Practice overview
This is my own description of what I think doulas should do, not every doula shares this philosophy, so ask lots of questions during your interview!
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Doulas provide emotional and physical support during labor and delivery. But there's so much more to it than that. A doula is who you call at midnight because you just had this "weird thing" and you don't want to call the nurse line/midwife or go to the ER but you just can't sleep! Doula's serve as helpers to everyone in the family. If you already have a support person, but they feel unprepared for birth, we can help guide them in the ways that are most helpful to the laboring person. Doulas are often the connection between an isolated pregnant person and a community around them that they've yet to discover. We talk about trauma and all the heavy things that can impact your labor- and how we can work to reduce those impacts. Sometimes birth is traumatic, and we (as a society) need to work through that trauma to heal from it. Doulas are patient advocates in the hospital, to help insure you're fully informed and YOU are making the medical decisions surrounding your care. Doulas also serve in out of hospital births so midwives are focused on your medical care, and we're focused on you. (Some doulas will assist you in "free birth," however that's generally not my jam.) My mentor refers to her position with pregnant/laboring/delivering people as a coordinator, akin to a wedding planner. Doulas should be prepared to help you navigate and negotiate with your medical care team. We help write and advocate for birth plans. My goal is to fill the gaps so that your birth experience is the best outcome for your individual situation.
Stephi
December 15, 2022 at 3:29 pm | Peer reviewMax is professional, intelligent, intuitive, and thoughtful. I’ve seen them read a room full of differing personalities, and meet each person with warmth and understanding. Max takes every interaction to learn more about the people they serve and the community they work in. They are trained and certified both as a doula and a physical therapist, and their knowledge of anatomy frequently outshines that of conventionally-trained doulas. I love knowing Max and working alongside them.
Joli
December 16, 2022 at 10:26 am | Peer reviewMy favorite thing about Max is how intuitive he is. He always knows just what to say to make someone feel safe and cared for. There are aspects of being a great doula that can’t really be taught, they come from within. I believe that Max has that inner natural doula magic built into him. Anyone would be lucky to have him as part of their birth team!
Kathleen
December 16, 2022 at 10:28 am | Peer reviewMax is an amazing human being, but they are an even better human doing! How lucky we all are to have Max join us as a colleague and friend in the birthing community. Max is dedicated to gaining all knowledge in an effort to best support all birthing people. Their desire and drive to learn will serve their clients well and completely. I’m so honored to have been a part of their journey and I can’t wait to watch them change the world, one birth at a time.