activism

Updated doula trainings and volunteer programs pages

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These resources are in constant development and improvement! Thanks to everyone who has emailed with new program and training links.

I updated the Doula Trainings page recently, added a few new programs and improved the formatting. This page is just meant as a one stop quick overview of the doula training programs out there, so soon to be doulas can start their research. If you know of trainings I haven’t included, email me! Also if you have experience with one of the programs listed, and want to talk about your experience in a guest post, I’d love that. Email me.

The Volunteer Programs page is meant as a resource for doulas looking for volunteer opportunities. A few people emailed me to say they themselves offer low-fee or volunteer doula services, which is awesome, but this page is meant for volunteer programs that doulas can join in order to provide volunteer doula services.

Thanks to everyone for their help in maintaining these resources!

Why it’s time for us to reclaim “values”

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I just got off the phone with a reporter working on an article about religion and spirituality in connection to home birth. Our conversation got me going, particularly when she told me of the Christian midwife who said that she doesn’t think pro-choice people should be doulas or midwives. That it’s a contradiction to work with birth and hold pro-choice beliefs. It makes my blood boil.

People often assume that radical politics go hand in hand with atheism, or a rejection of religious beliefs. The Religious Right in this country has furthered that idea by claiming the realm of religion, of God, of spirituality even, as their own. They promote the idea that being religious means certain things about your political beliefs and actions.

My doula work is about providing non-judgemental support to a person during pregnancy. Period. Just like I don’t bring my judgements about how the birth should happen, what tools should be used, or even how or when the pregnancy should happen, I don’t bring my judgements about the choices the pregnant person makes about their pregnancy.

I know that many of you who identify as radical doulas bring a sense of spirituality to your work, and I want us to claim that. I want us to reject the idea that radical politics (which, by the way, in an ideal world wouldn’t be so damn radical) are inherently atheist, or anti-religion, or anti-spiritual. Inherent in that rejection is that we get to claim, rightfully, that a belief in God or some sort of higher power doesn’t go hand in hand with anti-choice views. Anyone who studies the Bible, the Old Testament, knows that the beliefs that the Religious Right holds up as so clear, so self-evident, are not. It’s all about interpretation.

I want us to talk about values. I hold dearly the fact that my VALUES as a doula are based in the principle of non-judgmental support. My values are that I don’t know what is best for anyone but myself, and as a doula I serve folks during pregnancy by remembering that, always, and simply searching for the best way to validate and support someone’s experience.

I wholeheartedly reject the idea that family values are based in principles of hatred, discrimination, non-acceptance and judgement. Those are the anti-choice, anti-sex, anti-woman and anti-gay family values are being promoted in the US.

I’ve got my own version of family values—helping people build the families they want to create, however they define family, in the most loving and supportive environment possible. My family values include empowering every family member to make decisions about what’s best for them—whether those decisions are about how to dress, when and how to begin romantic relationships, how to be sexual, what to do when they are pregnant, what pronouns to use, damn even what food to eat every day. Again, I don’t know what’s best for anyone but myself. My values center on creating an environment where everyone can make the absolute best, educated and supported decisions about their lives.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a shit ton of opinions. I’m a blogger! But my opinions stop where your choices begin. I can express them from here til kingdom come, but YOU know what’s best for you. Period.

I’m sick of the left being painted as rational or logical but values-less. That’s complete and total bullshit. I’ve got an incredible set of values right here, and I think you do too. We just need to start talking about them.

42 volunteer doula programs and counting!

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Every once in a while I do a significant update of the volunteer doula program page I’ve been maintaining on this site for a few years. Recently I added a few new full spectrum doula programs (yay!) and with the help of my friend Eleanor, made sure all of the links and such were working on the other programs listed.

We’re up to 42 programs in 15 states, the District of Columbia and two international programs. Pretty incredible.

That means there are likely thousands of you out there volunteering your time to support folks through pregnancy and childbirth. Amazing.

If you know of a volunteer program that is missing from my list, just send me an email with links or details and I’ll add it.

The list is not an endorsement of any of the programs, just a resource for people looking to volunteer their time.

So what is an abortion doula?

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Obviously this is a topic much discussed on this blog, but it is also a role that is ever evolving. The Doula Project of NYC has had a major role is shaping this work, so I’d thought I’d share a recent interview published by Abortion Gang with Leadership Circle member Kathleen Reutter.

The Doula Project of New York City is a non-profit providing support to people across the spectrum of pregnancy. It is volunteer-run and all of its services are free of charge. Since 2008, its 50 trained abortion and birth doulas have provided services to over 5,000 people in the New York City area. I talked with Kathleen, who has been a doula with the Project since 2009 and a member of the Leadership Circle for the past year and a half.

