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Free Social Media Content Calendar for Birth Professionals – May through August

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1618935599948{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Here is your birth related social media calendar for May through August! Fill in the blank days with content about you, your business, your services or other special dates.

This is a great place to start when building your social media platform! Need more support? Send us an email and let help you fill your calendar![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/3.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_image src=”https://stefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/4.png” image_size=”full”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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New Year’s 2021!

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Happy Holiday & Looking Forward to 2021!

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”301343″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_single_image image=”301342″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_btn title=”PDF Version” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F12%2F2020-holiday-message-from-shaunacy.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][vc_btn title=”Save $100 until December 31st, 2020!” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fstefanie-techops.wisdmlabs.net%2Fshop%2F||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Doula Canada: Anti-racism statement

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1591719683296{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Friends, 

Our hearts feel heavy, and we know many of yours are as well.

We hear the pain and outrage being expressed by our Black and Indigenous communities and we acknowledge that as primarily white presenting persons our community of doulas and educators has played a role in the disenfranchisement of others. The senseless death of Black and Indigenous persons has stopped us on our path, and we are welcoming you to become more mindful as we journey forward.  

Many of us at the Doula Canada are parents who emphasize with the desperate or fear-filled cries of a child calling out for help. No community should have to endure the devastating and violent loss of a life due to racism, violence, and systemic inequity.  We grieve for Black and Indigenous persons in our communities. The deaths of George Floyd, Chantel Moore, and Regis Korchiski-Paquet are just a few of the deaths that lend themselves to the discussion about how racism has too often led to tragic outcomes, and without any acceptable explanation. 

Change.  New, reimagined policy and a kind, inclusive culture is absolutely needed at all levels and in all corners of our society to ensure equity and justice.  This includes equity and justice in birthing environments, access to care, and equitable support.  We can make a change.  We must make a change.

At Doula Canada we have a diverse community – persons of all colors, communities, backgrounds, beliefs, genders, and interests – join birth work weekly. We are invested in the interests of all of our students, and want everyone to feel like they fully belong in this special place of learning.

Our work at Doula Canada revolves around supporting our students with the tools to tend their wellness, on a physical level, but also on emotional and spiritual levels.  Inequality and systemic racism most certainly impact wellness. They are a root cause of disease and we, as a society of birth workers, must name the root cause of the disease that affects the health of our community and individual members. The fundamentals of this doula community has always been to honour life in all its forms.  At its very core that is what doula work hopes to achieve –  the support and celebration of life.

This past week Doula Canada participated in the #amplifymelanatedvoices campaign, Blackout Tuesday and muted our social media, newsletters, and events throughout the week in order to highlight BIPOC birth workers, teachers, businesses, and creators in Instagram stories. We paused, listened, reflected, and let other voices be heard. We will continue to listen.

Many of you in our student community and colleagues, educators, and friends reached out with resource lists, specifically networks of BIPOC birth workers. We are so grateful for that.  Thank you for being a part of Doula Canada.  Thank you for helping us be a part of the discussions of change.

Here is what we are learning and how we will continue to participate in this movement for change:

  1.  We understand that we as people and as a business have a responsibility to educate ourselves about institutional racism and to take actions, big and small, immediate and ongoing, to support change. Change can only happen when we acknowledge a problem and that we may be a part of the problem. This calls for self-examination and is something we’ve approached in the past but we have prioritized and amped up these efforts this past week and consider this an ongoing process. The Doula Canada leadership team has committed to educating ourselves further about ongoing, unjust, deeply rooted systemic racism that is unfair, painful, and even life-threatening for so many. We have been conversing with many of our students and contributors and we are seeking out resources for learning. As a next step, we are putting together an educational program for our internal team. It starts within. 

