Doula Profile: Madeleine Shernock

This post is the first of a six-part series which profiles each of the doulas of Welcome Home Doula Services.  We begin with the founder of WHDS, Madeleine Shernock.

Q: What first got you interested in becoming a birth doula?
A: I've always been interested in women's health, particularly in helping people make informed decisions about their care. I worked through a community clinic as a sex educator and advocate, teaching high school students how to prevent pregnancy and disease transmission. I eventually transitioned into being a doula originally with the intention of "just attending some births" to see if it was right for me.
Q: How long have you been a birth doula? What training have you undergone?
A: I attended my first birth as a doula in October of 2010. I have attended a DONA-Approved Birth Doula Training (June 2010) as well as seminars on lactation management (July 2011), the Mexican Rebozo (January 2011), common obstetric complications (June 2011), and water birth (July 2011). I invest a lot of my time getting the information I need to increase my knowledge base--being a doula is absolutely a full-time job for me.
Q: What has been your most triumphant moment as a birth doula?
A: I recently watched a woman laugh in ecstasy and excitement while she pulled her newborn baby up to her chest! It was completely surreal, but at the same time it set the bar for something I know as real and achievable in real life.
Q: What has been your most humbling moment as a birth doula?
A: There are times when I am quite humbled by people who disrespect mothers in their most vulnerable moments--we have a long history of this in our culture, of women being hurt. We have a long way to go.
Q: Is there any birth-related subject about which you are particularly passionate?
A: I am particularly passionate about opening up conversations about birth trauma with healthcare professionals and birth professionals. This is a largely preventable situation, and there are concrete ways we can be helping families have positive birth experiences. As a doula, I am there to remind the mother that her birth is a really, really special time in her life--it may just be a day long, but it is something that she will likely remember forever. Birth is to be preserved, and those memories should be worth preserving.
Q: What are some of your favorite resources for new mothers?
A: La Leche League International and KellyMom are great resources for moms who are planning to breastfeed. Childbirth Connection is an excellent page with info on choosing a care provider, pregnancy, labor, cesarean, VBAC, and how to navigate our really bizarre maternity system.