Tag: birth

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Labour Doula

Birth Trauma Part 2 – When Trauma Takes Root

Birth trauma and Doula support

 

 ​As doulas, we are given the opportunity to provide support and hopefully enhance the birth experience of our clients. As I’ve outlined in my previous blog post, The Seeds of Birth Trauma, doulas can have some influence on how we prepare our clients to minimize some of their risk in experiencing birth trauma.  Unfortunately though, even with this preparation, the unexpected can happen, and our clients come through the experience feeling traumatized. Also, it is not uncommon for people to hire doulas only after they have already experienced a traumatic birth, and we are then put in the position of supporting them through processing that previous birth before moving on to their next one.

So, as a doula, how can we best support our clients after they have already experienced a traumatic birth?

Before I continue, I want to address the topic of obstetrical violence that is still prevalent in western birth culture. Throughout this post, you will see that I reference a client’s expectations, shame, and self-beliefs which I believe can often be the origin of the trauma taking root. That being said, I in no way mean to minimize the seriousness and devastation that comes from obstetrically violent acts which happen all too often to birthing persons in our culture. Part of our role as doulas is to uphold the importance of informed consent and supporting our clients’ autonomy. For more information on obstetrical violence and what we can do about it, go to www.birthmonopoly.com.

In my work both as a doula and therapist, there are a number of things I have learned about birth trauma. First, the people that supported the traumatized person through the experience, whether that be a doula, or partner, or family member, may not be the most appropriate person to help her process the trauma. As a doula who attended her birth, YOU are part of her trauma story, even if you did not contribute to the trauma. In speaking about her experience, she will likely edit her version to avoid hurt feelings, or blame, or guilt whether this is conscious or not. It is also possible that she could associate you with the traumatic experience and speaking to you specifically about it may not be helpful for her. As her doula, it is important to have this self-awareness, not to take it personal, and offer to refer her to someone who is outside the story circle that has the experience and skill to assist her in healing.
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Second, I’ve learned that telling a traumatizing birth story over and over again is rarely helpful in healing. Retelling the trauma in detail over and over in the same way engrains the story in our psyche and solidifies the negative self-beliefs we have taken from it. It can often lead to us feeling ‘stuck’ and unable to move forward. A process developed by Pam England, creator and author of Birthing From Within, called Birth Story Medicine has been invaluable to me in assisting women find new ways of telling their stories.

​As a doula, if you have a client who has had a previous traumatic birth, encouraging her to tell her story in a different way and shifting focus can lead to a new perspective. For example, instead of retelling their story as they always have from start to finish, I ask clients to choose a moment from their birth that was difficult for them and retell THAT moment, as a snapshot,  preferably in the present tense as if it is happening right now. I focus on how they are feeling in that moment, what emotions are they experiencing, and most importantly, what do they believe about themselves because this has happened to them. In other words, what self-belief are they holding on to – “Because this happened to me, I am ______________”. Some women will identify feeling weak, unworthy, powerless, stupid, irresponsible, not a good mother, etc. When they are able to identify that belief, it often has a visceral reaction and triggers an emotional response such as tearfulness, panic, anger.

Once that self-belief is identified, using some solution-focused questions to find exceptions to that self-belief can lead to a shift in perspective. For example, asking questions like “what’s one thing you did well/that surprised you/that you thought you couldn’t do but did anyway?” can help them see that there is something MORE true about themselves that’s more positive, more realistic. Focusing on what they want to begin believing about themselves when they think of this moment is a good start. For more information on solution-focused questions and dialogue, I would recommend the book Brief Coaching for Lasting Solutions by Insoo Kim Berg and Peter Szabo.
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Often times, that self-belief has an element of shame for the traumatized person. Brene Brown, social worker and shame researcher, defines shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging (pg 5). It is also valuable to distinguish between guilt and shame as they both have a very different impact on how we view ourselves. Brown states that “guilt and shame are both emotions of self-evaluation; however that is where the similarities end. The majority of shame researchers agree that the difference between shame and guilt is best understand as the differences between “I am bad” (shame) and “I did something bad” (guilt). Shame is about who we are and guilt is about our behaviours.” (p 13). [Read more from Brene Brown in her book  I thought it was just me (But it isn’t)]

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In my experience, the self-relief that stems from birth trauma is rooted in shame. Identifying the belief and acknowledging the emotion attached to it as ‘shame’ is the first step in building our shame resilience.  Brown defines shame resilience as that ability to recognize shame when we experience it, and move through it in a constructive way that allows us to maintain our authenticity and grow from our experiences. She identifies four elements to building shame resilience which I have personally found invaluable in assisting birthing persons in working through their negative self-beliefs that stem from their birth experience.

​These elements are:

  • Recognizing shame and understanding its triggers – what does shame feel like? What happens biologically and emotionally? What topics or insecurities trigger our shame and what part of our story do they come from?
  • Practicing critical awareness – How realistic are our expectations? How is our personal experiences linked to larger social systems? How does cultural or societal expectations influence this shame experience?
  • Reaching out – Who in my life has earned the right to hear my story? Who can I trust to be gentle with my vulnerability? By sharing our story, we create change – within ourselves and others.
  • Speaking shame – When we speak shame, we learn to speak our pain. By saying “I am feeling shame”, it loses its power and can create connection and empathy, which is the medicine for healing shame.

