I have some amazing friends. One of those amazing friends is Heather: she’s a birth and postpartum doula with Hatch Doula Services and WomanWise Doulas. She’s been so supportive and excited about my new focus on birth photography and I hope that we can work together some day! I’m so excited to feature her on this month’s Creative Spotlight! Doulas are such an important part of a birth team so it was only natural for me to interview a doula after announcing my switch to birth photography. If you’re wondering what a doula is or does, read on – she explains it so well:

What CD is currently in the CD player of your car OR what is currently playing on your Spotify/Pandora player? Widespread Panic is always on repeat on Spotify – they’re my absolute favorite. But recently in the car we’ve been listening to Billy Jonas. Our little one loves it and it’s not your typical annoying kid’s music :)

What’s your favorite show in Netflix right now? Fixer Upper!

Coffee or Tea? Coffee, give me all the coffee.

For those who don’t know, can you explain what a doula does, exactly? A doula provides emotional, informational and physical support during pregnancy, labor and postpartum. We’re kind of the keepers of the space, making sure that moms and partners are comfortable and being taken care of. We help to provide evidence-based information so that families feel confident and empowered to make decisions surrounding choices in birth. We provide suggestions for positions and comfort measures during labor, model behavior and offer support for partners, and give reassurance regarding the progress and stages of labor.

What is the “why” behind your business? Why do you do what you do? It has always been about the mamas, even before I was a mama myself. It’s such a vulnerable and intense, yet beautiful moment in life and they just deserve the utmost care, love and respect during it. I’ve always valued this and just wanted to support women during this extremely transformative time. I’m passionate about families feeling empowered and informed about making decisions and being active participants in their care.

How long have you been in business and how did you get started? I go started as a doula almost 4 years ago. I started by volunteering for a non-profit in Asheville, NC that provided doula services to minorities and underserved women. It was a wonderful way to get started and exposed me to a lot of different situations and outcomes that I might not have otherwise been able to experience.

(Photo by Burning Silver Photography)

What’s your favorite part of being a doula? My favorite part is just being present during such an amazing transition. Seeing the looks on parents’ faces after all their hard work and meeting their babies for the first time brings tears to my eyes every single time. I also love the postpartum visits – you really get to see the transformation from couples into their new roles as parents and a new family unit. It’s such a blessing. And snuggling new babies never gets old!

What is the most memorable birth you’ve attended? I have a couple…The first birth I ever attended was a home birth of a friend. I wasn’t a doula yet (and didn’t even know doulas existed!), but I knew at that point that I was called to birth in some way and that kind of started me on my journey to becoming a doula. It opened my eyes to a way of birthing that I never knew existed – to the way a birth could go naturally, uninterrupted. It was very primal and raw and I was into it.

Then, the first two births after my own were very memorable. They were both so very different and wonderful. The mamas were amazing and strong and it reminded me again why I love what I do. And they were so emotional for me, personally. It took me back to how I felt for the first time as a mama. I wonder if it will always be that way from now on?

After having your son last Spring, would you say having helped so many other women during labor helped you to know what to expect? You know, it definitely did in the sense that it prepared me to know that I couldn’t prepare for it. Every birth is just so different and I just tried to keep an open mind about the possibilities. I tried so hard to remove my “doula hat” and not over-analyze everything, especially during the labor part. I knew I wanted a natural birth and to labor at home as much as possible, so I just tried to go with the flow of the experience and trust my body and my birth team, and luckily things went relatively smoothly.

What advice would you give to women who are first-time mommas and/or nervous about labor? Trust in the experience and really educate yourself about the choices you have. If you’re nervous, don’t get on Google! Find some community resources and friends who are supportive and talk to them. A birth circle or your local mamas group is a great way to find like-minded mamas so that you have that support in place ahead of time. Find a provider and birth team (a doula if you want one!) who are also supportive of your choices and that will honor your wishes. Having good support and people you trust is such a crucial piece to feeling empowered and confident.

How can people find you? My personal site is still in the works, but you can visit our collective (WomanWise Doula Collective) at www.womanwisedoulas.com

Facebook: Hatch Doula Services & WomanWise Doula Collective

Instagram: @lettuceturnipthebeet_hg

Heather is a birth & postpartum doula serving the Triangle and surrounding areas. She lives in Chapel Hill with her partner, Miles and their 1 year old son, Atlas, on a small farm. She is part of a collective of doulas (WomanWise Doula Collective and Piedmont Community Doulas) that provide support for one another and are passionate about providing a space for new and expectant mamas to share community and sisterhood. She loves to incorporate essential oils and the rebozo as a comfort measure tool during labor. She also now provides Bekung belly binding as a postpartum service! When she is not supporting families during the transition to parenthood she is enjoying being a mama herself and working on the farm. She loves to garden, cook, do hand-lettering/calligraphy and crafts, and see live music! (Head shot by Burning Silver Photography)