To start-off, could you first describe a little about what an abortion doula is?

An abortion doula provides emotional, physical, and informational support to people choosing abortion. As part of the Doula Project, our doulas also support people facing miscarriage, stillbirth, and fetal anomaly and provide birth doula services to low-income people and to people choosing adoption. All in all, our mission is to offer care and compassion to pregnant people making a variety of choices regarding their pregnancy and/or birth.

What does a day’s work for an abortion doula look like?

Depending on the site, our doulas work with between four and 15 abortion clients per day.  When I work with an abortion client, I try to help her feel safe and at ease. Any medical procedure can be scary, but facing an abortion can be especially frightening for some because of the wealth of inaccurate information and the stigma surrounding the procedure. Before the abortion begins I try to help my client feel comfortable by answering her questions and chatting. I’m usually with her as she meets the doctor and the nursing staff.

Being awake during an abortion is very doable but is sometimes painful. During the procedure I may help her breathe through uncomfortable moments, explain what’s happening, squeeze her hand, stroke her forehead, and distract her with conversation about her favorite TV show or her weekend plans. Afterwards I help her get settled in the recovery room. I may give her a hot pack to place on her abdomen to help with cramps and put cool cloths on her forehead and back of her neck if she’s overheated. Some of my clients want to talk a lot in the recovery room, others are quieter. If my client is settled and seems to be feeling okay, I often sit quietly in a chair close by, ready to engage if and when she chooses.

Read the full interview over at Abortion Gang. And for more about my experiences as an abortion doula, check out my Abortion Doula Diaries series.

Victories to celebrate from 2011

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Just a quick note to say Happy New Year to all of you. Thanks for reading, emailing and generally making running this site a pleasure.

I’m excited for 2012, during which I’ll hit my fifth anniversary of running this blog. I’ve got a bunch of exciting projects in the works to celebrate that milestone, so stay tuned!

In an effort to focus on the wins of the past year, rather than the many struggles and disappointments, here is a quick run down of things to celebrate from 2011:

This is a recent one from NAPW that I didn’t get a chance to blog, but in partnership with organizations working in the Native community, they recently were able to get a tribal court to drop charges against a pregnant woman whose child died shortly after birth.

Midwife Robin Lim wins an amazing award from CNN in honor of her work with pregnant women in Bali.

ACOG puts out a statement in support of treating trans patients with care and sensitivity.

The personhood amendment fails in Mississippi.

A new abortion doula project in SF!

The word doula gets entered into the Oxford English Dictionary.

Vermont mandates insurance coverage for licensed midwives.

Midwives in Colorado get a better law allowing them to improve their care.

And of course, last but not least, all of the incredible radical doulas featured here.

Here’s to even more successes in 2012!

Got a few dollars to spare for The Doula Project?

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An organization near and dear to my heart is doing it’s first big end of the year fundraising push. The Doula Project, a group I helped to found, which provides full spectrum doula care to people around New York City.

I know I’m biased, since I’ve been involved since the beginning, but I think the Doula Project is really rad.

First of all, it’s mission is pretty amazing: provide volunteer doula care to people across the spectrum of pregnancy: from abortions and miscarriages to adoptions and births. All of it is done at no cost to the pregnant person–it’s a volunteer operation that is now a 501-C3 (hence the fundraiser!).

I’ve chronicled some of my experiences working with the project in my Abortion Doula Diaries series. In short I think it’s pretty rad, and has helped spark a national movement of similar organizations around the country providing this type of comprehensive doula support.

Some official language from the project:

We are a volunteer led and run non-profit organization offering free doula care to women across the full spectrum of pregnancy options. The Doula Project works to connect the choices, needs, and experiences of people across this spectrum and to provide on-site support for our clients no matter what their choices may be. Since 2008, our 50 trained abortion and birth doulas have provided physical, emotional, and informational support to more than 5,000 women in New York City who have faced birth, abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth induction, and adoption.

5,000 people! That’s incredible.

If you’re feeling generous, your support would be appreciated. Funds will go to expanding services to serve more people, as well as further training and expansion of this really amazing model. Donate here.

Midwife Robin Lim honored with 2011 CNN Hero Award

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Vodpod videos no longer available.

I hadn’t followed this competition, but was excited to learn that the winner of this award, which comes with $300,000 for her cause.

About Robin:

Robin Lim, an American woman who has helped thousands of poor Indonesian women have a healthy pregnancy and birth, was named the 2011 CNN Hero of the Year on Sunday night.

Through her Yayasan Bumi Sehat health clinics, “Mother Robin,” or “Ibu Robin” as she is called by the locals, offers free prenatal care, birthing services and medical aid in Indonesia, where many families cannot afford care.

