This is why I am a doula

“The way a culture treats women in birth is a good indicator of how well women and their contributions to society are valued and honored.”
​- Ina May Gaskin

“Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.”
- Marie Shear

I believe that working in reproductive health is a way to change the world, one person at a time. It is a work that focuses on ensuring every person has complete control of their body, and that each person entering the world is given the best start to life as possible.

I have always had a passion for understanding the way in which our bodies work, especially when it comes to the female reproductive system. Our education system in this country does not give us a good foundation to understand how our bodies work and what all the options are for interacting with our body, especially around reproductive decisions. That foundation of a lack of knowledge, trust and understanding of our own bodies bleeds into our culture’s fear and anxiety when it comes to childbirth.

The way in which families are treated during their initiation into parenthood is a good indicator as to how we (as people, a culture, a medical system) value women and women’s health. The way parents feel during their birth process, influences how they will feel as parents. If they feel supported, empowered to be an active part of the decision process, and confident in their ability to trust their own innate wisdom and intuition, then they will move into parenthood with greater confidence and trust in their ability to raise their family in the best way they can.

This is why I am a doula.

​by Rachel Emery

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