    Here are programs and books you may consider to start this important work:

    1. Woke Without the Work course from Rootwork Herbals
    2. Beyond Inclusion, Beyond Empowerment: A Developmental Strategy to Liberate Everyone by Leticia Nieta with Margot F. Boyer and co-authors 
    3. Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
    4. White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
    5. Racism & Privilege in Birth Work by Birthing Advocacy 
  2. It is good to start within with deep reflection and learning, but action is necessary by all organizations. Everyone can do better. To this end, we are committed to continuing to take a deeper look at how we as an officially registered incorporation can make choices in support of organizations for BIPOC communities and a more just society. Action will continue beyond one week; we are only just beginning this work.  If you have an organization that you feel would benefit from the support of our Doula Canada
    community please email it to shaunacy@doulatraining.ca or sondra@doulatraining.ca 
  3. We recognize that we can do better to diversify our marketing and our curriculum.  This means that we are working to represent more voices and faces in media and written contributions moving forward. In March 2020 we interviewed for the BIPOC Coordinator role and find ourselves still waiting for the acceptance of someone for that position.  We recognize that this is an important role on our team and we are committed to finding the right person for this position soon.  If you are interested in applying please email sondra@doulatraining.ca with your resume to start the conversation.
    We also put a call out to our community about blogging opportunities that anyone can apply to and are encouraging BIPOC birth workers and writers to apply.  We will not ask for your time or your effort for free.   We are reaching out to BIPOC birth workers to share your message and your knowledge on our platform.  We hope that together we can share the correct history of how doula work has come into its present forms through many different cultures and traditions. If you are interested in applying please email sondra@doulatraining.ca with your resume to start the conversation.  
  4. We have been exploring ways we can diversify our educational programs as we continue to work on course development. We will be auditing all Doula Canada program and creating opportunities to represent traditions from various cultures in our curriculum for all programs. We hope to work with birth workers who are connected to these heritages and who are involved in practicing doula work as a continuation of these traditions. 
  5. This past week, we asked our community to share with us the social media accounts of some of their favourite Black birth workers. Thank you to those of you who shared with us! We have begun following these accounts and will continue to share the important messages they post.  We look forward to learning from these doulas and educators.

While change doesn’t happen overnight, we will actively pursue these initiatives now and into the future. 

We acknowledge that many of us directly involved at Doula Canada benefit from white privilege. We present as a white woman-owned and -operated organization, and we will not claim that we can understand the pain that our Black and Indigenous members have felt.

Please know that as a “school” and as your educators we accept the responsibility to unlearn the ingrained values of privilege.  We work to relearn, to engage in crucial dialog, to bring diverse voices and faces to our platform, and to enrich our offerings with wider cultural representation.

Many members have reached out to express feelings, share experiences, provide insight and suggestions for ways to be more inclusive, as well as to offer grace, encouragement, and motivation as we emphatically support change. We cannot promise we will get it right every time, but we will put our best intentions forward and we will sustain these efforts to ensure Doula Canada is representative of its members. 

We are dedicated to using our voice and our platform to help drive and support the path to healing and change.

In gratitude,

Shaunacy King (Director) & the Doula Canada Team
Doula Training Canada Inc.
www.doulatraining.ca [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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About Us birth Business Canada Members Uncategorised

Getting to know our Members: 6 Questions

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1590763418165{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Meet Sarah Alicia Elder. Owner of ElderFlower Doula Serving families in New Westminster B.C Canada, This mother of three, can’t stay still and her love for learning has opened up many different career paths. Her sense of community has led her to different fields within human services. Now, Sarah is putting it all together to help families in New Westminster. She is a full-service doula-in-training offering support and resources for pre-pregnancy to post-partum and everything in-between.

We had a chat with Sarah Alicia about what brought her to this work and got to know her a little better!

Why did you decide to become a Birth Professional ?

I have always been drawn to working with babies and young children. When I was in high school, I wanted to become a midwife but never felt like I could do the education. I didn’t learn about doula work until I was pregnant with my first and had a friend’s sister offer doula services. I did some research and after having my second baby, I noticed that for much of the birthing experience, a doula is very much needed. I liked my nurses but having someone helping me or just keeping space for me before going to the hospital as well as having a familiar face throughout the experience would have been a blessing. After talking with other mothers, I realized so many of us do not have extra help and/or have partners who are unsure how to help. Doulas make sure all the questions running around in our head are answered. 

What is the most surprising thing you have learned so far as a birth worker/ educator?

The most surprising thing I have learned is that doulas play such an important role and complement other birth workers. Doulas, however, I feel are often forgotten. I still have people ask me what a doula is when I tell others what I do for work. After explaining the role I play during pregnancy, labour and birth, many say they wished they had a doula working with them at their own births. More people are choosing to have a doula present for many different reasons; not having a reliable person to help, choosing to give birth as a single parent, and birthing at home are just a few. Slowly, as more and more companies see the value of doula support and realize that not every family is in a financial situation to afford doula services, extended medical plans are starting to cover the costs of doula support. Studies show that continuous support from a doula lowers intervention rates, including cesarean. As a society, it is imperative that we demand better support to drive change. Nothing happens if we don’t ask!

