Anak Doula | Full Spectrum Birth Services
What is a Full-Spectrum Doula?
According to Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, “A full spectrum doula is a non-medically trained community care worker who offers support to people during the full spectrum of pregnancy – from preconception, to birth, to abortion, to miscarriage, to adoption, to postpartum. Full spectrum birth workers actively practice being open and aware of the diverse reproductive needs and experiences people have, in light of their identity, background, preferences, lived experiences, and so on.”
As the common saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” In many traditional and pre-colonial societies the entire family, chosen community, or village would be present at a birth or for a birth release (stillbirth, miscarriage, or abortion) witnessing and holding the birthing person in ceremony throughout conception, birth, and postpartum. Nowadays, expecting families can live in towns, states, and countries away from their loved ones due to various social, economical, or political factors. Not to mention oppressive systems preventing the birthing journey from being sacred.
Birth is a life-changing and transformative event but it is also filled with stress, pain, and uncertainty. Everyone deserves to have ample support at any point in their reproductive experience and no one should have to go through it alone - which is why doulas are essential to the birthing process! As a doula/birth companion, I offer gentle and compassionate consent-based care to birthing folks while supporting and advocating for my client’s reproductive agency whether in the hospital, birthing center, or at home.
Doulas do not take the place of your partner(s), if you have one, during your reproductive journey; rather doulas work alongside them in order to create the best birth experience possible.
According to a Cochrane review explored the effectiveness of continuous labor support with a doula during labor and delivery:
15% increase in the chance of having a spontaneous vaginal delivery (non-induced)
39% decrease in the chance of having a C-section
10% decrease in the need for any medication for pain relief
41-minute average reduction in the length of labor
38% decrease in low 5 minute APGAR score
31% increase in satisfaction with the overall birth experience
❁Intentions, Values & Beliefs ❁
My intention for this work is to reclaim the sanctity that is birth and move towards a society where gestating people are unapologetically centered, informed, and optimally cared for throughout their reproductive journey; which includes the full spectrum of experiences - from conception, birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion, and the postpartum period.
My purpose within this practice is that you have an affirming experience. As we deepen relations with one another, through a client-centered approach, I try my best to cater to each client’s unique needs and customize care that prioritizes their emotional, spiritual, and physical well being while making space for you to feel empowered in your choices.
As your support person throughout your birthing journey, I am here to remind you of your intuitive nature, the natural intelligence your body holds, and that you are always in control. Through a decolonial, holistic, and trauma informed lense rooted in deep listening, non-judgement, and shared empathy; I hope to create a safe container for you to voice your needs, concerns, and values at any stage of your birth experience.
I strongly hold the belief that reproductive justice, body sovereignty, and access to safe and affordable healthcare throughout any stage of pregnancy is a human right for everybody; regardless of race, income, age, religion, gender, sexuality, ability or immigration status. Doulas are more than just caregivers; they are advocates, deep listeners, change-makers, space-holders, and community builders.
❁ Cultivating Connections & Establishing Community Care ❁
Choosing me as your doula also means you will have an ecology of care, support, and insight from the extended birth community! Within my practice, I receive loving guidance and advice from my birth collective as well as a plethora of people who are also in birthwork~ consisting of experienced doulas, midwives, elders, placenta encapsulators, childbirth educators, and nurses, to name a few. If I am not fit to serve you due to not obtaining the necessary skills, I would be more than happy to make referrals to other doulas or community care workers. Since birthwork is tremendously community based, I strive to co-create and deepen relations with other birth companions, wellness therapists, pelvic floor therapists, holistic practitioners, and radical activists as we continue to build stronger communities, dismantle oppressive and unjust systems, while returning to sacredness that is birth, death, and everything in-between.
We should celebrate love in our community as a measure of healing. The expectation should be: I know we are all in need of healing, so how are we doing our healing work?"
― Adrienne Maree Brown, Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good