Labor of Love Doula and Childbirth Services, Inc.

How Do I Know What I Know?

by Teresa Howard

Experience is something that comes from many sources. I feel that I learn something from each birth I attend. I have personally given birth three times unmedicated. I think my experiences were good ones and I want that for others. I have breastfed all three of my children and was a La Leche League leader for many years. That too is an experience that I cherish and love helping new moms make this a good experience for them as well. Experience comes in many ways- personally having done something, training by other in techniques and being involved with someone else while they are doing it.

I began as a doula in May of 1992 when a friend asked me to come and be with her as a companion to her and her husband. I did this again for a friend in February of 1996. Later that year, in July, I was asked by a friend to be there for her at her fifth birth, my third as a companion. In 1997 I again offered to come and offer guidance to two friends in April and again in November. Then a special invitation to accompany a mom who was my second birth came in January of 1998. I offered my help to a teen friend in March of 1998 and soon after took my doula training as I was hooked at being at births!

My first professional doula birth was in May of 1998. By year end I had attended my 27th birth. And then in 1999 I attended 31 more births. The year 2000 allowed me to attend my 100th birth on Christmas Day! I doula'd for 41 moms that year. In 2001 I doula'd for 46 births. In 2002 I doula'd for 39 births and ended 2003 with 40 births. In May 2003 I had the privelege of doulaing my oldest daughter at her birth - that was my 200th birth! By year-end 2003, I had completed my 224th birth as a doula. I average four births per month now and stay really busy. By the end of 2007, I will have completed my 368th birth as a doula. In the past I have enjoyed being the state representative for CAPPA as well as a labor and postpartum doula trainer and a lactation educator trainer with them. I now stay quite busy running a company of a dozen doulas who cover most of the metro area. I really get affirmation after each birth, after each childbirth class I teach, I know what I am doing now is definitely what i am supposed to be doing. I have found my calling! So many people don't enjoy their work or don't find it fulfilling. That is certainly not my situation!

As a company we have done more than 650 labor supports as a group!

Below is a list of some of the formal and On-going training I have:

January 1998- Attended a Bradley Childbirth Series- 22 hours of attendance with Regina Scott, in Atlanta, GA
May 1998-Attended a DONA Labor Support Workshop in Raleigh, NC- 19 hours of attendance
May 1998- Attended the When Survivors Give Birth Training by Penny Simkin in Raleigh, NC
July 1998- Attended the Precipitous Labor, Emergency Childbirth Workshop by Debbie Pulley, CPM- in Atlanta, GA
August 1998- Attended the International DONA Conference in Clearwater Beach, FL
September 1998- Received my certification as a labor doula with DONA
September 1999- Attended Birthing From Within Level One Training with Pam England in Atlanta, GA
May 2000- Attended Birthing From Within Level Two with Pam England in Hendersonville, NC
July 2000- Attended the International DONA Conference in San Diego, CA
November 2000- Attended the 1st CAPPA Conference in Atlanta, GA
December 2000- Received my certification with CAPPA
April 2001- Participated as a trainer in the Joy of Labor Training at Northside Hospital, Atlanta, GA
May 2001- Spoke and exhibited at the Georgia State La Leche League Conference
June 2001-Participated as a trainer in the Joy of Labor Training at Northside Hospital, Atlanta, GA
September 2001- Attended the CDC Summit for Safe Motherhood Conference in Atlanta, GA
November 2001- Became an advisory board member for GCAPP Doula Program in Atlanta, GA
November 2001- Attended one day of the 2^ndCAPPA Annual International Conference in Birmingham, AL
February 2002- CAPPA Doula Training attendance, Atlanta, GA.
February 2002- Received my certification with CAPPA as a Labor Doula Trainer
March 2002- Became the State Representative for CAPPA
May 2002- Became a CAPPA labor doula trainer and assisted in my first training
July 2002- Became a CAPPA lactation educator trainer
September 2002- Attended Prenatal Parenting Seminar by Frederick Wirth, M.D. at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, GA
October 2002- Participated and spoke at the Stillwater Yoga Prenatal Workshop in Atlanta, GA
October 2002- Participated and spoke at the Natural Mama Expo in Atlanta, GA
October 2002- CAPPA labor doula trainer in Atlanta, GA training
October 2002- CPR cretification course taken
November 2002 Fifth Annual Fall Breastfeeding Workshop - Lactation Fast Track
November 2002- attended the 3rd Annual CAPPA International Conference in Nashville, TN- also emceed conference!
January 2003 -conducted my first CLE training workshop for lactation educators through CAPPA
April 2003- attended a workshop hosted by GFM with the speaker being Ina May Gaskin
September 2003- Participated and spoke at the Natural Mama Expo in Atlanta, GA
February 2004- attended a presentation by Dr Zachary Stowe and Dr. Jeffrey Newport on using psychotropic medication in pregnancy and lactation and mangaing bipolar disorder during the reproductive years.
April 2004- conducted a CLE training workshop for lactation educators through CAPPA
May 2004- attended a presentation hosted by Northside by Dr. Harvey Karp on The Happiest Baby on the Block.
May 2004- attended the 5th Annual CAPPA International Conference in Cincinnatti, OH- also emceed conference!
August 2004- attended a presentation by AnotherLook (www.anotherlook.org) presented by Marian Tompson, regarding breastfeeding and HIV transmission.
September 2004- conducted a combined CLE and CPD training workshop for lactation educators and postpartum doulas through CAPPA.
January 2005- attended a midwifery workshop where Anne Frye, CPM taught "The Physiologic Closure of the Cord: More Important Than You Ever Guessed"
April 2005-attending a "Spinning Babies" workshop taught by Gail Tully, CPM- this was about helping to prevent and turn occiput posterior babies.
August 2005- attended an Advanced Doula Training- Advanced Comfort Techniques- Massage & Reflexology by Donna Johnson, CMT

August 2007- attended the 7th Annual CAPPA International Conference in Nashville, TN

September 2007- attended the Gentle Birth World Congress in Portland, OR

But training is only one piece of the experience puzzle. Reading, staying active in the medical news, being active in the doula and birth community, and learning from others experiences are other pieces of the puzzle. But the biggest piece of the puzzle is participating at births. Being with women in my classroom, hearing how they are feeling. Helping them find the answers to their questions. Learning through their life experiences as well as my own enhances my personal experience. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding my experience or my services.

Just click on the hyperlinks (the colored underlined words) in the above message, or you can click on these hyperlinks as well:

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If you are interested in our doula services, feel free to contact me via the want more info link or at GeorgiaDoula@hotmail.com to let me know how I might assist you in your journey of labor and birth.

Call me at 770-923-6914 if you want to talk to me about your upcoming birth preparation.