Why did you choose Doula Canada?

I chose Doula Canada mainly because it is Canadian and has an online option. Having very young children and being a stay-at-home mom makes going to an in-person class a lot harder. The flexibility of making my own learning schedule was a must. I also love that the organization has international ties and offer so many different classes to help me further my career. The instructors and directors care about their work and are so hands-on. I don’t feel like just a number but as an important part of the doula community.

 

Interesting Fact about yourself ( hobby, quirk)

As well as being a doula, I am a certified cosmetologist and sewer. I love making and creating new outfits by using old clothing from when I was little. 

 

If you could give advice to someone just starting out what would you say..

The advice I would love to give to someone just starting out is to be true to yourself. Take your special skills and incorporate them into your doula work. For me, using my background as a cosmetologist and my love for being hands-on and creative, I offer self-care and keepsake art projects to my clients. The things I learned in previous jobs have helped make my doula business unique to me! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1590764107834{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]   You can learn more about Sarah Alicia here

Website: https://elderflowerdoula.wordpress.com/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/elderflowerdoula/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Uncategorised

The Right to Support: Advocacy During COVID-19

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1586274531767{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Doula Canada believes in the right of doulas to autonomously choose whether they wish to continue supporting clients during this time, or whether they choose to not continue support at this time.

Each provincial health care system and many individual birthing institutions have their own policies and practices in place.  As such it is difficult to formulate “one size fits all” advocacy that encapsulates the needs of all Doula Canada members.

We believe our professional members will research the current situations and support options in their individual communities and provinces and will choose to support clients in a manner that speaks to their comfort, their professional, and their communities needs.

In the days and weeks to come Doula Canada will provide members and the families we support with a variety of documents that they may or may not choose to use in the advocacy and support of families across Canada.

We are grateful to the frontline workers who are tirelessly working to flatten the curve of COVID-19 and in no way want to detract from the real concerns of low resources related to personal protective equipment.  Our statements support that should PPE not be available for support that it should go to frontline workers first.  If, however, PPE is available for at least one support person of choice at a birth then we hope our community stakeholders will see the value and importance of autonomous choice that may include professionally trained doulas.

Together in long-term health for all,
Doula Canada administration, staff, and membership[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_btn title=”The Right Support: Statement on Autonomous Choice” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F04%2Fdtc-right-to-choose-support-04_07_20.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_btn title=”Letter to MPP: Right to One Support” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F04%2Ffamily-letter_-mpp-address-re_-no-one-should-birth-alone-.docx||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_btn title=”COVID-19 Recommendations (Resource List)” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F04%2Fcovid-recommendations-list-of-resources.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_btn title=”Informed Consent Form for Refusal of Separation from Newborn Infant” style=”classic” shape=”square” color=”mulled-wine” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F04%2Finformed-consent-form-for-refusal-of-separation-from-newborn-infant.pdf||target:%20_blank|”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Canada Labour Doula Mentorship Postpartum Doula Uncategorised

10 Tips for Winter Doula Life in Canada

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Winter is fast approaching, and for some of us we couldn’t be happier. However, if you’re like me, it’s a less than exciting time. Here in Newfoundland, winter lasts about half the year, so we need to put in some extra effort to try to enjoy this tidbit nipply season. As a Canadian doula, we have the extra challenge of navigating birth work through this unpredictable time of year. Here are my suggestions to help you get through these cold months:

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1572904448393{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Number 1:
Have good winter tires – we can be called to a birth or scheduled for a postpartum shift anytime, so it’s important to be confident on the road. If you’re able to reschedule your shifts if the weather is bad, all the better, but even on a nice day you might be facing some less than optimal road conditions. Personally, I hate spending money on my car, but good tires are an investment in my safety and the safety of everyone else on the road too, and a bit of piece of mind.

Number 2:
Make sure your childcare will still stand if there’s a snow day at school or if the road conditions are really bad – will your sitter or family still be able to get to you or take your child if there is no school? Make sure you have backup for your back up if circumstances change.

