My Journey to Became a Doula
Aloha, I am Charity, the Birth Doula and Photographer at Mahina Birth Support in Kansas City. Birth work is the destination that so many aspects of my life have led me to. As September nears, I feel it is appropriate to share my journey into the birth world by starting at the beginning. I was a young mother when I had my first child 22 years ago this September.
I was the first in my group of friends to have a child and I remember feeling so isolated and alone even though I did have support. A few years later when my friends started to grow their families, I would share my experiences and the knowledge that I had gained with them. I did not want anyone to feel alone or scared at their birth as I had. I wanted others to realize that they did have a voice and a choice about how they wanted to welcome their baby into the world, and I wanted them to know that they deserved to feel cared for and supported along the way. As a result, they started inviting me to their births. I would offer information about the process of birth, as well as share tools with their partners so that they could support them in a way that felt loving and present. After attending my first birth (that was not my own) 19 years ago, I knew that supporting births would always be a part of my life. At the time, I did not know what a doula was. On our island, most women had hospital births that were unmedicated or “natural” and most were supported by midwives. So naturally, I thought I would become a midwife. As a mother with four small children, I put that dream on hold. I started using my love of photography as a way to continue to support and celebrate expecting women. I also continued to attend the births of those who invited me to support them. I had created a thriving business and I loved being a part of the birth world.
Seven years ago my family moved from Kauai to Kansas City. When we arrived, I spent most of my time caring for my family and doing outreach and support for those who had been affected by PTSD and other mental health challenges. At this point in my own life, I had gained a significant amount of knowledge about both mental health and the mind-body connection. I saw how our thoughts influence our hormone production as well as every other aspect of our lives.
I have always believed that what you put into the world will grow, whether that is strength, love, kindness, or tiny humans. If you want to make a difference in the world, you have to make a difference for those who are raising our future. I recognized that being away from the islands, the thing I missed the most was my sense of community and the support of the incredibly strong women around me. Together we were stronger. For me, my career choices came down to being a therapist, a midwife, or a doula. But the hands-on, one-on-one support that a doula can offer a birthing person and their partner is unparalleled and the obvious choice for me, because really I had been doing that all along. I dove straight in and trained with DONA International and became a full-time doula. Doula work allows me to marry my photography, the mind-body connection, mental health awareness (because birth does not happen in a bubble), my experience and knowledge about the process of birth, and my desire to share strength and support with my community.
When I was attending births as a support person in my twenties I know I had value to offer, however now in my forties, the well is so much deeper. I love that with all of my life experiences I am able to influence birth in a gentle, thoughtful, and responsible way. I recognize both the beauty and the weight of this work. My goal is to help you embrace your voice, recognize your choices, and to allow you to feel supported and cared for along the way.
As your doula, I support both you and your partner as a couple experiencing birth. You may be the one in labor, but your partner is also experiencing birth. Their experience is no less valid or important. It would be an honor to be a part of your team.