When it comes to birth trauma, I believe that when we are able to move past the descriptive details of the experience and shift the focus to how that experience makes us feel about ourselves – this is where the healing begins.
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You can find more in-depth training in Birth Story Medicine® at https://www.sevengatesmedia.com/. I highly recommend this life-changing course.

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This series of blog posts is brought to you from our East Coast instructor Jillian Hand. Jillian shares her perspective on trauma from the lens of social worker and doula in this 3 part series we will benefit from her personal and professional experiences.

Jillian is a certified birth and postpartum doula through both Doula Training Canada and DONA International and have been involved in the local birth community since 2007. She is one of the original founders of the Doula Collective of Newfoundland and Labrador. Over the years, she has been actively involved in the doula movement both at a local, national and international level. You can find out more about her through her business page Hand to Heart in St. John’s NL. www.handtoheart.biz/

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Labour Doula

The Seeds of Trauma – Part I: Supporting Birth Trauma as a Doula

 

This series of blog posts is brought to you from our East Coast instructor Jillian Hand. Jillian shares her perpesctive on trauma from the lens of social worker and doula in this 3 part series we will benefit from her personal and professional experiences.

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I suppose it’s no surprise that over the past seven years, I have gravitated toward providing therapeutic support to birthing persons, their partners and birth professionals in the area of birth trauma processing and recovery. My master’s degree in social work combined with my passion for birth work has provided me with the education and skill to facilitate these therapeutic conversations toward healing. Of course, as with all experiential learning, I’ve gained a lot of insight into this topic over the years and it has influenced how I work with doula clients while wearing my doula hat.
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I have developed this three-part blog series with the intention of trying to provide some answers to three questions that are posed to me on a regular basis by other doulas. First, as a doula, what can I do to help minimize the risk of birth trauma; Second, How can I best support my client after they have had a traumatic birth experience; and third, how can I protect myself, as a birth professional, from vicarious trauma? There are no quick, easy answers, but I will do my best to share what my experience has taught me, beginning with how a doula can minimize the risk of birth trauma.
In the early days of this work, one thing I struggled to understand was how two people could have very similar birth experiences and yet, one will describe their experience as traumatic, while the other seems to have taken it all in the stride. For example, I have had the experience of working with two different birth doula clients on separate occasions. Both had the same obsterician, the same doula (me), the same induction procedures, the same complications down to the letter, and in the end they both ended up giving birth by cesarean. In debriefing with the first client, it was obvious that she was devastated. She used the following words to describe her experience – “violated”, “just a file number”, “cut open”, “robbed”, “disrespected”. I supported her in the best way I could in those early days, and as a new doula, I remember feeling that I had somehow let her down since she didn’t get the experience she hoped for.Fast forward to my second client with the similar experience. I had prepared myself for the same feelings of loss, trauma, and anger afterward that I assumed this client would also experience – but surprisingly, her attitude was completely different. She was disappointed, sure, but she felt like there was nothing more that could have been done and she was happy to have the experience behind her and move on.  These two practically identical births but vastly different reactions started me on my quest to seek out how this could be so. If the actual events themselves didn’t create the feeling of trauma, what did?

My own research, inquiries, and experience has taught me that one of the biggest influences in birth trauma is the focus, attitudes, and preparation of the birthing person/couple.

How outcome-focused are they in their vision of their birth experience? Are they rigid in their birth planning? Do they express an unwillingness or resistance to acknowledge and appreciate the ‘unknowns’ in labor and birth? Are they open or closed to learning ways of coping with a deterrence in their birth plan (for example, are they skipping the chapter on cesareans because “that won’t happen to me”)?

​ It appeared to me that the more attached a person was to the outcome of their experience, the more likely they were to feel traumatized after the fact if it didn’t go the way they hoped. I consider rigid expectations and lack of well-rounded preparation to be seeds of birth trauma. Once planted, they can take root and grow if other unexpected events are added to the mix – like the client who is adamant that she will give birth at home but ended up needing a transfer; or the client who refuses to acknowledge the possibility of a  cesarean, and yet fails to progress.

What is a doula to do?

So, as a doula, what can you do to help minimize the risk of birth trauma? First of all, it is important to emphasize that, as doulas, we are not responsible for outcomes. We cannot make promises to clients that hiring a doula will mean less interventions, a natural birth experience, a shorter labor, etc. Sure, the research suggests that we can make a difference, but in the end, our role is to provide support and encouragement, to facilitate good communication, and to assist in comfort – NOT to guarantee a client gets what they hope for. Doulas new to the profession are particularly more likely to feel the pressure to promise a certain experience and to feel responsible when they cannot deliver. Be conscious of this impulse.
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Here are some things you CAN do:

