As a doula, I typically do a prenatal visit with my client one to two months before her due date. Here we discuss what kind of birth she wants, what comfort measures she likes, how involved her partner wants to be and how I can facilitate that role, and many other things. I attend the entire labor and birth, beginning when she needs me, applying the tools and techniques mentioned above, and stay one to two hours postpartum to make sure she's comfortable and that breastfeeding is going well.
I always do free consultations so you can meet me, ask me questions, and decide if I'm the right fit for you. Please contact me if you're interested in a consultation or if you have any questions.
Blessings in Birth!
melissa@rawmelissa.com
Easier Labor and Birth? Yes!
September 11, 2009
Speaking at the Mom's Who Make It Conference
July 27, 2009
I got to speak at the Mom's Who Make It Conference the other day. It was WONDERFUL! If you're a mama, or a woman, you need to come next year. Check it out. It made the news, and although they didn't do it justice, you'll get an idea of what it was all about.
Peace and love, M
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
Moms Who Make It Conference
June 25, 2009
Speaking of women, you all need to go this conference. It is bound to be one of the best conferences for women this year! There will be several women speakers who have continued to be creative and stay true to themselves, despite the sometimes difficult years of selflessness that women give. Are you tired? Are you feeling uninspired? Do you want to be around other women who understand those feelings? Need a day to feel INSPIRED and REJUVENATED? Come join us!
Pics from the latest Amazing Doula Training!
June 12, 2009
Here are some pictures from the Doula Training Workshop I taught last week. It was a great group of women, (as usual) but I have to say that these ladies were hilariously punchy at the end of the training - a little more than the other groups I've had. It was as if we were coming to the end of a three-day sleepover and the last two hours of the training, the giggles, and the teary goodbyes, just wouldn't stop. It was beautiful! Everyone of us were just being women, being who we are, feeling safe and loved. Hope you can join us for our next training in November!
This gorgeous black and white photo is of all my ladies except one (see her at the top) giving the V sign, not for Victory, not for Peace, but for Vagina! Own it girls!
Another Beautiful Birth Story
April 10, 2009
I've been acquainted with Alicia for about two years. I first met her at a Start Up Princess Women in Business Meeting where I was on a panel of speakers. Being the secret networker that I am, I had brought a DONA International Doula bag with me to carry all of my handouts and biz cards and folders and such. It was a good thing, too, because Alicia spotted it from across the conference room and made a beeline to me. She told me that she had wanted to be a doula and was looking for a training. I said, "Well guess what? I'm a trainer and I have a training coming up next month!" She verbally signed up on the spot and a month later spent three intensive days with me and several other women in a training, learing to be a doula.
I generally stayed in contact with her, but more in the relationship of post trainee/trainer than friends, although I had really connected with her at the training. A couple months ago, I got a text from her asking if I was available to be her doula in March. I texted her right back and said, "OF COURSE!!"
I met with her soon after and it turns out that she had sought out four other doulas because she thought I would be booked, but in the end, they had each not been able to take her for various reasons. She finally took a stab at me and guess what? It was surely meant to be because it all worked out perfectly.
Alicia has written her own story out here so I won't write out the whole thing again in this post. But there are a couple of things I want to highlight:
Alicia had expected that labor would be challenging because she had had two babies already and knew the drill, but she didn't e
xpect that she would suffer. This enabled her to have fun, to ride right over the top of her contractions and to ultimately trust her body.
Alicia chose to give birth at a birthing suite (see the gorgeous facility in the pictures beneath) with a midwife that she trusted to be competent and capable.
Alicia knew instinctually and intellectual that being active in her birth, moving around, walking and using different positions, are the ingredients for a timely and manageable labor.
Alicia knew what people she would need around her to help her carry out her desired experience, and made sure to get that team in place long before labor even started.
Alicia chose to percieve labor and birth as challenging, not sufferable; positive, not negative; normal, not pathological. She chose to see labor as a sign of health. If her body could get pregnant with a baby, carry it to term and then go into labor, she was and is a healthy and strong person and the contractions were a sign of that. Surely if she could create this intensity, she could manage this intensity.
Some less serious points:
Alicia's adorable midwife, Rebecca, made us cinnamon rolls and popcorn throughout the labor. It was a real treat that kept Alicia happy and upbeat.
At one point, I gave Alicia a pedicure and painted her toenails. I think she was about 5 or 6 centimeters in the picture below. Yes, that is active labor. She stopped to breath and relax during each contraction and then afterward, went on smiling between each, all the way until the end.
Alicia and I have finally realized that we are meant to be good friends forever. We've talked about working together and see each other often and I will forever be grateful to her for making me a part of her birth team and her life.
Birth Movie Screening Event
March 26, 2009
So, guess what? You know how I wanted to try to do a screening of Orgasmic Birth? Well, not only did I secure Orgasmic Birth for a screening, but I also secured the movie's producer AND we'll also be screening The Business of Being Born and Pregnant in America! It's sure to be an amazing event. We haven't even started putting out the official advertisement yet and we're already getting inquiries! I hope, hope, hope that you can join us for this extraordinary day! Below is the information. I'll update the blog with new information as the event gets closer. (The flier is hard to read here, see text beneath it)
All registrants are entered in drawings to win free
DVD's, Books, and Chocolate from Raw Melissa!!
Date: June 13, 2009
Location: Towne Cinema Theaters in American Fork, UT
Cost: $25
What: Screening of Orgasmic Birth, Pregnant in America, The Business of Being Born, Special Guest Speaker, Debra Pascali-Bonaro
Email: moviescreening@rawmelissa.com if you have questions
Email us if you would like to have postcards mailed to you to hand out.