Number 3:
Have an emergency pack ready in your car – are you prepared if you get stuck somewhere and can’t get home? Have some extra toiletries and clothes packed incase you need to stay with friends or sleep in the waiting room of the hospital before you get home. I know at the end of a long birth or shift it can be very tempting to just push through and try to get home, but sometimes its better to stay where you are until the roads clear up. Have things packed so you’re ready if you need to wait to get home.

Number 4:
Get outside as much as possible – it can be very tempting to ignore the existence of snow and slush and cold. But for our mental health, it important for us to get for fresh air and some vitamin D. You can try snowshoeing or skiing. Or maybe it just a matter of standing outside your door for a couple seconds in the mornings to start your day.

Number 5:
Pack layers in your go bag – the temperature of a hospital room or someone else’s house in unpredictable at the best of times, but especially during the winter. Pack lots of layers so that you can stay comfortable and your clients don’t need to accommodate you.

Number 6:
Give yourself lots of time for travel – maybe you need to adjust your contract to allow for extra travel time during the winter months. If you live close to the hospital, or if your catchment area for your clients is pretty small, it might not make a difference to your travel time, but make sure you either leave earlier than you usually would or make sure clients know you might take a bit longer, weather depending.

Number 7:
Have some soul warming self care practices – birth work is hard work, both physically and mentally, and self care may look different during the winter months. Make sure you have some ways to fill your cup and keep your heart warm. Maybe you like having a hot bath, or enjoying a cup of tea or really good coffee or stretching your body and mind with a regular yoga practice. Take care or yourself so you can better take care of your clients and your family.

Number 8:
Stay active – We need to take care of our bodies so that we don’t risk injury when we are working with families, be it at a birth or during postpartum shifts. It’s easy to increase how much time we spend sitting when its not so nice out, so make sure you’re doing things to keep your body moving. Yoga, swimming, snowshoeing, skiing, walking on an indoor track, stacking wood are all great ways to keep your body active when its tempting to just stay inside and cozy under a blanket for the next 6 months.

Number 9:
Eat as healthy as possible – fresh fruit and veggies are hard to come by in the middle of winter. To care for our bodies, we must also be conscious of our nutrition. I’m guilty of becoming lazy when it comes to cooking healthy meals. Frozen fruit and veggies are a great way to keep the good food coming without spending a fortune to buy out of season produce. Maybe make some granola bars or trail mix to bring with you to births and shifts so that you’re not tempted to buy junk to keep your body full of fuel.

Number 10:
Learn to embrace it a little – it took me a long time, but eventually I came to the realization that I don’t want to be miserable for half of my life, so I figured out how to, not love, but embrace winter a little bit more. Whether it’s at home, at work or in your social life, do something that helps you to enjoy this colder season.[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1572904478048{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]

We live in a very large and diverse country, even when it comes to the weather. No matter where you find yourselves this winter, I’m sending lots of love and wishes of warmth for you all. Stay safe out there Doula Canada!

[/vc_column_text][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”1855″ img_size=”medium”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1572904706244{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]About the author:

Samantha Whitman is a certified Labour and Birth Doula with Doula Training Canada, and the current Provincial Liaison for the province of Newfoundland and territory of Labrador.

Samantha has a history of being dedicated to supporting the families of her community, previously as a paramedic and now as a doula.

She lives in the central area of Newfoundland with her husband and son and enjoys getting outside, hiking, and exploring with her family.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Uncategorised

En français; Why DTC is moving towards French translation

[vc_row][vc_column][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1559584822088{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Doula Training Canada (DTC) est une organisation qui grandie à chaque jour et nos membres viennent de chaque coin du Canada. Plus nous grandissons, plus nous devenons diverse. Nous célébrons nos membres et nous fesont de notre mieux pour préparer nos ressources dans les deux langues officielles du Canada.

Depuis le printemps, nous travaillons à traduire nos documents en français. Ce n’est pas une tâche rapide ou simple, mais nous comprenons que c’est important et nécessaire pour le futur de l’organisation. Ne semble-t-il pas un bon but que tous nos membres aient le choix d’étudier dans leur langue maternelle? Nous pensons que oui! C’est dommage que ce ne soit pas possible dans toutes les langues mais nous avons décidé de commencer avec le français.