  • Facilitate discussions with your clients about the things they have control over (care provider, place of birth, classes they take, books they read) versus the things they cannot control (how long labor will be, when labor will begin, how baby will cope with labor, how their bodies will respond).
  • Take a non-outcome-focused stance in prenatals – acknowledge what their wishes are, but also emphasize the importance of planning for how to cope with those unwished-for events, should they arise. Focus on how they can feel satisfied and supported no matter what the outcome.
  • Prepare them for the possibility of a cesarean birth or the use of pain medication, even if they believe they will not need the information. I call this the “it won’t happen to me” phenomenon. It is a breeding ground for trauma.
  • Suggest they take a non-outcome focused childbirth preparation class. Birthing From Within™ is a good example of a class that focuses on preparing for all possible outcomes.
  • Explore not only their hopes but also their fears when it comes to birth. Ask solution-focused questions like “How would you cope if that were to happen?”
  • Assist in the development of a clear but flexible birth plan. Watch for unrealistic expectations and address them as they arise.
  • Avoid using clichéd affirmations like “Trust Birth” or “Trust your Body” that are outcome-focused and absolute– these can imply to the birthing person that if they just trust enough, they will get the outcome they wish for. This is often not the case, and can lead to feelings of failure and shame when their birth does not go the way they hoped.

As doulas, we have a lot of influence over our clients. They often see us as being ‘in the know’ and look to us for guidance and support. We have the opportunity to make a significant difference in how our clients perceive their birth experiences based on how we approach the preparation phase of our work together. Prepare them. Tackle the hard topics. Encourage them to keep an open mind. Otherwise, I believe we do them a disservice.

Stay tuned for parts two and three of my Birth Trauma series. .

 Jillian Hand, MSW, CD/PCD(DONA) Birthing From Within® Mentor
Jillian is a certified birth and postpartum doula through both Doula Training Canada and DONA International and has a Masters Degree in Social Work  She is one of the original founders of the Doula Collective of Newfoundland and Labrador. Over the years, Jillian has been actively involved in the doula movement both at a local, national and international level. As a Certified Birthing From Within® mentor and doula, and she facilitates childbirth preparation classes that embrace birth as a rite of passage. You can find more information about Jillian here http://www.handtoheart.biz
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Trauma

Supporting Birth through a Trauma Lens

 

This week Theresa Fraser, Doula Canada Certifying Doula and Trauma and Loss Clinical Specialist lends us her voice to share the importance of working as a Trauma Focused Doula and the importance of understanding Trauma in this work.

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 ​So what is a trauma focused doula? Some might comment- why do we have to use a label? Is there such a thing? Do we need to have such a specialization?

I would counter that in the Doula role we all need to acknowledge that trauma is an important area for all Doula’s to be aware of. Trauma reactions can result from many experiences including emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and domestic violence.
For the purpose of just sharing some statistics, let’s look at just sexual assault.

Sexual Assault.ca states that

  •  “Of every 100 incidents of sexual assault, only 6 are reported to the police
  • 1 – 2% of “date rape” sexual assaults are reported to the police
  • 1 in 4 North American women will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime
  • 11% of women have physical injury resulting for sexual assault
  • Only 2 – 4% of all sexual assaults reported are false reports
  • 60% of sexual abuse/assault victims are under the age of 17
  • over 80% of sex crime victims are women
  • 80% of sexual assault incidents occur in the home
  • 17% of girls under 16 have experienced some form of incest
  • 83% of disabled women will be sexual assaulted during their lifetime
  • 15% of sexual assault victims are boys under 16
  • half of all sexual offenders are married or in long term relationships
  • 57% of aboriginal women have been sexually abused
  • 1/5th of all sexual assaults involve a weapon of some sort
  • 80% of assailants are friends and family of the victim?

So this means that even if this topic doesn’t come up in an intake session, all Doula’s need to remember that many victims of sexual assault do not report being violated for many reasons. I have met woman and men who have kept their secret (even from their partner) thinking that it can be buried /forgotten and they can move on because they want to move on.  They want to forget.

Trauma however, is a sensorial experience and is stored in the part of the brain that stores sensory experiences. This means that it can be triggered by sensory experiences and you can get anymore sensory – than birthing your baby or watching your loved one birthing a baby.

Birth can make any birthing parent and their partner feel all of those things.  So if a potential birthing parent shares that they are afraid of feeling helpless, vulnerable, unsafe  or not feeling in control- it makes good sense that a Doula’s can share their knowledge and expertise.

This is intentional sharing so the birthing parent doesn’t feel helpless. We want birthing parents to feel empowered because they have a sense of a birth plan and they trust that their Doula will share this information if they cannot. We want birthing parents to be reminded that as their Doula we will stay at their side (if that is what is wanted) where we will share information, comfort measures,  ideas and tools . We want our birthing parents to feel that there is some predictability in the birthing process. Ultimately, this will help the birthing parent feel like they have some control over the experience. However, when the experience doesn’t go as planned (as births sometimes can)- the relationship that a Doula establishes with the birthing family will provide the foundation of safety.

So whether we know if a trauma history is present or not, as a Doula we want our birthing parents to feel that the birth experience we share with them is not traumatic. The analogy I share is that I want birthing parent to drive the car but I will be the gas. I will share what I can so they have a voice, have a map and go in the direction they planned to go in all along.

