Doulas of the Roundtable
147 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 65 ratingsDoulas of the Roundtable, A modern twist on an ancient concept. A place where all voices are equal, knowledge is shared and hard topics are talked about.
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Episodes
Episode 40: Free Doula Services
September 18, 2020 03:49 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBLet's talk about free doula services. Providing free or low-cost doula services. For many years the discussion centered on doulas with financial privilege serving birthing families for free and low cost and how that impacts other doulas. More recently an awareness that this conversation must also include serving at-risk communities, including the BIOPIC communities through funded programs. In this episode, we take a look at both sides of this "Free Doula" conversation.
Episode 39: Birth Plan vs Birth Preferences
September 04, 2020 03:39 - 58 minutes - 37.9 MBAs birth professionals, we are aware of the power of language. This is especially true when it comes to the language used surrounding birth planning vs birth preferences. A birth plan can often be viewed as a pass or fail endeavor. While creating a list of birth preferences can open the door to communication and flexibility. Join us as we discuss the nuances of the language surrounding how we help a client identify and express their desires for how their births may unfold.
Episode 38: Developing Your Doula Voice: Part Two
August 21, 2020 18:27 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBHere's Part Two of developing your doula voice. This episode we discuss ways to work around the fears and concerns and share some tips on what helped us feel more comfortable and confident in our work. Join us as we talk more about developing your doula voice.
Episode 37: Developing Your Doula Voice: Part One
August 07, 2020 18:31 - 1 hour - 46.3 MBAs you navigate your doula career, you begin to develop your doula voice. This development often requires you to identify and confront the fears and concerns surrounding birth work. In this two-part series, we start by identifying some of the fears and concerns, and then in part two, we will be giving advice on how to overcome these fears which will allow you to grow your own authentic doula voice.
Episode 36: Empathy & Compassion in Birth Work
July 24, 2020 13:19 - 1 hour - 40.8 MBEmpathy and compassion are two of the foundational elements of birth work. Both can have a positive and negative impact on birth workers and their clients. In this episode, we discuss the difference between empathy and compassion and the potential benefits and drawbacks of each.
Episode 35: UPDATE- Doulas Supporting Clients & Each Other Through COVID-19
July 10, 2020 04:28 - 1 hour - 42.2 MBCOVID-19 UPDATE: Birthworkers, how are you holding up during this pandemic? Is your business at a standstill? Are you struggling to find clients? Or is your business booming? Come join us as we discuss how to make money and network during the pandemic to keep your business relevant in your community.
Episode 34: Why Does One Become a Doula
June 26, 2020 03:21 - 1 hour - 53.6 MBAs doula trainers, we see people from all walks of life interested in becoming a doula. Over time a pattern seemed to emerge. Come join us as we discuss the most common reasons many individuals come to doula work and the pros and cons of these reasons.
Episode 33: The Myth of the Doula Sisterhood
June 12, 2020 05:05 - 1 hour - 45.4 MBIf you hang around doulas long enough and you'll hear it. Those two words that seem so innocent and inviting, doula sisters (or doula sisterhood). But take a closer look and you're likely to find that the notion of the doula sisterhood has a darker meaning and intent. How can you have a sisterhood when there are doulas who are excluded? Come join us as we break down the idea of "sisterhood" and discuss it's existence in our community.
Episode 32: Postpartum Support
May 29, 2020 20:15 - 1 hour - 50.6 MBIn this episode, Eva and Angela along with their guest, Kelly Rutan, talk about postpartum support. We discuss the role a postpartum doula plays in a family's life. Kelly helps us take a closer look into what some postpartum families are dealing with and the different ways a doula's support can help. Join us and our special guest as we tackle this important topic.
Episode 31: Certification
May 13, 2020 19:05 - 48 minutes - 31.2 MBIn this episode, Eva and Angela tackle the topic of certification. We talk about things like is it important, does it matter, do client care, does our industry care. As doula trainers, we are passionate about helping new doulas thrive in their birth work, so it was only a matter of time before we tackled this topic. Join us!
Episode 30: Male Doulas
May 02, 2020 00:39 - 1 hour - 38 MBSince the start of this podcast, we have wanted to do an episode on Male Doulas. There seems to be a bit of stigma and judgment surrounding male doulas and their role in birth work. Join us as we sit down with Kelly Carrington, a male doula, and discuss this topic. Male doulas may be in the minority but they have a place in this work and it is our hope to see more of them feel welcome to enter this field.
Episode 29: Informed Consent & Decisions
April 17, 2020 20:33 - 52 minutes - 34.2 MBIn this episode, we discuss informed consent & decisions and what a doula's role is in their client's journey through it. We tackle questions like how can we help & when is the right time to offer that help? Is informed consent & decisions more important to you or your client? How do you provide the information they want without bringing in judgment and bias? Join us as we discuss this important topic.