Lorsqu’on traduit les documents pour nos doulas, il devient plus facile pour nos membres de supporter des familles en français. Nous commençons avec les programmes pour les doulas de Travail et Naissance (Labour and Birth), et Post-partum (Postpartum). Dans le futur, nous souhaitons traduire toute documentation et ressources pour nos doulas.

En plus de créer des ressources en français, DTC a maintenant au moins trois membres d’équipe d’on le français est la langue maternelle. Si vous désirez prendre davantage de notre mentorat, n’hésiter pas à nous contacter pour le support en français d’on vous avez besoin.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”mulled_wine”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1559569238233{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Doula Training Canada (DTC) is a growing organization and our members come from every corner of Canada. The more we grow, the more diverse we become. We celebrate our members and are working to prepare our resources in both of Canada’s official languages.

Since the spring, we have been working on translating our documents into French. This is not a quick or easy task, but we understand that it is important and necessary for the future of the organization. Our goal is that all our members have the choice to study in their mother tongue! It’s a is not possible at this time to do it in all languages ​​but we felt it important to start with French.

When translating documents for our doulas, it becomes easier for our members to support families in French. We start with programs for the doulas of Labor and Birth (Labor and Birth), and Postpartum (Postpartum). In the future, we want to translate all documentation and resources for our students.

In addition to creating resources in French, DTC now has at least three members of the French language team. If you would like to take more of our mentoring, do not hesitate to contact us for the French support you need.



[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_padding_divider][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1559584539835{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Bridget Graham is our Provincial Liaison – Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia


Currently a member of the Nova Scotia Doula Association, as well as a Board Member for the Midwifery Coalition of Nova Scotia, Abortion Support Services Atlantic and the Halifax Women’s History Society.  Bridget is a Sparks leader for Girl Guides, and a member of the Students on Ice Alumni Council, as well as a member of Global Shapers Halifax Hub, and an advisor for the Alpha Eta chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta.






Bridget vis présentement à Halifax, aussi connu come Kjipuktuk, en Nouvelle-Écosse avec sa partenaire Aaron, et leur chatte Alice. Elle adore lire, cuisiner, faires des conserves et faire du tricot. Elle apprend présentement comment faire du contrepointe.


Email: bridget@doulatraining.ca






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					balance Business Labour Doula Lifestyle Mentorship Postpartum Doula Uncategorised				

			


			
Finding Balance: Working and Doula Life

		


			

		


		
	





	


		


			


The question often comes up in doula circles “how do people manage to swing doula work and family or other jobs”. It can be especially hard for people, like me, who are just starting out and aren’t in a place yet where they’re able to give up their other job for financial reason. I’m here to tell you, as a new doula in an area with no other doulas yet, a full time paramedic, a first-time mom-to-be, a DIY home builder and the Doula Canada Provincial Liaison for Newfoundland, it’s not an easy task.


There are two things that every doula must have, no matter their life situation. They must have a good support system and a love and deep desire for this work.


I took my training with Doula Canada in the spring of 2017. After having the time to set up my business, I took on a client due in January, and left a full time work schedule to accept a casual position working as a paramedic. I live in a province that is in heavy need of paramedics, so I have been able to work full time hours, but have the flexibility to take time off as needed. I know that this is a great luxury that is not available to everyone, and I have grateful for the position that I’m in. Having that flexibility was wonderful, as I took off time while on call for my doula client, and then returned to work again after her birth. This also coincided with my first trimester of pregnancy, so it worked out well in that I probably wouldn’t have been able to manage on call life while sick and exhausted from this pregnancy.


I would never be in the situation that I’m in without the unwavering support from my partner. When we decided that I would pursue this line of work, he supported me 100%. Even though we have had to tighten our shoestrings a bit in order for me to be on call periodically, he has recognized that for me to do work that will fill my cup, at times we will need to make some sacrifices in other areas of our lives. He also tags along to events with me, and listens to my many rants about the amount of work left to be done here! He’s a pretty good listener. I know moving forward with a child, he will allow me to take the time I need to focus on this business in whatever capacity that I need.