Theresa Fraser holds a CYW diploma, Diploma in General Social Work, Life Skills Coach certificate, is a certified Child Psychotherapist Play Therapist Supervisor, Trauma and Loss Clinical Specialist, and Treatment foster parent of 20 yrs. Theresa is sought after to  present in Canada, the US, Wales, Ireland and England on topics related to Trauma, Child Development, Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy, the Brain, Attachment as well as LGBTQ issues. She is also trained in Theraplay and EMDR. You can find more info about her here http://www.changingsteps.ca/home.html​
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Volunteering Abroad: Doulaing Costa Rica

 

 Meet Taylor. A Doula Canada student and world traveller. She took a moment to answer some questions for us about her volunteer experience with St. Bryce Mission in Costa Rica.  

What drove you to wanting to be a volunteer doula overseas?

I feel confident in my knowledge and ability to work as a doula for the common Canadian mother. But I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do more and be more. Working with this significantly marginalized, secluded, indigenous population of Costa Rica was attractive to me because the need for support was so high. I think I have grown in my skill set and my knowledge substantially!

Where did you go? What were your responsibilities?

I worked and lived at the Casa San Francisco located in the small town of Turrialba, Costa Rica. Casa San Francisco is a maternity Centre run by a missionary organizations called St Bryce. The centre works exclusively with the indigenous Cabecar women pre and post-natally. These native women live a very secluded lifestyle in the mountains and cloud forests. The hospital by law requires them to birth in a public hospital for their own safety. Before this centre existed when labour began the women would hike down the mountains for sometimes days to get to the hospitals. Many moms and babies wouldn’t survive the harsh conditions if their travels. Other mothers would survive the trip to the hospital and would be sent away for not being dilated enough. Forcing them to wait on the streets until they could be accepted. This centre was built to give the moms a place to live at 8+ months and postpartum. They have reduced the mortality of the Indigenous babies by 40% in 5 short years.

My responsibilities included everything from cooking, cleaning, prenatal education, labour & birth Doula support, lactation education/support and any other gaps I could fill at the time. I took an extra initiative to help design and implement a laboring room out of a vacant space in the centre. Further, I developed better living conditions for volunteers and helped build an orientation package for doulas to come in the future. Therefore making their entrance to the centre more comfortable and smooth. I implemented positive activities for the mothers and younger children to participate in. Some of these included therapeutic art activities and self-care workshops. Because the centre had just opened and I was the first doula at the organization for a long period of time. My feedback and ideas were put into place with respect from others within the organization. I felt like I truly made a difference.

What did you find the most difficult?
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Being completely immersed not only in Costa Rican culture, but a very secluded indigenous culture was hard to say in the least. The first week i felt complete culture shock. I’m a very high maintenance person, and I wanted to challenge myself….and i was. It was difficult to get used to the cold showers, simple food, traditions, values and most significantly, the languages. I found myself frustrated often at first with the language barrier. And even once I began to better understand and communicate with Spanish. The barrier with the Cabecar’s was still immense. Their language is so unique. The woman in the Cabecar culture are soft spoken and of few words. But I persisted to support them and make myself comfortable. By the time I felt fully accepted and comfortable in the culture it was time to leave. I’ll be back…but for longer than 3 weeks next time!

What was the most inspiring?

The strength of these women and children. Many have faced adversities beyond my comprehension. Abuse, neglect, poor living conditions etc. Yet they all were so positive about their pregnancy and births. Further, their acceptance of their bodies was amazing. Their lack of exposure to body shaming and western media was so obvious in their everyday mannerisms and daily routines. They were themselves, with no shame. Breastfeeding anywhere anytime..even on a busy hospital or bus. Not once did they appear uncomfortable with who they are and what their feminine bodies are meant to do. This comfortability is something I hope to see many women achieve one day..including myself.

How would you say this experience has changed your perspective on birth?

Almost every birth of these indigenous women is natural. Of the over 1000 deliveries with the support of St Bryce, only 3 have been cesareans. Pain medications are not available at the public hospital. No gas, morphine, or epidural. Doctors aren’t present at the births, nurses deliver babies. This means in Turrialba the majority of women here deliver completely naturally. In my education with DTC and Doula communities in general, we talk much about women’s ability to birth without interventions. We’ve all heard something like this before: “Women are made to do this…we’ve been doing this since the beginning of time without doctors or interventions”. I understood this, but to actually be in a culture where natural births are the norm, has made this fact a reality in ways I couldn’t comprehend before. As a doula, for my clients who want a natural birth, I can better reinforce this decision knowing this IS a reality for almost all mommies.

What lessons are you taking home with you?

Too many to write! I’ve grown as a person. I proved to myself and others I could make it through this adventure. Not only did I make it through. I came out stronger than ever. I can’t wait to come back. I’m already looking at planning another trip over this upcoming Christmas or next April…or both! The personal lessons are immense, as a social worker and doula I’m taking home better approaches to working with marginalized populations, specifically when there is a language or cultural barrier. I learned the true strength on non-verbal communication and support.

As someone with a high level of education in Canadian Indigenous history, culture, and rights, I enjoyed seeing the commonalities in an indigenous culture from a much different background. Like many native cultures they have been colonized and harmed in the process. They are facing adversities that colonization brought onto them. They are brushed off as insignificant and unable to be changed by the government. They are seen as savages by many…I have seen their true colours. They have passion and love for one another, they are a united community. I loved being a part of the small community of people attempting to improve the Cabecar’s quality of life, as opposed to disregarding them as being not worth support.

