My journey towards becoming a Doula has been a slow one. It actually began just over sixteen years ago at the birth of my youngest brother. My mother had invited me to be a part of the birth, I attended her prenatal appointments with the traveling midwife, had sympathy “pains” (probably from imagining what it would be like for me to be the one with a life growing inside). I even went through “nesting” prior to my brother being born; the night before I just felt like cooking. I didn’t know why, but I felt that I needed to provide food for the family in the event that the baby came. I remember making a huge batch of biscuits for the next morning’s meal.
When Dad woke me up the next day, we left in a whirlwind. I remember my mom speaking to the midwife and telling her to come now, and we got in the car to head to the home in which my brother would be born. The labor was so fast that the midwife didn’t make it; We say that dad and I delivered him, but really we just watched as mom followed natural instincts, trusted herself and birthed her baby. That moment changed my life. It sparked a desire, and urge and a compassion for the beauty, the ability and the strength of a woman to carry a life.
Throughout the next sixteen years I toyed with the idea of pursuing a life involved with pregnancy and birth, but never fully trusted the possibilities of the future to step out and try it. In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t been so timid. I wish that I had pushed through the what-if’s and how-cans, and just pursued doula training. Thanks to Chama, with Homegrown Babies, I was given the opportunity to attend doula training and begin the process of becoming a certified birth doula. The weekend training was full of life challenging questions and situations, I loved every minute. I drank in the strength and knowledge of women not unlike myself and my mother before me.
I live to give and serve, in so many ways… It is what makes me tick. If you have a need, I want to help fulfill it. It is my calling.
Today though, today is different. Today I am stepping out… almost being pushed out, thanks to my husband who is pushing me to forget the what-ifs and hows and to simply go. To step out in faith that this is what I was made for and this is what fills my cup, to be able to give more. Today I am a Doula. I am a woman who serves. I will serve my God, I will serve my family, I will serve my calling… and importantly I will serve ‘my’ women.
