The Birth of a Doula

This has all been a series of full circle moments for me. As I continue to grow and learn and think about my life’s path I have more and more realizations. It has always been my destiny to work with families in this capacity.

As a young mother, a black women growing up in East Tennessee I mean, if you know you know, most young black people leave here and never come back. Knoxville hasn’t had much to offer it’s black community.

I wanted my daughter to run for the hills. For thriving cities filled with art, culture and opportunity. So when she told me she was pregnant, I lost my shit. I was hurt because I want the best for her, I wanted her to be able to mature and grow into her own without having to provide for, to teach, raise and love her own baby, JUST YET.

But as I have come to learn and understand, we are not in control. WE are only in control of how we treat people and how we react to the world around us. There will be times when we have control of some situations or power in decision making but ultimately, the power is in the source.

The most high creator (God/Goddess) knows all and conspires with the universe to bring us what we need, even when we cannot understand it. As my daughter was creating life in her womb, my father was dying. As she studied and learned about natural and holistic ways to birth, I too was studying about natural supplements, diets and alternative ways to kill the cancer growing in my father’s body. While she researched water birth, midwifery and breastfeeding. She came across doula support and explained to me how doulas support women and families in their birth.

Over the course of her pregnancy we prepared for her natural childbirth experience. We research African birth traditions and rituals. We learned about herbs that help in pregnancy and postpartum and utilized most of what we learned. She was amazing, she accomplished everything she set out to do. I am still extremely proud of her. I was there by her side along with my mom, (her Mamie) and Amir’s Dad. We cheered for her, we held her hand and explained what we witnessed to her in the delivery room to make sure she was aware of what was happening during her birth and to her body. This was my first time being on the side of the birth team. Supporting a mom, my daughter, as she labored and delivered my grandson earthside is a feeling that I will never forget. Watching her in all her divine feminine energy definitely ignited a passion within me to hold space in this way for other women.

The whole experience was a full circle moment for me, as I remember my mom being there during her birth with her father and I. It’s amazing how creator works when we take the time to pay attention to the details.

to be continued….