11/03/2025
๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ต ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐... ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฎ & ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐งก๐ฟ
๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฎ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐๐: When I first learned that Shayla had been referred by one of our wonderful clients, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to serve as her lead doula. The clock was tickingโShaylaโs due date was quickly approaching!
At our very first meeting, Doula Terri and I provided Shayla with valuable information and hands-on guidance through a one-on-one breastfeeding class. Shayla shared her birth plan, and we offered advice, options, and support to help her feel confident and prepared. We also taught her a few last-minute stretches and exercises to help encourage labor.
Shayla was an amazing studentโeager to learn, open to our suggestions, and so grateful for our help. I was overjoyed that we could step in at such an important time and give her the care she needed during the final days of her pregnancy. We stayed in touch through encouraging messages from our entire team at WildRoots Birth Collaborative.
Iโll never forget the text I received: โMy water just broke!โ My heart leapt with excitement! I told Shayla Iโd be on my way to the hospital as soon as possible. Doula Terri and I quickly coordinated our plan. Fortunately, Shayla was already at the hospital when her water broke, so she was in good hands from the start.
Terri arrived first, and I joined her shortly after. When I walked into Shaylaโs room, it felt like a peaceful spa retreat. Gentle, flickering candles glowed throughout the space, and the soothing scent of lavender filled the airโcreating the perfect calming atmosphere for our laboring mama.
Together, Terri and I supported Shayla with massages, hip pressure, warm showers, and constant reassurance for 21 hours straight. We never left her side. Late that night, we had the joy of welcoming a beautiful, healthy baby girl into the world. Both mom and baby were happy and doing wonderfully.
Iโll never forget seeing that sweet baby girl for the first timeโalready smacking her lips and sucking on her tiny fist. Naturally, I helped Shayla with the first latch, and she was a natural! When we left the hospital, both mama and baby were thriving.
Iโm so grateful to have been part of Shaylaโs birth story. I was so thankful to have doula Terri by my side throughout those long hours of supporting Shayla. It was my longest birth to date and such an incredible learning experience.
A little-known fact:
Doulas play a vital role in saving lives in Black communities by offering emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy and birth. They advocate for their clients within a healthcare system that has too often ignored or mistreated Black patients. Doulas also help bridge cultural and communication gaps that contribute to health inequities. Research shows that people supported by doulas are less likely to have preterm births, low-birthweight babies, or C-sectionsโand more likely to breastfeed and experience lower rates of postpartum depression. All of this leads to healthier births, happier families, and stronger communities.
๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ ๐๐ฎ๐๐: For 20 years, Iโve had the privilege of supporting moms and families in one way or another. Years ago, I dreamed of becoming a doula but put it offโuntil now.
Recently, I began my certification journey and was blessed with the opportunity to support my very first first-time mom. When I got the call that her water had broken, I rushed to the hospital and joined forces with Doula Portia for an unforgettable labor.
This strong mama labored hard and fast, and we were by her side every step of the wayโmassaging, applying essential oils, offering water and counterpressure, and doing anything she needed. When her labor stalled, we stayed right there, holding space and encouraging her through the long, beautiful work of bringing new life into the world.
It was an incredible blessing. Iโve photographed many births and experienced three of my own, but being there as both doula and photographer was unlike anything elseโintense, exhausting, and absolutely exhilarating. In the operating room, I held her hand, breathed with her, and captured her babyโs very first breaths.
Words canโt describe the feeling. I often tell expectant parents that nothing compares to the love you feel when you meet your babyโbut no one could have prepared me for what it feels like to witness it in this role.
I am exactly where Iโm meant to be. Supporting mothers through birth fills my heart in ways I canโt explain (though I may still need a nap afterward!). I canโt wait to stand beside more families as they welcome their little ones into the world.
*** I love when we do our birth debriefing and just get to hear everyone's experience and different perspectives! Thats what makes our team so unique, we all have so much to bring to the table and so much we take away from experiences to use as tools in helping our next mama!
Congratulations Shayla! Baby "P" is absolutely beautiful! You did a good job, mama! ๐ฅฐ