The second piece to the balancing puzzle is the love and desire for this type of work. It’s a lot easier to find the motivation to make those contacts, reach out to potential clients, and ask questions to the people in the community, when you see the potential. I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be a real part of the shift in birth culture here in Newfoundland. There are lots of struggles, but so much potential, which really lights my fire. After every positive meeting, I find myself motivated to keep moving forward. After every negative encounter, I find myself driven to help make that change. It’s hard to look at how far we have to go and to know, realistically, how long it’s going to take to get there. But each assignment that gets submitted, each new like on my Facebook page, every acknowledgement by a once skeptic gets us closer to providing the right support to the families in our area!


So how does this translate to you and your doula business?


First of all, find your support team. It’s hard to support people through their pregnancy, birth and postpartum without being supported yourself. Whether you need family to take care of your kids when you get called to a birth, a reliable babysitter for your prenatal visits or postpartum shifts, a partner who helps to manage times of lower income, a friend to enjoy a cup of tea with or a Doula Canada counterpart to vent and debrief with about hard situations, we all need to build our support team.


Figure out what you’ll need in order to make this a successful venture and then find the people to who will help you do that. Also be sure to add yourself to your support team.


Self-care is vitally important if we are to remain an active member of this birth culture shift. Fill your cup in order to continue filling others. That love and passion for the work, which I think you need to be a truly good and effective doula, is only sustainable if we take care of ourselves.


Samantha is the Provincial Liaison for Doula Canada and the owner of Nesting Owl Doula Services in Newfoundland. She is originally from Nova Scotia, but has been living in Newfoundland for the last 7 years. She had been working as a paramedic for the last 10 years before having her first child this summer. She is passionate about bringing midwifery care to Newfoundland and Labrador.


		


	


	

		
		


			

		


		
	


	






	



	


		
			

				
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Intersectionality: Why Looking Beyond Identity is Key in Sex and Birth Support

		


			

		


		
	





	


		


			
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If you’ve perused my course on Sex & Birth, you’ll notice that an entire module/week is devoted to intersectionality and voices from the margins right at the start of the course, so that these ideas remain with us throughout the rest of the weeks. Why is this important, you ask?


First, I want to introduce you to a very important person: Jasbina Justice, the editor of the Sex & Birth Manual.


I could not have done this work without the guidance and brilliance of Jasbina Justice. Jasbina Justice is an Intersex Femme queer person who is mixed. They are South Asian and Caribbean. They are a settler living on colonized land known as Tkaronto, Turtle Island, land of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Mississaugas of the New Credit, Huron-Wendat and other Indigenous peoples. They live with an invisible disability and have Complex PTSD. They have been running workshops, doing consultations, and generally working in equity and social justice for the last five years. They are a poet, writer, multimedia artist, performance artist, community educator, facilitator, former sex worker, and yoga teacher.


As a white settler, I knew I was going to need some help! It was working with Jasbina that helped me understand these 4 important reasons for the inclusion of intersectionality in this course:


#1 Intersectionality is the understanding that the totality of our person cannot be understood by merely looking at each of our identities in isolation. Rather, it is at the intersection, or where these identities meet, where unique and compounded oppression’s can be found.


The term intersectionality was coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the late 80’s when she was trying to find a way to explain black women who experienced obstacles not just because they were women and not just because they were black, but because they were both black and women. Here is a great video of Crenshaw breaking down the definition. This is important in sexuality education because…


#2 Most sex education in Canada is taught from a white, colonial, cisgendered, able-bodied, heterosexual, middle-upper class, educated, incomplete perspective.


Though about 72.5% of Canadians identify as white, this number continues to drop and dramatically changes depending on the area. In Tkaronto, specifically, more than 50% of folks belong to a visible minority (you can see the stats Canada breakdown here). In Saskatchewan, the indigenous population is predicted to increase threefold by 2045.


In 2012, 11% of Canadians had some kind of physical or mental disability that limited their day-to-day life. Sex and disabilities is often disregarded at all levels of education (elementary, highschool, undergraduate), unless someone is specifically seeking to learn about this topic.


Although the percentage of trans or intersex folks who birth is relatively small, it is all the more reason to make sure we are not lost in trainings because we are often lost in the literature and research.


When you belong to a minority group, it is easy to feel isolated and not have information that is relevant to you. This exclusion from information is dangerous to all aspects of our health, including sexual health.




Continue reading “Intersectionality: Why Looking Beyond Identity is Key in Sex and Birth Support”