Doula Spotlight Interview
Spotlight on Align Doula Emily K
Doula Emily K offering support to Mama Natalie and Baby Joanna
Align — Emily, it’s a pleasure to feature you on the blog! You’ve been part of this doula group (originally Beautiful Birth) since 2015 and we’re happy to give more people the opportunity to get to know you! We hear that you recently had a milestone birth!
Emily — Thank you! It’s a pleasure to share more of my story. Yes, last week I attended my 50th birth! I feel honored to work with each and every family, and they are all special in their own way. Hitting 50 births is something I’ve been looking forward to for a while; it’s just one of those steps that makes me feel more knowledgeable and credible. Now the countdown is on to reach 100!
A — That’s a lot of lucky families! Did you always know that you wanted to be a doula?
E — I’ve been inspired by birth for a really long time. I grew up with two sisters close in age to me, and then when I was 12 my baby brother was born. I loved watching my mom go through pregnancy, and then getting to meet the baby at the hospital was incredible. When I was 16 my mom was pregnant again, and I made a deal with her that if I got to be at the birth, she could attend the birth of my child one day. It was an absolutely mind-blowing experience. She was so strong and in-tune with her body. I watched in silence for a long time, until she told me I could talk to her during the contractions. I didn’t have any prior experience besides what I had seen on TV, but that was enough to get me started. I started talking her through the contractions and supporting her as best I could. I loved being able to help her stay calm and support her during such a special time. Being there definitely changed me! I considered going to school for midwifery, but went down a different path and graduated college with a double major in Communication Studies and Spanish. Years later, during my first pregnancy, I was considered high-risk and couldn’t work with the midwife that I had hoped for. That’s when I learned what a doula was and how they could support me during my labor. I had an incredible experience having a doula and couldn’t have imagined getting through labor and delivery without her. When my baby was about 8 months old, I completed my DONA-approved birth doula training, and the rest is history!
A — What a great start to your journey, being there when your sister was born. Did your mom ever get to attend one of your births?
E — Yes! My third child was born in 2019, and although the support people for my first two births were limited to my husband and doula, we decided to have a party the third time around! My support team included my husband, my doula, two of my sisters, my best friend, and of course my mom! It was so special to be surrounded by so many strong, supportive women (and my husband, of course!). My labor started with my water breaking two weeks early at a Mumford and Sons concert, which made for an extra fun and exciting start to an incredible experience.
A — Wow! How fun! What an incredible memory. We’d love to learn a little more about the support that you offer to families. Is there a certain type of birth that you specialize in?
E — I love to support any and all births! I’ve been to homebirths, hospital births, unmedicated births, births with epidurals, laughing gas, and/or IV pain meds, a breech delivery, hypnobirths, cesarean births, water births, and three twin births! I try to stay up-to-date on research and various comfort techniques so that I can support all families, no matter their preferences. Some of my trainings include Hypnobabies and Spinning Babies.
A — Thank you, that’s so helpful for folks out there looking to learn more about your services! What advice do you give to families that are nervous as they approach their due date?
E - I always remind my clients that their body knows just what to do. I will be there to help keep them calm and in control, and to offer suggestions or comfort measures when needed. The relationship that I form with them prenatally allows me to create the environment they are looking for, anticipate how they will react to different situations, and understand what will help them most if unexpected turns come up. Some of my go to phrases during labor are: “Take a deep breath down to your baby,” “You’re already doing this,” and “Your body knows just what to do.”
A — Those are great, I couldn’t help but take a few calming breaths myself! Thank you so much for sharing more of your story here! To wrap up, please tell us what’s next for you!
E — It’s been a pleasure! I definitely plan to continue my work as a birth doula, and offer postpartum support when I can. I’d love to complete a postpartum certification within the next year or two, so that’s high on my to-do list. I’m also working to get more information posted on Align’s YouTube channel, @aligndoulaservices. There are a few fun videos in the works that I’m very excited to share. My hope is that it will become a place where families can find helpful, fun, evidence-based information for pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. I also love being a mentor to new doulas as they get started on their journeys.
A — How wonderful to hear, we’re lucky to have you on the team! Best wishes on your next ventures!