How will you apply them to life/birthwork going forward?
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As I discussed a little bit already, I plan on taking many of my new perspectives on women’s ability to birth naturally and implement them into my own doula work. I want to encourage women to birth naturally when that is their goal. I have learned that this is indeed capable for the majority of women aside from the common beliefs in the western medical world. I’ll also bring forward my new non-verbal skills and indigenous birth practices to mothers willing to allow me to share them. Anything else you want to share? The information I’ve gained has been so immense I don’t know where to start. I’d encourage anyone with questions about my experience or doulas planning on volunteering with Casa San Francisco: St Bryce to reach out to me at blissfulbirth.taylor@gmail.com

Taylor is a 23 year old labour and birth Doula, who is driven to nurture women and families through the beauty and magnificence of birth. Her strong dedication to bring a positive influence to the lives of the families who she devotes her time to is demonstrated throughout her work as both a Doula and Social Service Worker. She is currently completing her Social Work Degree at Laurier University and manages her Doula business, Blissful Birth, in her hometown of Niagara Falls, Ontario. Taylor displays a strong compassion for the development and support of families from all walks of life and specializes in supporting those experiencing poverty, trauma, mental health adversities and other forms of marginalization.
https://www.facebook.com/BlissfulBirthDoula  www.blissfulbirth.co
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Where My Doula Journey Began…meet Ashley

 In November of 2007 my best friend gave birth at just 17, to a beautiful baby girl. I walked with her through her entire pregnancy and motherhood journey. It was a journey that no one is ready for at 16 years old, but as her best friend I stood by her and provided endless support while everyone else walked away. She was a single mother at 17 and together we raised this little girl for the first year of her life. Then her little brother came along and everything changed. Now there were 2!

In October of 2008 she gave birth to a precious little boy. Not only did I get to stick by her side and support her prenatally through this pregnancy, this was my first birth experience. It was the most amazing, crazy, scary moment of my life, at 17 years old that’s not usually what you think you’ll love to witness. I remember supporting her through the birth, not knowing a damn thing, but when she felt that she couldn’t do it any more and I was right there beside her giving her empowering words, some maybe a little blunt (lol), but I got to support her through that moment in her life, ME, her best friend. The rush I felt was unexplainable, I felt like a million bucks. We were closer than ever!

In October of 2014 she gave birth to her third child, another precious little boy. I remember the call like it was yesterday. Just after 10pm at night she called me to tell me she was in labour and out the door I went. Again as her best friend I supported her through her birth, giving her the empowering courage and support she needed to birth her son. Thus being the third time with her down this road together, I knew exactly what she needed from me. And once again this amazing rush of excitement, empowering energy and exhaustion rushed over me. Every moment was amazing; again watching her bring life into the world was priceless.

WHO knew that there was an actual word for this! Not just a word, but a career.

After this wonderful journey I never thought any more into it, other than knowing how much I love birth and babies. Then in June 2015 I found out I was pregnant and in August 2015 we found out we lost our baby, he/she stopped growing at about 7 weeks although I carried till 11 weeks. We were devastated at the loss of our baby but were so very blessed to become pregnant shortly after. October of 2015 we found out we were pregnant again! And in June 2016 I gave birth via Cesarean to a beautiful baby boy, Mason James. He was perfect in every way. But my birth experience was far from what I had planned. I was open going into my birth but did not expect at all what I actually went through. Having almost every medical intervention possible; my water broke due to super low amniotic fluid, induction because I wasn’t progressing on my own, an epidural because “I didn’t need to be a hero during my birth” and listening because I trusted my nurses, to a Cesarean birth because Mason’s heart rated dropped and he reacted to the Pitocin. All after 12 hours of labour.

I was so excited to have my little boy in my arms and being his mommy was the best feeling in the world, no matter what I experienced, so I told myself. And it was, but at the same time I had this hole inside me that felt sad and empty about my birth experience. This changed me and how I looked at life and so my life changing decision began as I searching for a way I could help women experience birth in a better way. Thus leading me to finding out what a “Doula” was!

WHAT I’ve been doing this since I was 16, blew my mind!

I instantly knew this is what I wanted to do. I had done it three times before and loved every moment of it! From 16 years old to now my passion for birth has only grown stronger. It just took 10 years for my true path to shine.
I loved my career as an ECE but after the birth of my son, it was time for a change. I was different; I knew I had grown and that growth lead me to find my inner passion for birth work. I felt so passionate about becoming a Doula and I knew I loved everything about it before I started, as I had done this so called “Doula” thing a few times before!

I started MyDoula journey training with Doula Training Canada and created my business, MyDoula+ Birth & Wellness Services in December 2016. Since then I have climbed my mountain quickly with the amazing support of the Doula Training Canada family of students and wonderful instructors and mentors I have around me.

I my friends am a Kick Ass Birth & Postpartum Doula with the DTC organization, a Lactation Educator and soon to be Reiki Practitioner, specializing in fertility, birth and postpartum treatments. I own my own Business and all my dreams have manifested into my reality. I love all things fertility, pregnancy, birth and postpartum! And supporting and empowering women and their families through the most intimate, amazing, scary experience in their life, on this journey we call parenthood, is what I do!

Please stay tuned for the next big step in the MyDoula+ journey! To be revealed soon!

