Patricia At Work | A Photography Project Celebrating Doulas

Doulas do immensely important work with growing families, and I wanted to do a photography project to give insight into their industry.This is Patricia – she serves laboring women in San Jose and the South Bay Area.

A little background

I became a doula in 1998 after being at the park one day with my moms’ group and one of the moms said she was using a doula for her upcoming VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). It hit me like lightning. I thought, “I could do that work”. When I got home I immediately called my midwife and asked her how to begin. She told me about DONA (Doula International), an organization that certifies doulas. That was March of 1998. I took the training in May and was at my first birth in July.

After working for 18 years, I am now a bit picky about the clients I choose and where I practice. I work close to home now. I now only work mostly with practitioners and hospitals I know and trust. I do a lot of home births.

The favorite part about your job?The hardest parts of your job?What are some of the core principles that help you in your work?

Is there a birth or family that has left an impression on you?

Any thoughts, wisdoms or ideas for expecting parents?

Know that you have options!!!!! Know that doctors and midwives and doulas are humans. They make mistakes; they don’t have all the answers. Know why you are saying yes or no to something. If you don’t want your water broken, why not??? Why don’t you want an IV? Why are you refusing eye ointment for your baby? Why do you want to wait until the cord stops pulsating? There are good reasons to say no to these and there are good reasons to say yes. You also can change your mind depending on the situation.

This is your birth. You only do a few of these, maybe only one. We do this for a living. It is YOUR special day. YOUR baby. Not ours.