Doula Spotlight: An Interview Series

Because birth work is better when we learn from each other.

This interview-style blog post is designed to spotlight the incredible doulas on our team, celebrate their unique skills, and offer wisdom to clients and fellow birth workers alike.

Meet the Doula

Name: Dawn Smith
Pronouns: she/her
Location / Areas Served: DMV
Years in Birth Work: 8 years
Type of Doula Work: (Birth, Postpartum, Full Spectrum, etc.) Birth, Postpartum and Lactation

Tell us a little about yourself and what drew you to doula work.
I was initially drawn to Doula work because I became the “other support person” for all of my friends who had babies after me. I was a teen mom and rocked my own birth but couldn’t fully comprehend or understand what my body was doing. My calm and helping demeanor in the labor room is what all my friends raved about and that worked for me because I could see others labor and birth which helped me process my own birth. I thought about taking a Doula training course for years before I actually took the class and when I did I knew this class would allow me to be me and help others during a very special time.

Words of Wisdom

What is your favorite piece of labor advice to share with clients?
I often remind birthing people that they can do anything for a minute. I always remind them to breathe which not only helps them focus but also brings them back into the moment.

What is your favorite piece of postpartum advice?
My postpartum advice is enjoy your baby by laying or sitting around, eating, hydrating and feeding your baby, nothing else matters in those first couple of weeks. If family and/or friends want to visit they should bring or make a meal, wash a load of clothes, tidy up your place and after all that hold the baby while you take a nap or shower. Don’t feel like you're there to entertain them.

Beyond the Birth Room

What do you consider yourself an expert in that’s indirectly related to doula work?
(Examples: bodywork, herbalism, mental health advocacy, trauma-informed care, photography, nutrition, education, organization, astrology, etc.)

Foster care of teen mom’s because I was also a teen mom and have been doing foster care for many years.

Do you feel this skill has been helpful in your doula career? How so?
(Invite reflection on how non-linear paths strengthen birth work.)

It has definately been helpful in my Doula career because I’ve been able to assist several teen mom’s in labor and postpartum. As a teen mom you are still learning life with little to know resources so it helps when someone can help you process things and they’ve also been there themselves.

From the Clients

What are the most common questions you get from clients?

When is it too late to get an epidural?

How long will we be in the labor and delivery room after birth?

How will we know when we are in labor?

When do we call you?

Favorite Tools & Resources

What resources do you find yourself sharing most often with clients?
Instagram - @Badassmotherbirther

Doula-to-Doula Advice

What advice would you give to someone considering becoming a doula?

It's very hard to be a Doula if you don’t have flexibility in your day to day life. It has to be something that you love doing or you will get burnt out.

What has surprised you most about this work?

I’m still surprised at how many people still don’t know what a Doula is or what they do.