ERIKA DAVIS DOULA
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
    • Birth Doula
    • Postpartum Doula
    • Childbirth and Parenthood Preparation
    • Whole Body Pregnancy
    • Prenatal Yoga
  • Client Testimonials
  • Contact Me
  • What is a Doula?
  • Blog

11/18/2015

Do You Need a (blank) Doula?

0 Comments

Read Now
 
Picture

I pride myself on being a black, queer Jewish doula, but does that mean I'm the right doula for someone who, say, identifies as a white, heterosexual Christian? Yes, maybe.

According to an article about Black Midwives in the LA area, "Nationwide, black women are at the greatest risk of pregnancy-related death, have the highest rates of C-sectionsand, compared with whites, black infants are four times as likely to die of complications at birth and twice as likely to die before their first birthday."

This disparity in maternal care along racial lines is something that can't be ignored. When a woman of color in the hospital birthing system is possibly surrounded by doctors and nurses who don't look like her, having a black doula to help her advocate for herself can be the difference between a natural birth and an emergency c-section. I want to be clear that this isn't to say that a white doula couldn't provide a woman of color care that is just as comprehensive and caring, it's just different. A black doula shares a similar life experience as her black client, even if they come from two separate worlds.

So what about religion? Is it important that my doula matches my personal religion? Again, I can't say, though I've personally doulaed for couples who shared my religious background and those who did not. For some, the religious/spiritual aspect of birth is important. It can mark a new life cycle event that requires special prayers or affirmations be recited. Having a doula who is familiar with those rituals can be helpful. For others, birth is just a part of life that doesn't hold any specific religious significants, but has a spiritual element that a doula can help facilitate. Mother blessings, placenta burying, and similar are all rituals that a doula can help plan.

Lastly, what about sexual orientation. Would it be weird to have a lesbian doula at my birth if I'm not a lesbian myself? Again, I can't answer this question for anyone. However, I will say that all of my clients to date have been straight couples or single women and it hasn't been an issue. Like race and religion, having a doula who understands differing pronouns, gender presentation, language, and processes can be helpful for couples and singles in a hospital setting, where awareness and sensitivity may be limited. 

So what does this all mean? Should I only accept clients who are like me? No, not at all. I love that my client base has been an incredibly diverse mix of single women, couples, friends and strangers. I love that I've been able to whisper tehillim (Psalms) while a woman labors and mimic "Thank you, Jesus" when an exhausted mother holds her baby for the first time. I always encourage clients that I meet for consultation to interview at least two (or more) doulas to find the one that "fits". And if the one that fits happens to be similar to you, great. If the doula does not, well, that's great too.

Share

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

Details

    Author

    Hi there! I'm Erika Davis and I'm a doula working in the Seattle and South Puget Sound area. 

    All of the posts listed on my blog are my own words, except where noted.

    If I have posted your work and have not properly sited you, please reach out to me and I'm happy to either remove the post or link back to you.

    Archives

    December 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    August 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    April 2015
    October 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All
    A Doula's Role
    After Birrth
    Baby Oil
    Baby Products
    Benefits Of Having A Doula
    Bestfed
    Beyonce
    Birth
    Birth Education
    Birth Justice Work
    Birth Stories
    Birth With Intention
    BirthWithoutFear
    Birth Workers
    Black Breastfeeding
    Black Breastfeeding Week
    Black Doulas
    Black Women
    Black Women Breastfeed Too
    B.R.A.I.N
    Breast Feeding
    Breastfeeding Benefits
    Confident Birthing
    Cross Post
    Do I Need A Doula
    Do I Need A Doula At My Second Birth
    Doula
    Doulas Of Color
    Education
    Essential Oils
    Evidence Based Birth
    Exercise
    Federal Way Doula
    Hospital Interventions
    How Long Can You Push In Labor
    Jewish Doula
    Johnson&johnson
    Kavanah Doula
    Labor
    Lactation Consultant
    Lena Cups
    LGBTQ Doula
    LGBTQ Doulas
    LGBTQ Doula Tacoma
    Love Your Period
    Massage
    Menstruation Cups
    Moon Cycle
    Natural Baby Products
    Normalize Breastfeeding
    Nursing Benefits
    Period
    Pitocin
    POC
    Positive Birth Stories
    Postpartum Care
    Postpartum Doula
    Postpartum Plan
    Pushing Time In Labor
    Red Tent
    Religious Doula
    Responsible Period Care
    Reusable Pads
    Safe Alternatives To Chemical Products
    Seattle Doula
    Seattle In The Fall
    Second Birth
    South Puget Sound Doula
    Swollen Feet
    Tacoma
    Tacoma Birth Doula
    Tacoma Doula
    Third Trimester Woes
    Tip Tuesday
    Vaseline
    Volunteer Doulas
    Washington
    What Doulas Do
    When Should I Hire A Birth Doula
    Who Hires A Doula
    Why I'm A Doula
    WOC

    RSS Feed

© Kavanah Doula 2019 | Birth, Postpartum and Parent with Intention | Tacoma, WA | 347.471.0739
Proudly powered by Weebly
Photo used under Creative Commons from JasonCorey
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
    • Birth Doula
    • Postpartum Doula
    • Childbirth and Parenthood Preparation
    • Whole Body Pregnancy
    • Prenatal Yoga
  • Client Testimonials
  • Contact Me
  • What is a Doula?
  • Blog