Ashley is a mama to a handsome little boy, Mason and a wife to a wonderful man. She has an open outlook on life and love things that bring positive energy into our lives! Laughter is the best medicine.
She is an Early Childhood Educator; The owner of MyDoula+ where she is a Birth & Postpartum Doula; Lactation Educator and soon to be a certified Reiki Practitioner specializing in fertility, birth and postpartum energy work.
www.mydoulaashley.ca         Facebook & Instagram @mydoulaashley
 Doula services Serving Prince Edward County, Quinte West, Belleville, Northumberland and Lennox & Addington. 
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Doula: Just the Right fit. Meet Kelly a Doula Canada Graduate

 Two years ago, I was a new Massage Therapy graduate. Throughout my Registered Massage Therapy (RMT) schooling, I had always been interested in pregnancy and pediatrics. I thought I wanted to be a midwife- I loved the idea of helping women feel empowered bringing their infants into the world. I quickly realized how difficult midwifery school is to get into (in Ontario they only accept about 10% of applicants). I had recently heard of Doulas, and thought that becoming one would look good on my midwifery application.

About a week after hearing about Doulas I found myself applying for a position at a local maternity studio that was searching for an RMT to provide massage to six clients per week. I based my cover letter and resume off the fact that I was planning to be a Doula and would be a good fit for the company. Little did I realize that my interview was with Shaunacy, a then-instructor for the Healing Arts Learning Organization (HALO); a Doula training company. She quickly convinced me to take my certification through HALO. I had the lovely benefit of one-on-one training with Shaunacy. A couple months after beginning my certification, HALO became Doula Training Canada (DTC), with Shaunacy as director.

After going to a couple births, I realized that being a Doula was more fitting for me than a midwife. As a Doula, I can choose when and how often I want to be on-call. I appreciate that it allows me to easily run my business as a Massage Therapist and Doula simultaneously. I also appreciate that we are non-medical support. The only thing I feel responsible for is supporting the birthing person. I know that I am not responsible for the baby, an IV, a monitor, checking dilation, etc. and this frees me to focus all my attention on the person giving birth. I love that fact, and that it allows doulas and midwives to work harmoniously alongside one another.

Throughout my training with DTC I have experienced the lovely, close-knit community of students and alumni that offer true support to one and other as we navigate the profession. DTC incorporates Education Units as part of its certifying process which is wonderful because it places value on continued learning. Since becoming a doula, I have taken courses in the pelvic floor, pediatric massage, prenatal massage, advanced comfort measures, breastfeeding, business, water birth, birth trauma, belly casting, and henna belly blessings. I have also begun teaching Childbirth Education Classes, started my Childbirth Educator Certification through DTC. I plan to teach infant massage classes and prenatal massage classes in the Peterborough area this summer/spring. I am always interested in learning and growing within my profession and DTC provides me with avenues to do so- while working it into my certification.

I have learned that being a doula is the right fit for me and I am so appreciative that Doula Training Canada is the community that taught me that.

Kelly is a Doula and RMT as well as practices Henna, and teaches childbirth education classes in Peterborough and the surrounding area. She enjoys spending time furthering her education, so you can often find her attending workshops, reading books, teaching classes, etc.  http://kellyswiftdoula.wixsite.com/kellyswift
Categories
Members

Doula: Funny Word, Big Meaning – Jessica’s Story

At Doula Canada our students and Alumni are the heart of the organization. Every Wednesday our hope is to profile one of our family members and their journey to birthwork. ​

This week you are meeting Jessica. A Dual Stream certification student and passionate mom. This is Jessica’s story in her words. Thanks Jessica for sharing with us!

 

​Being 18 years old, I didn’t know anything. Well, that’s not completely true:  I was an honours student, involved with multiple extra-curricular activities. But when I saw those two lines on that pregnancy test, I really didn’t know what to do. My brain turned to mush. I knew sex could lead to pregnancy, but after that I was clueless.

​​My family is not what I would call extremely supportive. There’s a few select members that I know I can count on, but usually they have their own life stressors to deal with that I found myself mostly alone. My small city didn’t have an extensive midwife network so I had an OB/GYN. A man. Not someone I could really talk to about my feelings or fears going through my pregnancy. I was so used to doing everything on my own, and I chalked it up to this being just one more thing I had to do.

Books were my best friend. Always. I took them out of the library by the stack, trying to educate myself about birth, labour and postpartum. I didn’t have very many “mommy” friends to hear stories from (even if they were horror stories. No idea why every birth story is always a horror story!). I quickly realized that some things you just can’t learn from a book. And the pain of labour was one of those things. I was terrified. I had only the internet to answer my questions.

Never trust Web MD with symptoms. I swear half my pregnancy I thought I was dying.   

I didn’t realize I was in labour. Six days overdue, I just assumed labour wasn’t for me. It just wasn’t in the cards. Turns out that back pain I had for the past hour was it starting. I remember being in the bed, unable to walk around, having the fetal monitor around my stomach (and it wasn’t even a high-risk pregnancy!). I cried. Oh, more like I BAWLED. I started crying for a mommy. It didn’t need to be my mommy, just a mommy. Someone who knew what was going on and what to do. I was more scared and alone than ever.

