Reflections from the Mic (Part 1): Advocacy, Education, & Owning Your Birth
Last week for World Doula Week, I had the absolute joy (and I don’t throw that word around lightly) of sitting down with the incredible Vanessa Bauman on her podcast, Birth and Breath Co. If you’ve ever wanted to eavesdrop on two birth nerds who’ve been deep in the game for years, swapping stories, busting myths, and trying not to interrupt each other with “YES!” and “ME TOO!” every five seconds—this was your moment.
The conversation was rich and winding—like a good labor, really—and I walked away feeling even more fired up about this work. Here are a couple of my biggest takeaways, with more to come in part two down the road:
1. Advocacy Isn't Just a Buzzword—It's a Skill Set
So many people come to doulas hoping we’ll be their voice in the birth room. And while I will absolutely speak up when needed (like when a provider’s reaching for scissors without saying a word—nope, not today), the real magic happens when you know how to advocate for yourself.
That’s why I make self-advocacy a cornerstone of my doula care and childbirth education course. You get to own your story, ask the hard questions, and make informed decisions—because you deserve more than a birth that just happens to you.
2. Education Can Rewrite Birth Stories
One of the most meaningful moments in our conversation was when I shared my deepest hope: fewer people saying, “I want a do-over” after their first birth.
Because you deserve better than birth trauma caused by being in the dark. You deserve a birth experience where you feel seen, informed, and heard. That’s exactly why I created my self-paced online childbirth course, Your Birth, Your Options: Make Informed Choices with Confidence.
It's designed to help you understand how your body works, how to prepare your mind, how to navigate hospital interventions and home birth alternatives, and how to make decisions that feel right for you. It’s more than just birth prep—it’s your confidence source. (And y’all know I hate the word “empower,” so trust me when I say this hits different.)
If you haven’t already, go give the episode a listen below. Vanessa is such a thoughtful host, and we covered a lot of ground.
Come back in a day or two to read part two of my reflections…