After reading about Robin and her work, I realized that her clinic sounded familiar. They are listed on my Volunteer Doula Program page! A friend of the clinics posted in comments a few years ago about their work, suggesting I add them to my list.

So glad to see their impact is being honored, and on such a mainstream platform. It’s also lovely to see a birth activist and woman of color honored for her work.

Learn more about her clinic here. They even have a birth doula workshop for interested doulas in Indonesia!

Anti-shackling policy and organizing training this weekend in Amherst, MA

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Just saw notice about this training happening this weekend in Amherst Massachussetts. Sounds incredible, definitely worth going to if you’re in the area and care about stopping the practice of shackling incarcerated pregnant women.

Join The Prison Birth Project, The Peace Development Fund & WORTH for A Training on Anti-Shackling Policy and Organizing

A day long training to start to mobilize an on the ground movement to support current Anti-shackling legislation. Learn about legislation that PBP is working on, the current political climate and how to organize from a grassroots to a statewide level from organizers who have passed this legislation in other states. Help strategize and build the campaign to pass legislation that supports women everywhere.

Trainers will include: Tina Reynolds from Women on the Rise Telling Her Story (WORTH) who have worked/passed Antishackling in other states. Members of The Prison Birth Project as well as members of the ACLU and a local lobbyists.

Saturday December 3, 2011
10am-3:30pm
Peace Development Fund
44 N. Prospect St. Amherst

RSVP to: volunteer@theprisonbirthproject.org with RSVP as the subject.

Childcare provided with RSVP please let us know in the email how many children and ages.

They also provided this additional information about their efforts:

More than 8,000 women are incarcerated each year in Mass. 85% of those women are mothers and about 6% of them are pregnant during their incarceration.

The Prison Birth Project provides support education and advocacy with women and girls at this intersection of incarceration and motherhood. This year our members had a say in the writing of HB 2234 “An Act Relative to Safe Pregnancies and Relate Health Care for Female Inmates”. This bill has been introduced in an effort to provide minimum standards of care for women while incarcerated. It would ensure that pregnant women would not be restrained during labor and pregnancy and receive basic prenatal care and family planning information. Can’t make it? but want to be a part of the coalition to pass this legislation? Email volunteer@theprisonbirthproject.org and let us know!

For more about the anti-shackling efforts in MA, check out my recent article for Colorlines.

Update: Mississippi Personhood initiative fails

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Update: It failed! Big victory for health and autonomy. Also proof that even those with more moderate or conservative politics are skeptical of such far reaching legislation. The fight is far from over though, as these efforts are bound to continue.

It’s a scary time for women’s health and autonomy. The political movement to limit access to abortion, as well as pregnant people’s rights to make decisions about their bodies and medical choices, is stronger than ever.

In the absence of any strategies to address the actual problems plaguing our economy (unemployment, for example) the ultra right wing in control of many of our state governments (and the House of Reps too) have decided to focus instead on debilitating budget cuts and bills that damage women and pregnant people’s health and human rights.

As I’ve said over and over on this blog–bills that limit access to abortion also limit the choices of pregnant people who want to parent. NAPW has a video explaining exactly what is at stake with Prop 26:

Irin Carmon, reporting for Salon, wrote about how this initiative would limit access to even birth control. These efforts are serious, and want to turn back the clock on reproductive health almost fifty years. All of these extreme efforts are poised to take judicial challenges all the way to the Supreme Court.

The vote on the initiative could go either way, which is even more frightening. Polling shows voters split evenly.

If you’re in Mississippi, please make it out to the polls tomorrow and vote NO on 26. This is serious.

Chicago Doula Circle recruiting volunteers for new hospital-based abortion doula program

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Another great full spectrum doula group to add to the growing national movement!

From the Chicago Doula Circle email announcement:

Dear Friends,

We are excited to announce that the Chicago Doula Circle is currently recruiting volunteers for our new hospital-based abortion doula program! We are looking for a diverse group of volunteers to provide direct-service support to people during their abortions here in Chicago. Volunteers are asked to commit to a two-day weekend training as well as two shifts per month and one monthly volunteer support meeting. For more information about our organization, abortion doulas, and to view the volunteer application, please visit chicagodoulacircle.com. A direct link to the volunteer application can be found at http://bit.ly/chicagoabortiondoula. To be considered for the 2011 training, all applications are due no later than October 31, 2011.Please spread the word! Thank you for supporting Chicago Doula Circle.

With excitement & gratitude,
Kate Palmer & Kristen Ethier, Co-Founders/Co-Directors

My running list of volunteer doula programs is here.