Life… work… motherhood. Like so many of you, I much of my career as a doula and childbirth educator was as a young mother. I lived that balance between clients & toddlers, and the craziness of a life on call. I trained as a nurse (even got a masters degree!), and a midwife. I grew a successful childbirth education & doula agency.
And here I am, 20 years later. The boys are nearly grown (17 & 19!), and I’m on the verge of an empty nest. Here I share everything from stories of my journey as a birth pro, why I didn’t become a midwife after all, favorite recipes, my volunteer work & more.
Five key business mistakes I have made in my years of self-employment
Ready? Here are five key business mistakes I have made over the years that I wish I had done differently… This is how we learn, right? We make mistakes. Ideally, we learn from them. I’m doing this in the name of showing that we are all on a learning path, that where we are right…
The path to becoming a doula
One of the things I love about working with birth and postpartum professionals as a web designer is hearing how each of you came to this path. Perhaps it was your own birth experience, supporting a friend in birth, reading Ina May Gaskin, or a purely chance encounter that lead you down this path. It…
You asked – I’m answering
Last week I put out an anonymous questionnaire inviting you to ask me just about any personal or website related question with the goal of opening up a new level of conversation in 2017. You all responded with a host of great business questions & a few tasty personal ones, and now I have pleasure…
Avoiding Doula Burnout: The Tale of a Doula Sabbatical
I know a lovely, skilled, dynamic, and incredibly inspired doula & childbirth educator who has been at risk for doula burnout. Let’s call her Betsy. She does absolutely incredible things in her community, creating innovative offerings that have established her as a respected expert. She’s one of those people that wakes up with an idea,…
Mary’s Birth Story: The Poems of Lucille Clifton
As a devoted, albeit retired, former doula and childbirth educator, I’ve always felt a fascination with Mary’s side of the story as we approach Christmas. As a young woman I discovered a series of five Mary poems by powerful poet Lucille Clifton. From Mary’s childhood with a future already written, to her experience of conception, birth,…
On Birth Nerds and Passwords: My Confession
As a website designer I have endless opportunities to share passwords with clients. New website login information, mailchimp logins, email passwords – I spend an unusual amount of time each week verifying passwords. As you know, a quality password should involve a blend of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Now, when are talking…
Why I am Not a Midwife
Happy International Day of the Midwife everyone! My 26 years in the birth world been quite a journey, and the incredible work of midwifery is a core part of who I am today. Given how many doulas and childbirth educators I meet who dream of “one day” becoming a midwife, I thought I’d take a…
Birthing Ourselves – My Path as a Doula & Childbirth Educator
I once read a great blog post by a doula about her experience in a Birthing from Within workshop, I have found myself reflecting on my own path as a doula and childbirth educator. Over the years I’ve done ICEA training, DONA Birth Doula Certification, and Birthing from Within Mentor Certification, along with apprenticing as…
HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
I do my best to include helpful posts for your online strategy and your holistic business. Whether you are a midwife, chiropractor, doula, or non-profit / advocacy organization, you will find tips & tricks to improve your website and use it as a creative tool to get more clients.
Have a topic you'd like to learn more about? Email me at info@thewebsitedoula.com and let me know!
