Comments for Zipadee Doula | Serving Portland, Oregon http://zipadeedoula.org Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:15:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Nicole Murray http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-312 Nicole Murray Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:15:27 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-312 I have also seen many comments there that put a bad taste in my mouth. I was wondering for awhile if I was one of the only 'radical' doulas hanging around there. I have also seen many comments there that put a bad taste in my mouth. I was wondering for awhile if I was one of the only ‘radical’ doulas hanging around there.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Felicia Elston http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-311 Felicia Elston Tue, 20 Jul 2010 02:47:32 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-311 I will be attending a UC at the end of August. I would have to agree that alldoulas.com is full of very conservative doulas. Not to mention,the site is suppose to "provide support and learning experience" from doula to doula. I have posted and been outright ridiculed,actively made fun of,and degraded by most of the doulas that reply to my posts. I have seen some of the most disrespectful comments come from the doulas on that site. I asked them to cancel my membership,because I want nothing to do with a site like that. I will be attending a UC at the end of August. I would have to agree that alldoulas.com is full of very conservative doulas. Not to mention,the site is suppose to “provide support and learning experience” from doula to doula. I have posted and been outright ridiculed,actively made fun of,and degraded by most of the doulas that reply to my posts. I have seen some of the most disrespectful comments come from the doulas on that site. I asked them to cancel my membership,because I want nothing to do with a site like that.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Nicole Murray http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-310 Nicole Murray Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:51:28 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-310 Thank you, Jennifer! I feel the exact same way. Thank you, Jennifer! I feel the exact same way.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Jennifer Cox http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-309 Jennifer Cox Sun, 18 Jul 2010 22:15:19 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-309 I am a doula and very recently attended my first birth. It was an unassisted birth of a very good friend of mine. She was having her second child and had received prenatal throughout her pregnancy. Her birth was beautiful, powerful and perfect for her and her family. I think its important to interview with any client you might decide to take on to find out if you match well with each other. I think all doulas would agree to that. And this would be especially important to me if I were to ever take on another UC client (although my previous experience was not doula/client so much as doula/friend). Many women choose to birth w/o a midwife or doula but they should not be discredited just for their choice to UC. Similarly I would not discredit any woman's birth choices even if they were something I would not choose for myself. If I felt uncomfortable with a choice a potential client was making I would use that as a place to start a conversation. And possibly find the potential client a doula that would feel comfortable with her choice(s). When are we going to stop judging women and start supporting them in whatever way we can? That does not mean taking on every women who asks for your services but that does mean respecting everyone's right to govern their own body. I am a doula and very recently attended my first birth. It was an unassisted birth of a very good friend of mine. She was having her second child and had received prenatal throughout her pregnancy. Her birth was beautiful, powerful and perfect for her and her family.

I think its important to interview with any client you might decide to take on to find out if you match well with each other. I think all doulas would agree to that. And this would be especially important to me if I were to ever take on another UC client (although my previous experience was not doula/client so much as doula/friend). Many women choose to birth w/o a midwife or doula but they should not be discredited just for their choice to UC. Similarly I would not discredit any woman’s birth choices even if they were something I would not choose for myself. If I felt uncomfortable with a choice a potential client was making I would use that as a place to start a conversation. And possibly find the potential client a doula that would feel comfortable with her choice(s).

When are we going to stop judging women and start supporting them in whatever way we can? That does not mean taking on every women who asks for your services but that does mean respecting everyone’s right to govern their own body.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Nicole Murray http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-308 Nicole Murray Sat, 17 Jul 2010 21:53:55 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-308 Brittany - well, for some, they would not consider it a UC. There are different thoughts about what a UC is, and that it's only unassisted if you are completely by yourself. If a doula was there, in my opinion, it would still be unassisted, as long as she wasn't acting as a midwife. There are many reasons women choose to go unassisted. For some, they feel they have no health care providers that they can trust. Others want a homebirth, but are unable to receive care from any midwives close by because of certain issues (post dates, for example). For others, homebirth is illegal, so they can only birth on their own at home, or with an underground midwife. Still, there are many who simply want to have a private birth without the interference of an outside person. Some are sensitive to being watched, or don't want the stress of a midwife. There are many, many reasons. Laura Shanley wrote this short article about why some women choose UC: http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/uc/whyuc.html It's a very personal choice, and one that takes some consideration usually. I UC'd with my second child, and it was wonderful for us. If I had another child, I may or may not have another UC, depending on how I felt, and for various health reasons. But that birth I really needed to UC and felt that it was right for our family. Hope that helps! Brittany – well, for some, they would not consider it a UC. There are different thoughts about what a UC is, and that it’s only unassisted if you are completely by yourself. If a doula was there, in my opinion, it would still be unassisted, as long as she wasn’t acting as a midwife.

