Melinda with her son Quin, just as she was starting out as a postpartum doula.
Twelve years ago, still in the fog of postpartum depression after my second son’s birth 8 months earlier, I took a postpartum doula class and found a calling. I found a career in which I could help others have a more enjoyable postpartum time and I knew from the great support I’d had, that birth doulas also have the potential to have a great impact on the perception of the birth—a pivotal moment in a person’s life.
Since then I’ve not only attended many additional trainings, but now teach Postpartum Doula trainings myself. As my skills in birth and postpartum doula support have grown, I’ve become fond of supporting new doulas in addition to new parents. All along I’ve striven to further my reach beyond the individual families I was helping—by teaching, volunteering in my community and mentoring doulas.
In 2013 I went to Shanti Uganda and was so inspired by the wonderful community there I set about starting a birth center in Edmonds, WA. Logistics and funding preventing this from being a viable reality for a doula to do (although Sprout Birth Center will be opening soon nearby, and I’m very excited about that!). So I spent two years building our local birth doula community in my role as the PALS Doulas President. This gave me both inspiration and management skills for what would become my next step on my doula journey.
In 2016 I decided to move Calm and Confident Doula Care from a thriving one person doula biz, to an agency with eight independently contracted doulas associated with me. This gives some promising doulas an opportunity to receive mentoring as they grow in their skills and connections in the community and focus on doing doula work rather than running a business. Each of the doulas on this team is kind, compassionate, nurturing and has a heart of gold. They are eager to meet and support new parents and parents to be in going through a pivotal time in their life. I am so pleased they have agreed to join Calm and Confident and I look forward to us supporting many more families in the months and years to come! Check out the wonderful Birth and Postpartum Doulas who've joined the Calm and Confident team.
Melinda, Krista, Anna, Ines and Courtney at our first team meeting this month.
Lisa, Melinda, Laura and Tyana at our first team meeting. Deardra couldn't make it-- she was attending a birth.