So you want to be a doula? #doula

So, you've decided you want to be a doula?  That's great!  Now what?  You ask. What is a doula? A doula is a professional, experienced, and trained non-medical assistant who provides physical, emotional and informed choice support in prenatal care and support, during childbirth and during the postpartum period. A birth doula offers continuous care for labor in many settings, to include homebirth, birth center and hospital birth. Ask yourself why? Did you go to your sister's birth and decided, "Oh this I want to do this!"  Is your friend a doula, and you want to join the cool kids,…
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I am Queen Amidoula! | #doula #starwars #birthgeek #birth

Yesterday, after having a conversation with one of my beautiful friends from high school who is about to have her second baby, I posted this on Facebook: I love that my friends from high school (and even Jr. High) come to me now with pregnancy, birth, and baby questions! Makes me feel accomplished. A few minutes later, a blogger friend, Sheila from That's because you are queen Amidoula! She knows me well!  But, now, I have this image in my head of me as Queen Amidala holding a new baby!  So, here goes! This is what you get when Star…
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I Refuse To Practice Outside the Scope of a Doula | #safebirth #birth #pregnancy #doula

I am an asset to the women in my community. I am a doula.  I am a great doula. Five years ago, when I decided to become a doula, I'm not sure if I was under a false illusion about what the role of a doula is, or if things have just changed so much in the past five years that I'm behind the times. When I became pregnant with Jett, I decided to continue to be involved in the birthing and natural parenting community, however, I chose not to attend any births because I did not feel that I would be able…
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Has it been four years? I was featured in a Natural Childbirth Article!

Happy 4th Birthday Connor Hawk Johnston! Four years ago, I was featured in a Natural Childbirth Article in Pearland, Texas. This day is what inspired me to become a labor doula! Baby on board By Mary Openshaw The Facts Published February 21, 2007 These days, when a woman is having a baby, she’s got more options than just which hospital to go to. Choices range from whether to have the baby at home, with or without traditional pain-killers, to penciling it in on the calendar and going for an elective C-section. (more…)
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