Meet the Emerald Doula : 5 Questions with Meredith

1: Give us a three word summary of who you are.

Accompaniment. Committed. Goofy. 

2: What drew you to a career as a doula?

A combination of academic background, passions, job history, and the stars aligning brought me to this work. I found out what a “doula” was through hearing the birth story of the baby that I was nannying for at the time. I had the privilege of pretty immediately grounding doula work in a reproductive justice framework, which aligned with much of the other spheres of my life. I also have an MSW (Masters in Social Work), but often felt frustrated in the field. Doula work feels similar, but more expansive and creative.

3: What's rocking your world right now, in birth or in parenting?

Witnessing how a birthing body and baby move together over the course of labor. 

4: Where might we find you when you’re not doula-ing?

On a walk in the woods or cooking up a storm in my kitchen.

5: What's your Top 5 Registry Must-Haves for new parents?

• A postpartum doula fund

• A meal train

• An affordable and comfortable baby carrier

• A photography session

• Blackout curtains

Meet the Emerald Doula : 5 Questions with Shauna

1: Give us a three word summary of who you are.

I am calm, a laugher, and a listener.

2: What drew you to a career as a doula?

Mind-body connection is what initially drew me to birth work. But the more I learned and practiced in this work I found a great need for advocates and support systems within healthcare and birthing spaces. There's also the squishy babies part of it all that's a real juicy cherry on top.

3: What's rocking your world right now, in birth or in parenting?

How the birthing space allows us to see each person's gifts. It's just so incredibly humbling to be involved in something that allows us to honor each person involved and the unique gifts they have in this world + in that experience.

4: What has been your #saferathome silver lining?

My #saferathome silver lining is that I've learned to just let things move and groove however they're going to, without the desire to force things. I've also finally mastered my ideal peanut sauce.

5: What's your Top 5 Registry Must-Haves for new parents?

• endless amounts of snacks and warm meals

• white noise machine (or app)

• bedside bassinet

• baby wrap or carrier

• a stroller that doesn't take a weightlifting champ to get it in and out of the car

Meet the Emerald Doula: 5 Questions with Vanessa

Editor's Note: Meet one of the newest members of the Emerald Doulas team! Birth Doula, Vanessa Safie, joined the EmDo Team this summer when she moved to North Carolina from Florida. She brings a wealth of experience, calm, and quiet confidence to her clients and their birth spaces. 

You can read her full bio on our "Meet the Team" page, and learn a few extra, fun tidbits below!

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1: Give us a three word summary of who you are.

Caffeinated. Witty. Efficient.

2: What drew you to a career as a doula?

What drew me to a career as a doula was the trauma my best friend felt during her first birth. I wanted to be there to hold her hand. So, I stuck my encyclopedia cd into my computer and found the definition a doula. I knew I wanted to be in service to anyone who would have me.  

3: What's rocking your world right now, in birth or in parenting? 

What's rocking my world in birth right now is the conversations happening around black maternal mortality, inclusion of trans people in the community, and the voices of those who have suffered trauma and assaults during their births being raised.

I'm doing a lot of reading and listening because it feels momentous. 

4: When you're not doula-ing, where are we most likely to find you?

When I'm not doula-ing you can likely find me at one of my favorite coffee shops or playgrounds with my toddler. If I'm not there I'm in my kitchen baking something up! 

5: What's your Top 5 Registry Must Haves for new parents?

• A Ring Sling! (I would say any baby wearing apparatus, but a ring sling is my all time favorite because of how long it can be used.)
• Halo sleep sacks
• Side car/co sleeper 
• Manual breast pump
• Travel high chair

Bonus Fun Facts: In addition to English, Vanessa is also fluent in French and Spanish (she's conversational in Haitian creole, too!). She's also the mother of a micropreemie, Jackson, who was born at 26 weeks, and spent 86 days in the NICU before his homecoming.