Doula Profile: Claire Sloan

This post is the second of a series which profiles each of the doulas of Welcome Home Doula Services.  This post profiles WHDS apprentice doula Claire Sloan.
What first got you interested in becoming a birth doula?
I grew up with a strong curiosity about childbirth and pregnancy. Having never attended a birth as a child, I was mystified and eager to understand how mamas' bellies magically turned into babies. I imagined it to look something like the opening scene of The Lion King (you know, when Rafiki holds up Simba and all the animals cheer and there's that awesome song playing in the background...)
As I grew older, and continued to express interest in birth and pregnancy, my parents explained to me what midwives and OB/GYNs were. I was immediately intrigued and felt that it could be my life's calling. As a student at UC Davis, I began doing more research about the various pathways to becoming a midwife, and along the way I stumbled upon several websites, birth stories, and books that mentioned women called 'doulas'. The moment I found out that doulas supported women and their families before, during, and after labor with physical, emotional, and informational support, I knew it was exactly the role I wanted to take on. Becoming a doula was one of the best decisions I've ever made.
How long have you been a birth doula? What training have you undergone?
I have been apprenticing with Madeleine Shernock for nearly a year. With her guidance and support, I completed a rigorous birth doula training through Welcome Home Doula Services, after which I attended four births with Madeleine, and one birth on my own. In addition to this training, I took a seminar on using the Mexican rebozo as a comfort tool for women in labor. I am currently working through a basic breastfeeding course to be able to better support our breastfeeding clients. I intend to complete a DONA certified doula training in the near future, and am hoping to become a DONA certified birth doula.

Claire at Hospital Civil in Oaxaca, Mexico

In addition to this training, I have spent the past three months interning in various hospitals and clinics in Oaxaca, Mexico. During my rotations I spent a significant amount of time working with women through their labors and births at a public hospital. Working in this completely different environment has taught me so much about the importance of compassionate care, and has strengthened my abilities as a doula.
What has been your most triumphant moment as a birth doula?
Towards the end of a rather quick labor, I found myself holding hands with my client as we breathed together and maintained a strong eye contact. We got into such a rhythmic ritual that neither of us were aware that her baby had been born until we both heard her new daughter cry. It was such an amazing moment that I will keep with me forever.
What has been your most humbling moment as a birth doula?
Every experience I've had as a doula has had some humbling element. I have learned something new from every family I've worked with, and have been presented with situations that are completely unfamiliar to me. It is through these experiences that I've realized I have so much more to learn about childbirth, about family structures and about life in general. I am both grateful for this and humbled by it.
Is there any birth-related subject about which you are particularly passionate?
I'm really passionate about women's mental health, and how childbirth experiences can impact psychological health and wellbeing. I'm currently working on a research paper investigating the psychological effects of birth trauma on women and the implications this has for maternal child health as a whole. Through my research and personal observations at hospitals in Mexico, I've become an advocate of the humanized birth movement in Latin America, and am eager to investigate further the issues of psychological birth trauma and women's mental health.
A positive birthing experience should not be treated as a privilege, but rather as a norm. As a doula, I strongly believe in the transformative power of childbirth on women's mental health, and take it as my responsibility to do what I can to ensure a woman is supported not only physically, but psychologically throughout labor.
Also, I'm pretty much just passionate about all mamas and babies in general. Ask anyone who knows me. :)
What are some of your favorite resources for new mothers?
Eats on Feets, La Leche League, WIC, Childbirth Connection, and the Welcome Home Doula Services Facebook page :)