Brianna is a midwifery student, nurse, and community (home, birth center, and postpartum) doula, serving clients in Southeast WI. Instagram
West Allis, WI
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There I am, the dark green crayon. Pregnant and working full time like most of you. I’m about 6 months in this picture. Instead of feeling hopeful for my baby, I felt lost. Seeing provider after provider within the healthcare network that I was employed by, not a single one spent more than 15 minutes with me. I knew whoever was on call would deliver my baby. When I voiced my concerns about vaccines during my pregnancy, a pretty valid concern, it was met with smug remarks. When I declined urine dip sticks at every visit, met with smug remarks. When I voiced my concerns about Glucola and asked if there were whole food alternatives, a pretty valid concern, again, smug remarks. This day in particular, I bawled my eyes out on the way home feeling so unsupported at this stage of my pregnancy - by everyone. I was quite a sight for my partner as I burst through the door, a blubbering green crayon. (And a wet green crayon; it was also raining)
On one of my off weeks, I went to Babies’R Us for a free “Birth Options” class that was hosted by a local Milwaukee doula. She spoke of ‘birth centers’ and my life was changed. I walked through the doors of Well-Rounded Maternity Center the next night, and lined up an interview with a midwife the very next day. I’m pretty sure I asked my midwife 29 interview questions...TWENTY-NINE. But I fell in love with her, as everyone should fall in love with the person they entrust the life of them self and their newborn baby to. I was 32 weeks pregnant when I transferred care, scared, but also feeling like my spirit had known this was what I needed all along. For the first time in my pregnancy, I felt supported and integrated into my care.
After having two out-of-hospital births, and serving in the hospital setting for 4 years, I decided that my soul needed something more. I completed my doula training through Coral Slavin at Well-Rounded Maternity Center, and enrolled in midwifery school shortly thereafter. I am currently practicing part-time nursing at Zuza’s Way Integrative Care, while focusing my efforts on changing the ways in which birthing people are (or aren’t) supported during prenatal, birth, and beyond. I am privileged to offer birth and post-partum doula services from a unique angle, as a nurse, a doula, a mother and student midwife. I would be honored to stand witness to your birth, as well.
The reality is, you’re going to have a lot of people in life that don’t support your decisions. There is no room for them in your birth plan. As a Registered Nurse, I had no idea that birthing centers, informed choice, whole-patient and whole-family care were even a ‘thing’, until I set out looking for something more. Please look for that something if you feel that you need it. Read and scour every evidence based article you can find. Check out your library, gather your birth team, ask those hard questions, fire your OB if you need to at 32 weeks.
