Anything I’ve ever done that ultimately was worthwhile. . .
initially scared me to death. Betty Bender
Please allow me to introduce myself. . .
My name is Erin Hunter. I live in Prince George, British Columbia, with my husband and our four wonderful children.
Many women decide to work in birth support as a result of their own experiences in birth. This is certainly true for me. In my role as a doula, I rarely share information about my personal experiences, unless specifically asked about them. But here, I hope that learning a little bit about my background will help you understand more about me and my philosophy about birth.
I was always fascinated by birth. . .
I first learned about what a birth doula is several years before I ever became a mother. I enjoyed reading books about pregnancy and childbirth, even in my youth. I guess I always knew that I wanted to be a mother some day, and I found the whole subject of childbirth very interesting. It was through this reading that I first learned about "doulas," which was a foreign term to me at the time. The idea of what a birth doula does really intrigued me, but it was a long time before I considered that I could do something like it.
My first doula training happened in my own children's births. . .
I met my husband in 1999 and we were married in 2001. Wasting no time, we had our first daughter in August of 2002. I prepared for that birth like many women do. I was cared for by my family doctor, I attended childbirth preparation classes, and I read several books about pregnancy and childbirth. I didn't really make a birth plan for my labour. I figured that I would just go with the flow, for the most part. I trusted that my body would know what to do, and I felt comfortable with the skills of my doctor and the hospital staff.
In the end, I had a fairly straightforward labour and delivery, with the beautiful result of a healthy baby girl, so at the time, I wasn't a bit disappointed. It wasn't until I was preparing for my second child's birth that I wondered if some things could have gone better the first time around.
Hindsight is 20/20. . .
My first labour had progressed fairly quickly, and I remember feeling a lot of fear at times. I didn't feel reassured by my husband because I knew that he was hardly an expert about childbirth, and so I felt how could I really trust that he knew that everything was OK? I am sure that the nurses had tried to encourage and reassure me, but I didn't feel that from them. Perhaps it is because their main focus wasn't necessarily on my emotional and mental well-being. Their main focus was on clinical matters, and rightly so. Throughout the main part of my labour, I felt very fearful that something wasn't going right, and really didn't feel reassured of the contrary.
My family in Spring 2009
Preparing with perspective. . .
It was while preparing for my second baby's birth that I realized what a difference it made to have the perspective of having been there. I prepared for that birth quite differently because I was able to actually visualize more-or-less what it would be like. It was true for me what so many other mothers have said--my memory of the pain of the contractions wasn't very clear at all. I remembered that they were painful for me, but I couldn't really remember how they felt. It's really somewhat of a miracle that our minds can erase what was such a sensational experience for our bodies! Of course, that is just my own experience! I prepared for my second birth by doing a lot of relaxation exercises and was able to read the books with a very different perspective. I was able to approach that birth with a lot more confidence, along with a good dose of reality! I also faced the birth with some very definite feelings about how I wanted things to go.
We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is
painful. It's that women are strong. Laura Stavoe Harm
The Second time around. . .
That second birth--It was so completely different in how I experienced it. Along with a similar lovely end result of another beautiful baby girl, came the personal result of my own transformation. I would never be the same again. I felt so strong and empowered, like I had accomplished something truly great--and I had! It had really made a difference for me to have a calm and reassured mindset. I experienced a simultaneous feeling of surrender within my body and control within my mind. It was a tremendous event!
The third and fourth times around. . .
I have experienced two more blessed birth events as our family has grown. I have been through a variety of circumstances, including having physician care, midwifery care, and an oxytocin-induced labour. Each birth has taught me something about myself, and I am so thankful for each memory of my beautiful children's welcome into the world.
I discovered I always have choices and sometimes
it's only a choice of attitude. Judith M. Knowlton
A healthy baby is just icing on the cake. . .Before I'd ever given birth, I believed that the main goal of childbirth was to bring forth a healthy baby. My thoughts on this haven't really changed, but now I also believe that the experience of birth has the potential to be affirming and empowering for the woman--and what better way is there to enter motherhood than with a new feeling of self-confidence? This doesn't happen from the experience of a "perfect birth" but rather, this can happen when a mother feels that she was informed and encouraged to make the choices that are right for her, while being cared for through the process.
And so began my journey to serving women as a birth doula. . .
After my second daughter was born, I soon realized that I felt passionate about helping other women to have similar birth experiences. Having someone there just for the labouring woman makes so much difference! Especially if it is someone who is passionate and dedicated, and can be there continuously in ways that the medical staff often cannot--for physical support, reassurance, and encouragement.
In 2005, I first began the process of certification with DONA International, the premiere association of doulas worldwide. The process has been a little drawn-out simply because my own young family is the main priority in my life. Now that my children are getting a little older, I feel more free to continue on with this goal.
I am looking forward to completing my
certification very soon!
I know for myself that it would appeal to me to be cared for by a doula who herself had managed to cope with labour naturally and was able to remain calm through various birth experiences. I feel that one of my main roles as a birth doula is to be a calm and reassuring presence during the birth, and I am confident that I can be that for expectant families.
I have several past clients who are happy to provide references about how I have supported them. Please be encouraged to request their contact details.
Information Is Power!
As part of the services that I offer, I can help you to formulate a Birth Preference Plan. Basically, it's a wish list of what the ideal labour and delivery would look like for you. I can assist you in wading through the endless amount of information that there is out there with regards to the choices and decisions that you are likely to face. I believe that ultimately, you will feel the best about your birth experience if you've felt that you were adequately informed about your choices. Even if you are unsure if you want birth doula labour support services, I can still meet with you to discuss your options and assist you in creating your own Birth Preference Plan. This is something that I really love doing with expectant couples, so don't hesitate to ask me about it! Please visit the About My Services section of this website to find out more about the variety of ways that I can help you. I am here to support you in having a great birth experience--as you define it.
If I don't know my options, I don't have any. Diana Korte
It really is a privilege and an honour to serve families in this capacity at such a special time in their lives!
I believe that women's bodies were
made for birthing!
I would love to get to know you and learn about the hopes and wishes that you have for your birth. Please contact me today for a consultation with no obligation.
Recommended Resources
The following are some of my favourite sources of reading about pregnancy, childbirth, labour support, and newborns. I can make a more extensive list available to you upon request.
Kitzinger, The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth
Simkin, Whalley, and Keppler, Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide
Simkin, The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and all other Labour Companions
Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Mohrbacher and Kendall-Tackett, Breastfeeding Made Simple
Newman and Pitman, Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding
La Leche League International Staff, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
A very informative website for expectant women of all sizes,
Thank you very much for considering
me as your birth doula!
Babies. . .What a wonderful way to start people!
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born. . . Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
