Ajira and Keelia wrap up the season by sharing what they've been up to, and recommending their favorite birth/reproductive justice-related podcasts and resources. If you want to follow along on Ajira's or Keelia's personal journeys or learn more about their offerings, you can find Ajira @ajira on IG or on their website (www.ajiradarch.com), and Keelia is @doulakeelia on IG and their website is doulakeelia.com Ajira & Keelia's favorite podcasts (in no particular order): - Birthright, hosted by Kimberley Seals Allers: birthrightpodcast.com - Masculine Birth Ritual, hosted by Grover Wehman-Br ..read more

Eri Guajardo Johnson (she/they) and Micaela McHenry (or Mickey, she/her/ella) share the inspiring story of what it was like for them to support a fellow Indigenous person through their empowering birth experience. With Eri as birth consultant for survivors of trauma, and Micaela in the doula role, the two worked together and witnessed the healing power of birth and community for their client. Eri Guajardo Johnson is a queer, bi-racial birthworker, rape crisis peer counselor, holistic wellness coach, community organizer, and host of the Birth Bruja Podcast. They are based on unceded Anishinaabe ..read more

Often the support we provide as birthworkers is only part of the picture. Most of the time our clients need support from the healthcare system, not just from their designated support person. In this episode, Ari Stoeffler (they/them) shares three short stories about the ways they've provided individual support and systemic support in abortion care, and in gender affirming hormone therapy. Episode transcript available at DoulaStories.com Resources that Ari recommends are the following: for those in the local Boston area, you can learn more about the Boston Abortion Support Collective at bostona ..read more

From body fluid spills to cringey moments with clients, Ajira and Keelia share several short stories about funny happenings in the birth room from their own and other birthworkers' experiences. A huge thank you, again, to everyone who submitted a short story.  You can follow the Doula Stories podcast on Facebook @DoulaStoriesPodcast or on Instagram @DoulaStories You can also learn more and find episode transcripts on their website: doulastories.com ..read more

Divya Kumar (she/her) shares about providing support to a group of new parents in the lead up and aftermath of the 2016 presidential election. After noticing that the group shared fears around raising children during a tumultuous political season, Divya created a space where the families could support each other with those concerns alongside asking for advice about bottles and naps. While holding space for those conversations, though, Divya felt her own vulnerabilities arise as a BIPOC, and learned how to show up for her clients while also showing up for herself. Divya is a therapist based in ..read more

When Cherie's birth photography client asked if Cherie would be the third layer of backup doula support, she agreed--how likely is it that the third backup doula needs to be called in, really? Sure enough, though, Cherie ended up unexpectedly supporting her client as both doula and photographer, facing questions that are all too familiar for doulas: how much longer can I keep going? Am I doing enough to support this family? How can I take care of myself at the same time? If you want to connect with Cherie Seah, you can find her on Instagram @EarthShineDoula and her website is EarthShineDoula.c ..read more

Hana Grace Lehmann (she/they) was going to support her close friend Annalise (she/her) through her pregnancy and birth. Annalise was set to have an unmedicated birth at the hospital, but when she reached forty weeks, COVID-19 hit, and shelter-in-place began. With Annalise now looking at different birthing options, Hana faced the possibility of providing virtual support for the first time, or hosting her friend’s birth in her own house. If you’d like to connect with Hana, you can find her on Instagram @philadoula and her website is philadoula.com  If you or someone you care about needs sup ..read more

Sam (they/them) had been a full-time doula for years. Then COVID hit, and they now faced having to provide virtual support for the first time in their career to a client with a long history of trauma. What originally was going to be in-person support for a birth at a birth center quickly became an exercise in adapting to rapidly changing circumstances, and continuously meeting their client where they were at. If you want to find out and name the indigenous folk whose land you occupy: https://native-land.ca/ You can follow the Doula Stories podcast on Facebook or Instagram @doulastories or lear ..read more

Amadoma Bediako had been a birthworker in New York City since the 70's, but she still felt a little intimidated when another doula asked her to be the doula at their home birth. If you'd like to connect with Amadoma, or if you're interested in attending any of Amadoma's trainings, you can learn more by emailing her at doulatraining@gmail.com Sevonna (the birthing parent) put together a version of the multi-page birth plan Amadoma referenced, which now serves as a guidebook for pregnant parents via Sanctuary Birth Inc. While still a work in progress, Sevonna has generously shared this resource ..read more

Hana Grace Lehmann (she/they) shares her story about supporting Lily (she/her) through the birth of her firstborn. The deck seemed stacked against Lily from the start. Even though Lily wanted an unmedicated birth, everyone in her family had given birth by cesarean, and Hana knew that Lily’s doctor had a very high cesarean rate. When Hana got the call that Lily’s water had broken and that she was heading into the hospital for an induction, Hana tried not to jump to conclusions about how this birth would go. Hana is a doula based on unceded Lenape land, in what is now known as Philadelphia. If y ..read more