This is a series highlighting folks who identify as Radical Doulas. Are you interested in being part of the series? Go here to provide your responses to the profile questions and I’ll include you!
About Ursula: Ursula Sabia Sukinik is not only a certified childbirth educator, but is also a birth doula, a birth assistant, and mother of two teenage boys. Known for her easy laughter, radiant energy and knowledge of the birthing woman; to say that she is an inspiration is an understatement. She is a true believer in honoring women’s bodies and the natural process, Ursula not only inspires her clients to better understand how choices affect well being, but she takes the mind-body connection to a whole new level with her practice as a birth worker. Ursula has personally worked with thousands of women during the birthing process. With this passion she owns and runs Birth You Desire where you can find a list of childbirth classes, TENS rentals, workshops and speaking engagements in the DC Metro area as well as choose a doula to support you at your birth. Learn more about Ursula and her team at BirthYouDesire.com.
What inspired you to become a doula?
I have always been passionate about women’s choices and rights. When pregnant I searched out collaborative midwife program that allow for me to have a potentially high risk pregnancy in a low risk way. Through this process a desire to do birth work was inspired. But it was at my first solo birth as a doula that I was called to birth work. I was the only person in the small bathroom during a sudden precipitous birth. Catching baby Cole was for me a pivotal point where I was blessed to be given the honor of catching him and witnessing his mother in her full power. At that moment, I knew I had found my life’s work.
Why do you identify with the term radical doula?
For me birth activism is about working to improve the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experiences of those who are challenged to have positive outcomes. All births and outcomes needs to be supported from loss to rainbow births, from natural to cesarean deliveries, low risk to high risk, and traditional to LGBT. For needs outside of our scope, Birth You Desire works in partnership with many providers so that their clients get the best possible personal care. Our partners include Metropolitan Breastfeeding to support and induce lactation in both LGBT mothers.
What is your doula philosophy and how does it fit into your broader political beliefs?
Birth You Desire’s mission is to support, educate and inspire women on their personal birth journeys. Our doulas will support each family with personalized one-on-one care. No matter what the woman’s journey is, no matter where she is coming from or going, we will support her in the way she desires. Birthing can be a personal special event no matter the location.
What is your favorite thing about being a doula?
My favorite moment at the birth, for the mother, is when she finds her personal power and births her baby. My favorite moment to watch is the first time the partner looks at their baby. The moment on awareness of unconditional love in their face is very powerful.
If you could change one thing about the experience of pregnancy and birth, what would it be?
I wish that quality evidence-based informational support could be available to everyone. That mother’s could know their choices before being made to make a decision. And all families can be supported, educated and inspired to have the best possible outcome for themselves with out judgement.
About Maggie Weber-Striplin: I serve as a volunteer doula at San Francisco General Hospital serving a dozen births as well as a few private births. I have been a post-partum doula, sibling doula, and nanny in the Bay Area for 8 years for families with singles and twins.
About Sarah: Hi! I’m Sarah Michelson, a St. Louis native with a rich history of fighting for reproductive justice, human rights, and labor rights. I live in South City. I enjoy attending concerts, creating herbal products, and studying birth.
About Becca Spence Dobias: Becca is a doula serving the Inland Empire in Southern California. She is certified through Childbirth International and has an M.A. in Applied Women’s Studies. She is a member of Seasons Within Doula Group. She enjoys yoga, hockey, lady-centric comic books, and writing. She is a mom to a wonderful two-year-old. She can be found at 
About Alana Apfel: I am a doula, writer and birth activist currently living in the UK. In Bristol where I live I am part of a collective of doulas offering sliding scale community birth work. I recently moved from California where I was part of the San Francisco General Doula Program and the Birthways center. Both programs provide volunteer doulas for people without means to pay. As an activist writer I gathered stories from doulas working within these organisations as well as the Bay Area Doula Project, BirthKeepers, Birth Justice Project and SQUAT. These contributions are featured in my forthcoming book Birth Work as Care Work: Stories from Activist Birth Communities published by PM Press in Spring of next year. More info can be found 
About Simiya Sudduth: Simiya is an ICTC trained, Full Circle Doula, mother of two multi-racial, breastfed children, aspiring midwife and visual artist, currently serving families in St. Louis, Missouri. Focused on providing culturally competent birth support to a wide variety of communities, Simiya offers her services on a sliding fee scale. She is passionate about serving families of color, teens, victims of trauma and sexual assault, single parents, low-income families, LGBTQ people and immigrant communities.
About Liz Jones: I am a labor and postpartum doula and certified lactation counselor located in Baltimore, MD. I am also the founder of the community doula collective, Wildcat Birth. As a collective, we work to provide doula care to the whole community by offering our services on a sliding scale and providing volunteer services to birthing parents with significant barriers to care. I can be contacted at liz@wildcatbirth.com or 
Radical Doula 