I came to birth work in a woman-centered way.  In my mid-twenties, I became heavily engage in my quest for community, through both my commitment and service to youth, particularly development of girls, and by connecting with women.  I felt a strong need to be around women in support of women.  By way of my newly pregnant best friend, I began meeting with ADERO, a natural parenting group of pregnant and post-partum mothers supporting each other through the process of birth and early motherhood with positive education and empowerment to make informed choices about birthing and natural parenting.  I met periodically with these women long before I knew what biological motherhood meant for myself.   It was with the birth of my good friend’s first child 20 years ago that I began my journey as a novice birth doula, observing and supporting in small ways the process of a homebirth.  I would serve in this capacity twice.  Unbeknownst to me, a year and half later I would become a mother myself. 

Upon witnessing this momentous occasion, the truth about the awesome nature of this particular rite of passage into womanhood expanded, along with my understanding of women’s capacity to be empowered by self-knowledge of their bodies and receptivity to the support of other women.  Little did I know that it would be the ADERO women that would support me on the journey through the pregnancy and the birth of my first child, specifically, the leader of the group, Eugenia.  She would become not only my Bradley Method childbirth education teacher, but also my birth doula and labor coach---my lifeline through the birth journey. 

As a single pregnant woman, community surrounded me.  I was all at once wrapped with feelings of joy and isolation.  Yet, I had a few things going for me: strong sense of self/faith/knowledge, my family and MY DOULA.  My doula, Eugenia, was mother-sister love, teacher, trusted confidante and friend, all rolled up into one.  She was in “the zone” with me from day one--- from my asking her to support me as my birth doula through childbirth education classes, holding me up emotionally in the midst of some challenging social community strife and affirming and honoring my voice in through my pregnancy.  Most importantly, along with my midwives, Eugenia successfully coached me through every minute of my 18 hour 49 minute labor process according to my birth plan---an all-natural, non-medicated childbirth in a freestanding maternity center (no hospital).  With one “in your face” doula moment that showed me the power of a doula’s voice in the midst of your labor to call on your innermost authority to connect with your baby and empower you to change the course of your labor from risk to birthing boldly on your own terms. My mind (authoritative knowledge), body (embodied self), spirit (faith/spirituality) and loving support worked in unison to bring my beautiful son, Zuri Adinassi, into the world.   My birth doula served me well above and beyond her role.  For that, I am eternally grateful.  I learned much and found my calling...

My pregnancy and childbirth were major life markers, and subsequent turning points, that would significantly change my life and the meaning of birth.  I went on to receive birth doula training from Doulas of North America (DONA).  These were seedlings planted in the fertile ground of my life calling to serve as witness/researcher of life transitions and the decisions that inform them.  This grounds my commitment as a birth doula today.  My experiences as a birth doula over the past 18 years, enhanced by lay experience as childbirth educator, helps me open Moms up to the “universal language of childbirth”.  It is an honor to witness and interpret the language of the pregnant and birthing woman to future moms to experience and claim as their own.