Welcome

Hello and welcome to Kavanah Doula-Birthing with Intention. My name is Erika and you can find out a bit about who I am in the "About" section. I wanted to take this space to explain how and why I decided to become a doula. Of course, it all started with the movie The Business of Being Born.

Like many women who grew up in the 90s I watched television shows like A Baby Story on TLC. I watched in awe, shock and sometimes horror as women were often wheeled into ORs screaming, tied down to stretchers and hooked up to IVs and breathing machines.

I was confident that when I gave birth, I would schedule the day and time walk in looking amazing and walk out looking amazing- albeit a little sore, with a perfectly round-headed child and a large scar. That was, until I actually saw a cesarean section in high school.

My cousin is an anesthesiologist and I shadowed her for a week as part of my senior project. I spent a day with her colleagues in labor and delivery where I didn't see any vaginal births, but one c-section. The patient was an black, French-speaking woman probably in her 20s. She spoke little English and the doctors and nurses spoke little French. She didn't have family or support with her and I held her hand as she got her epidural (not administered by my cousin).

I watched as the doctor clamped her skin. I heard her scream in pain-the epidural didn't work. I held her hand again as she got another epidural and I watched as the doctor cut open her mid-section and drew out her child. When the baby was born I went over to where the nurses were cleaning her and cooed at her little new born face.

Fast forward about fifteen years and my views on childbirth have drastically changed. My partner and I are currently TTC and we'd like a home birth. Through movies like The Business of Being Born and reading everything by Ina May Gaskin I've learned that birth and the birthing process need not be frightening, scary or medical. That birth can be a beautiful, spiritual and rewarding time. That birth, in the hands of capable midwives and doulas, is the way that birth has always been in our country up until about 30 years ago.

I also realize that sometimes doctors are necessary and that women can and should chose to have any type of birth they want.

I'm in the process of completing my doula training. Once complete I will be a birth doula as well as a postpartum doula with infant CPR certification and lactation experience.

If you or someone you know is expecting, first-b'sha'ah tovah! Second, I would love to be your doula.

Many blessings,

Erika