em·pow·er /əmˈpou(ə)r/
Verb: make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.
We believe empowerment is the cornerstone of doula support.
The Internet can be a wonderful resource. It can also be a rabbit hole of nonsense like when Alice fell into Wonderland. For every question you might have about what is normal before, during, or after birth, or how to care for your newborn, you will find a deluge of answers and many of them will contradict the others. It can be really confusing. And frustrating.
But the Internet is not the only place you are going to find conflicting information. Now that you are pregnant or have a newborn, does it seems like everyone in the world thinks they have a free pass to tell you how to do things or what you are doing wrong (Or touch your growing belly or tiny baby without asking – why???)
It is not our job as your birth or postpartum doula to speak for you or tell you what to do, but instead to guide you. We will ask questions to understand your wants and needs and help remind you of them when talking with healthcare providers or friends and family who may be questioning your decisions.
We will listen to you when you are tired, overwhelmed, confused, and when you are happy, hopeful or dreaming of what the future might look like. We will hold space for you to just be and to help sort out your thoughts and feelings. We will encourage you every step of the way. We will remind you of your strengths and that you have the ability to move forward and handle what is in front of you. We will remind you to take one breath and one step at a time and we will remind you that you are not alone.
Does one family member tell you the only way the baby will sleep is with a pacifier; another says it will be impossible to take away the pacifier later. Your aunt says that you will spoil your baby if you hold them too much; your best friend says you should hold your baby all day long. Or maybe you are being told horror stories from others who have given birth about using or not using pain reduction methods during labor or that you must or must not give birth at home or in the hospital.
When you find yourself at these crossroads and are not sure what to do, we will be there to help you use your own voice, to sort through and provide solid evidence-based information, and to help you make decisions that are best for you. We will help remove fear and increase your confidence in trusting your own intuition and ability to care for yourself and your family.
Being able to empower parents on their journey is one of the best things we get to do.