Little did I know they had a word for that.

I didn’t want to be a statistic; just another teen mom living off the system. I managed to graduate high school while pregnant, and applied for university. I was doing this. I pushed myself to work, go to school and raise my son, again on my own. I breastfed. I tried my best to do what all the other “older moms” were doing. Yet, still I got judged. I am still judged. But that won’t stop me.

Supporting teen parents through their prenatal and postpartum period was always a passion for me.  I wanted to show them that it IS possible to be a success story. Despite what they thought, it is most certainly possible. I was at the side of young moms labouring, helping them with the initial latch, educating them with whatever information they wanted to know. Supporting them.

Doula. This was a word I had never heard before. It even sounds a little funny when you first say it. DOOOOOUUUUULLLLLAAAAAA. A support person for pregnant or postpartum persons. Someone there to support you in whatever way you need that support. Someone I wished I had at my side during my own labour. Someone I wanted to be.

I still struggle with this journey. It’s taken me to places I forgot about back then. Being alone. My son is now seven, and I have the most amazing support system around me. Somehow, I still wished I had that support when I was younger. My goal is to make sure every person taking the journey towards birth or parenthood, has a me.

Let’s say it one more time for kicks.

DOOOOOUUUUULLLLLLAAAAA

Jessica Hart is a graduate from McMaster University with a B.A. in Sociology and Applied Behavioural Analysis. She is a Birth/Labour and Postpartum Doula at Rainbow Spectrum Doula Services, who loves showing birthing persons, young or old, exactly how strong their bodies can be. www.rsdoulaservices.com/  
Categories
Members

Finding your path through passion…meet Jennifer

 

Meet Jennifer.
Her passion for birth began at 12.
However her practical thinking got in the way. She quickly learned that for her, believing in herself and what she did for work was vital. Now she owns 2 small businesses and is rocking the birth world in Labrador City and Wabush, Newfoundland.

Picture

image credit:Jenna Mouland Photography

​Why am I a doula? And why should you care? To explain my journey I will need to go WAY back to the beginning… well, to when I was 12 years old (THAT beginning is a story only my mom can tell!). At the ripe old age of 12 my passion for birth began. 12?!?!? You might say, in varying degrees of alarm! But don’t worry, it wasn’t as bad as it seems. I knew I wanted to work with babies, and moms went to the hospital to have their babies (something I would later learn is not always the case), so I put two and two together and got nurse.

But you’re not a nurse, you’re a doula…. I know! I know! Let me continue.

As a child and even into my early adulthood I had never heard of a doula. You see, I live in an isolated community where we have been known to be sheltered from the “real world”. A Birth Doula is a relatively new concept to my hometown, and some other birth related professions (such as midwives) do not practice here at all. So, in my tiny twelve year old mind that left nurses and doctors.
This all boiled down to my very narrow minded, 12 year old thoughts… a young girl who loved children, knew nothing about birth (except that it happened)  and therefore decided to become a nurse.

​ Fast forward about a decade and where was I? Not a nurse! Somewhere along the way I realized that nurses have to do A LOT of work. HARD WORK. This is not to say that I, or any other individuals who are not nurses don’t work hard. It just means that I realized a nurse gets stuck with all of the difficult jobs, long hours, and often underappreciated work. Nurses are AMAZING, but I didn’t want to be one.

I wanted babies! All of the babies! I wanted to help families on their journey into parenthood and show them that it will be ok! That they can do this and they will rock it! ALL of it: pregnancy, birth and parenthood.

​Unfortunately, by this time I had realized that I was a “grown up” and needed to get a job. I wanted to work with babies, but I didn’t want all of the other responsibilities that came with being a nurse. So where did that leave me? Studying to be a Pharmacy Technician at Niagara College in Welland, Ontario. I know! I know! But that is a “real job”. A job I had to go to school for and it didn’t involve babies?!?! What was I thinking?

​In hindsight, I didn’t know at the time what I know now. I just knew that a person has to live and to live a person has to work. So, I studied hard, graduated and then worked in my field for about a year until…. my nervous breakdown… Yeah, I am THAT guy. The one who fell apart within a year of becoming an independent adult. In all fairness though, I had suffered with anxiety for the majority of my life and I was still only newly learning to cope with all of the changes that come with growing up.
Luckily for me I have an INCREDIBLE support system. Everyone was so understanding and they all seemed to know what to do to help me get through the worst of it. Believe me, I know how genuinely blessed that makes me!

During that time, my boyfriend (now husband)  and I agreed that it would not be in my best interest to return to work right away. So here I was; an emotional disaster who was jobless with no clear view of her future. I felt like I was at the bottom of a very dark pit and my shovel was only helping to tear more dirt out from under my feet.

And then it happened. IT! The moment I was waiting for my entire life. At 24 years old I heard the word doula for the first time. Not only to I HEAR it, but an instructor was coming to town to train a group of women how to become one! That’s right! You did hear me correctly! I know it is a lot to take in and let me tell you, I couldn’t believe it myself!