There are many reasons women choose to go unassisted. For some, they feel they have no health care providers that they can trust. Others want a homebirth, but are unable to receive care from any midwives close by because of certain issues (post dates, for example). For others, homebirth is illegal, so they can only birth on their own at home, or with an underground midwife. Still, there are many who simply want to have a private birth without the interference of an outside person. Some are sensitive to being watched, or don’t want the stress of a midwife. There are many, many reasons. Laura Shanley wrote this short article about why some women choose UC: http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/uc/whyuc.html

It’s a very personal choice, and one that takes some consideration usually. I UC’d with my second child, and it was wonderful for us. If I had another child, I may or may not have another UC, depending on how I felt, and for various health reasons. But that birth I really needed to UC and felt that it was right for our family.

Hope that helps!

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Brittany http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-305 Brittany Wed, 14 Jul 2010 16:23:11 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-305 I'm having a hard time accepting how having a doula at a birth would still be considered "unassisted". And I guess I'm having an even harder time understanding why anyone would be so adamant about having an unassisted birth. I completely agree that our whole country is out of whack with our overmedicated, hospitalized rituals of birth (in fact, it infuriates me), but why would anyone be put off by having a midwife or doula present at their birth? Just looking for some clarification. I’m having a hard time accepting how having a doula at a birth would still be considered “unassisted”. And I guess I’m having an even harder time understanding why anyone would be so adamant about having an unassisted birth. I completely agree that our whole country is out of whack with our overmedicated, hospitalized rituals of birth (in fact, it infuriates me), but why would anyone be put off by having a midwife or doula present at their birth? Just looking for some clarification.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Nicole Murray http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-304 Nicole Murray Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:00:00 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-304 Sara - I'm so sorry that happened to you. I can't imagine a midwife yelling at me like that :( Sounds like your client made the right choice in choosing not to have that midwife serve her. Sara – I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can’t imagine a midwife yelling at me like that :(

Sounds like your client made the right choice in choosing not to have that midwife serve her.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by sara http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-303 sara Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:56:29 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-303 I attended an unassisted birth as a doula, and afterward was screamed at by a local midwife for about an hour. I performed no medical tasks and was truly in the scope of practice for a doula, but she didn't care. She accused me of harming the cause of midwifery. Very scary and controlling. She was extremely threatened by the whole thing. She had actually been interviewed by my client as a potential midwife, and was told she couldn't have the birth she wanted-minimal intervention, no to limited cervical checks, etc. I attended an unassisted birth as a doula, and afterward was screamed at by a local midwife for about an hour. I performed no medical tasks and was truly in the scope of practice for a doula, but she didn’t care. She accused me of harming the cause of midwifery. Very scary and controlling. She was extremely threatened by the whole thing. She had actually been interviewed by my client as a potential midwife, and was told she couldn’t have the birth she wanted-minimal intervention, no to limited cervical checks, etc.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Dewi, another doula ... http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-298 Dewi, another doula ... Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:59:53 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-298 This should read: Hiring a doula is NOT an act of confrontation or creating real change in our shitty system of how women are treated when giving birth. This should read:

Hiring a doula is NOT an act of confrontation or creating real change in our shitty system of how women are treated when giving birth.

]]> Comment on Doulas and Unassisted Births by Dewi, another doula ... http://zipadeedoula.org/2010/07/01/doulas-and-unassisted-births/#comment-297 Dewi, another doula ... Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:58:28 +0000 http://zipadeedoula.org/?p=573#comment-297 Read the history. It was not like that. Women who were functioning as the "lay midwife" were also frequently arrested and had to raise alot if money to defend themselves in court for practicing midwifery without a license. It still does happen in the USA. Women need to work to make it better in your community, you need to scream and fight for better care, don't slink off into the night with a doula. That changes nothing! Kick and scream to make it better for yourself and women coming up behind you and get the laws changed if they suck so much you are left with no good choices in your community. And you resort to birthing UC and thinking that doulas should be with you. Hiring a doula is an act of confrontation or creating real change in our shitty system of how women are treated when giving birth. Read the history.
It was not like that.
Women who were functioning as the “lay midwife” were also frequently arrested and had to raise alot if money to defend themselves in court for practicing midwifery without a license. It still does happen in the USA.

Women need to work to make it better in your community, you need to scream and fight for better care, don’t slink off into the night with a doula.
That changes nothing!
Kick and scream to make it better for yourself and women coming up behind you and get the laws changed if they suck so much you are left with no good choices in your community. And you resort to birthing UC and thinking that doulas should be with you.

Hiring a doula is an act of confrontation or creating real change in our shitty system of how women are treated when giving birth.

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