Training

I attended the Labor Support Course at the Simkin School for Allied Birth Vocations in Seattle in January 2010. It is a 32-hour course that covers:
  • Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, fetal development, labor, postpartum, and breastfeeding
  • Components of prenatal care and the midwifery model of care
  • Emotions of pregnancy
  • Pain management techniques
  • Medical procedures used in labor
  • Labor variations and complications, including Cesarean birth
  • Communication and listening skills
  • The emotional and psychological aspects of giving birth and its significance in women’s lives
  • The doula’s role, professional ethics, standards of practice, and certification
  • Emotional support and physical comfort measures
  • Support for difficult labors, Cesarean birth, and vaginal birth after Cesarean
  • Newborn care and breastfeeding support
  • Values clarification and cultural sensitivity
  • Introduction to Childbearing
I am an active Board member in PALS Doulas, the Northwest's local doula community, and certified as a birth doula with them and with DONA International.

Continuing Education

  • PALS Doulas meetings, topics: The Doula's Role in Cesarean Births (2/10); Insurance and Billing (3/10); Doula Support at Home Births (4/10); Prenatal Visits (5/10); Doula Self Care (7/10); Acupressure for Labor Progression & Pain Management Training/Study (12/10); Healthy Snack and Meal Preparation (4/11); Hospital Outreach (5/11)
  • Open Arms Perinatal Services: Birth in a Cultural Context (2/10); Doula Safety at Home Visits (3/10)
  • Hypnobirthing® Labor Support Techniques (2/10)
  • Home Childbirth Education course, assistant to Penny Simkin (7-week class 4/27/10 - 6/8/10)
  • Northwest Doula Conference, 5/7/10, and 5/19/11
  • TENS Training for Doulas, 6/5/10 (Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation)
  • The Business of Being a Doula, 11/16/10

Birth Experience

Here are some of the situations in which I've worked:
  • Women aged 15 to 44
  • Other support ranged from only the hospital nurse to several members of the family and/or friends.
  • Unmedicated, epidural, water birth, vaginal and Cesarean
  • Continuous supported lasted from 3 to 32 hours, with additional support after the birth
  • With midwives and obstetricians
  • Hospitals, birth centers and homes
  • Babies born at 35 weeks gestation up to 42 weeks -- even a few born on their "due" date.
  • As a volunteer at UW Medical Center, I've supported women I'd never met prior to walking into the room.
  • One of the women did not speak English, and I did not speak her language. A family member translated.
  • One of the births included a twin who had died at 19 weeks who was delivered with the healthy twin
  • Clients have attended private or hospital childbirth classes, hypnobirthing childbirth classes, or no childbirth classes (that would not be my recommendation!)
Areas served: all hospital, birth center and home births in King County and South Snohomish County including Kirkland, Juanita, Bothell, Woodinville, Kenmore, Bellevue, Redmond, Sammamish, Seattle, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Greenlake, Northgate, Ballard, Shoreline, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Mill Creek, Monroe, Everett, and Snohomish.