Within a matter of 3 months I went from not knowing what a doula was to beginning my certification process to become one through Doula Training Canada. Have you ever had that moment? The one where you knew this is what you were meant to do and these are the people you are meant to do it with?! Then you know exactly how I felt! If not, keep searching because I know it is out there for you <3

Every part of my being knew instantly that this is what I was my calling. Was it going to be easy? Nothing worth having ever is. But I didn’t care. I wanted it, and I was going to have it. I was finally going to have ALL of the babies!
​
So here we are. Two year later and I am a certified Birth Doula, a certifying Childbirth Educator and a certifying Postpartum Doula with a never ending list of dreams and educational opportunities. I get to wake up every morning doing what I love (I KNOW RIGHT?!?!) and I have been able to meet so many incredible individuals along the way.

So?!?! What is a Birth Doula?

A Birth Doula is an individual who is trained in emotional, informational and physical support for expectant families during pregnancy, labour, birth and the early postpartum period. I am NOT a medical professional! You’re nurses and doctor(s) are amazing at this and they do not need me! I am there for YOU. To help YOU figure out what you want from your birth. To help YOU focus, relax and breathe through your labour. To help your partner or support person help YOU.
This means:
​

  • Shorter Labours
  • Reduced need for pain medication
  • Decreased chance of a caesarean birth
  • Increased breastfeeding rate
  • And more!

Doesn’t that sound AMAZING?!?

 Jennifer Byrne Labour and Birth and Postpartum Doula, Childbirth Educator,
Bellies Birth and Beyond www. belliesbirthandbeyond.ca
https://www.facebook.com/Bellies-Birth-Beyond-401777609981909/
Categories
Comfort Techniques

Doula Little Dance…​ENCOURAGING COMFORT THROUGH MOVEMENT

Shaunacy King, BD, CBE & Director for Doula Training Canada

 

One of the my earliest Doula memories is from taking the Dancing for Birth program with the fantabulous Stephanie Larson.  In her program she discussed how elephant mothers do not lie on their back, with their feet in the air, awaiting the birth of their elebabies.

Over time I have taken this image with me and used to ask…

Have you ever seen a dog in labour, lying on its back with its legs straight up in the air?  No!  How about a cat?  A horse? A cow? Ok, ok…. how about any mammal?

The answer is a definitive NO WAY!

What is with the history and expectation that human women should labour and birth while lying down?  Blasphemy I say!

Nature dictates that it is most comfortable for animals (including human animals) to labour standing up, so that gravity and motion can work to facilitate progression and comfort.

Comfort?!  How is that possible you might ask.  Well, there is comfort in knowing that you are in control of your body.  That if you use motion and gravity to open the hips and bring the baby down that this experience (ahem, the fun of labour) could be over more quickly.

Paulina Perez in “The Nurturing Touch at Birth” states it perfectly when she write “changing positions frequently is a very important labour support technique.  Changing positions frequently and using positions such as standing, walking, and hands-and-knees stimulates the joint receptors, which are large receptors that adapt slowly but are also slow to habituate.  Usually the mother changes positions spontaneously,”  (pg. 100).  In other words…. SCIENCE tells us that moving around isn’t just a comfort technique, but that it is necessary.

Encourage your clients to get their birth bottoms shaking, moving and grooving.  And if none of those ideas seem to resonate here are some other suggestions:

Walking
Standing
Stair climbing
Sitting
Leaning
Side-lying
Squatting
Hands and knees

Categories
Labour Doula

Just a Doula. 

 

 – By Michelle Stroud –
​
I have a long history of working with prenatal women with my maternity reflexology practice. For a long time I hesitated to take doula training even though I knew I would always work with pregnant and birthing women. Why? Because I often wondered if being a doula would be enough to satisfy my strong desire to work with birthing women. I am extremely passionate about pregnancy and birth. I want to be able to help women as much as possible and the thought of squeezing hips and wiping brows left me feeling like I might not be fulfilled in my pursuit to contribute to beautiful birth experiences with my clients.Would this be a stepping stone into midwifery for me? I was not sure. Now I fully understand how
significant and important our role is. It is so much more than I originally thought.

As a doula we are often the first go to person when a client has small concerns. I find my moms will text me with questions and I like being in that role. I take much fewer clients than midwives do every month and much, much fewer clients with Obstetricians. I really enjoy the intimate relationship that I build with my clients.

We are not regulated and that has some major advantages. We get to dodge the radar and avoid the politics for the most part. As long as we are well intended and staying within our scope of practice, no one besides our clients really tells us what to do. That makes a doula practice very woman centered, which is nice. I am free to create my doula business and within reason, do with it what I want.

Midwives, Nurses, Obstetricians all have paperwork to take care over, insurance companies to answer to, a ridiculous amount of documentation to keep (even throughout the duration of labour) where I can focus completely on my client and her needs. I am frequently asked “If I have a midwife, do I need a doula?” Absolutely! I can free your midwife to take care of essential clinical tasks, if counter pressure is working for you, I don’t have to stop doing it to take your blood pressure or listen to your baby’s heart rate. Doulas and midwives work really well together.

Birth is safest and easiest for mom when it is really hands off. The fewer interventions from the start, the better the outcomes are statistically. As a doula, I am not trained to intervene anyway. So in birth’s purest form, I am able to be witness to one of life’s greatest miracles. I get to be a teacher, a servant and a coach and hold space for mom to have the best birth she can have.

I love the freedom and intimacy of being a doula.