In honor of International Doula Month, we are interviewing our doulas, so you can get to know more about them and their inspiration for becoming a doula.
This week we chat with Alex D.
What is your title and with what organizations did you attend your trainings?
Birth & Postpartum Doula, Placenta Encapsulator and Hypnobirth Instructor.
– I trained with both DONA and ProDoula and the Hypnobirth Institute my Hypnobirthing training.
What does supporting a family in birth/postpartum look like with your support?
Support looks different for every single family. Birth/Labor support can be physical, offering comfort measures or positions for laboring but, it can also just be emotional. Guidance and reassurance when things go and don’t go as planned. Most postpartum families just want someone to be sure they’re doing things right for them and offering support and guidance for newborn baby care.
What do families love most about you?
Families like that I am easy going and non-judgmental. I try to bring laughter and joy into the homes of my clients during a time that is sensitive and can cause a lot of worry to new parents. For Labor support, I try to read my clients as much as possible to see what’s best for them in this particular situation at that time. Birth and Labor can go so differently from a birth plan, so I try to be flexible and teach my clients to be flexible while knowing all of their options.
What do you love most about this profession?
My job is a happy job. I get to be with a couple during one of the most important days of their lives and to teach them to take care of the most important person in their lives.
What events and careers in the past have led you to where you are today?
How did I become a doula? I always knew I wanted to work with women and children/babies. I came across the term doula and then happened to know a dear friend who used a doula. She could not say enough good things. I met with both of them, and immediately knew this was the career path I was meant for. It was the best decision I’ve ever made and I love my job every single day.