Episode 28: Supporting Cesarean Birth
April 03, 2020 20:54 - 52 minutes - 34.2 MBIn honor of Cesarean Awareness Month, we discuss the ways to support clients through cesarean birth. We sit down with Christi Banks to discuss all the different ways we can support our clients through planned, unplanned, and emergent cesarean births. We still have a place on the birth team and there is still support to be had.
Episode 27: World Doula Week 2020
March 20, 2020 18:42 - 59 minutes - 38.9 MBIt's World Doula Week 2020! Join us in our discussion of how we plan to celebrate World Doula Week while we navigate unchartered territory that is COVID-19.
SPECIAL: Doulas Supporting Clients & Each Other Through COVID-19
March 16, 2020 17:26 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBIn the rapidly evolving landscape that is life in March of 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic as our reality, doulas across the globe are facing many hard choices. Come join us in this special episode as we discuss navigating our home and business lives amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Episode 26: Supporting Loss
March 06, 2020 13:51 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBSupporting Loss: Join us as we welcome guest Annie Willems to discuss the tender topic of supporting clients through loss. In this episode, we discuss supporting families through expected and unexpected loss. As doulas it is important to identify our biases and triggers well before we are called to support our clients through the loss of their baby. Trigger warning: Due to the sensitive nature of this episode, it may be difficult to listen to. Make sure you take care of yourself and step awa...
Episode 25: Black Maternal & Infant Mortality
February 20, 2020 17:45 - 1 hour - 60.1 MBBlack maternal health is a hot and important topic in the birth community today. Join us and our guest, Samantha Griffin, as we discuss serving black clients, epigenetics, allostatic load and how it's entirely possible that doula care may not result in the outcomes that are hoped for.
Episode 24: Parenting & Doula Work
February 07, 2020 16:40 - 56 minutes - 36.1 MBWe sit down with Aisha Fanning to discuss how to navigate parenting and doula work. The question of how one navigates their own children and their responsibilities of doula work is one of the questions that gets asked quite a bit. We asked Aisha to be on so that we could shed a bit of light on it can be done.
Episode 23: Making Money
January 24, 2020 20:10 - 1 hour - 44.9 MBIn this episode, we focus on two questions, "When will I make money?" and "How soon can I leave my other job?" We dive into both of these questions and peel back what it looks like to make money from our passion.
Episode 22: Shadowing & Mentorship
January 11, 2020 16:14 - 1 hour - 39.7 MBWelcome to Season 2! We kick the new season off with talking about shadowing and mentorship. When you are first starting out it's very easy to want to watch someone else do the work for jumping in yourself or have someone there to help guide you as you get hands-on. In the doula world that can be a little tricky and not always the best for the client. In this episode, we discuss the pros and cons of shadowing and mentorships and some of the alternatives that exist.
Episode 21: Season 1 Wrap Up
December 27, 2019 03:49 - 46 minutes - 30.3 MBAs we come to the end of 2019, we also come to the end of Season 1! In this episode, we look back on the episodes we have recorded, the impact we have seen, and then we shift our focus to Season 2 and 2020.
Episode 20: Birth Stories & Giving Gifts
December 13, 2019 07:24 - 50 minutes - 32.7 MBIn this episode, we talk about writing birth stories and giving gifts. Why doulas do this, how it helps or hurts, and is it necessary to our success with our clients. It's a topic that comes up now and again and we wanted to chat about why doulas do this.
Episode 19: Inductions
November 29, 2019 17:23 - 55 minutes - 35.3 MBIn this episode we discuss inductions. How our support can look, the feelings around inductions, and how to navigate medical professionals as well.
Episode 18: Virtual Doulas
November 15, 2019 20:06 - 30 minutes - 20.2 MBIn this episode, we talk about Virtual Doulas. Someone who provides emotional and education doula support but are not physically present. We explore how virtual doulas fit into the doula world and the impact they have with clients.
Episode 17: Physical vs. Emotional Pain
November 01, 2019 17:42 - 1 hour - 44.1 MBAs doulas, our role is to support. We support physically, emotionally, and educationally. Sometimes it can be tough to determine if the pain your client is feeling is emotional or physical. In this episode, we talk that through. We discuss the importance of keeping track of both of these types of pains and how to navigate them.
Episode 16: Doula Philosophies
October 18, 2019 17:50 - 1 hour - 50.8 MBDoula Philosophies. What does that mean? Do you have one? Do you allow them to dictate which clients you support? In this episode, we talk about some of the philosophies that we know doulas subscribe to and the reasons why. We try to unpack the reasons why doulas support some clients vs. others.
Episode 15: Doula Support: Partner's Perspective
October 04, 2019 16:52 - 30 minutes - 19.7 MBIn this episode we explore the partner's perspective with one of our own Tucson Doulas' clients. Join us as Jo Jo shares what he thought a doula was. What lead Jo Jo and his partner to hire a doula. How they found a doula to interview local to them. If you have ever wondered how to reach partners and help them see the value of hiring a doula for support through pregnancy and birth, this is the episode for you!
Episode 14: Interventions
September 20, 2019 09:43 - 1 hour - 45.7 MBInterventions. We all know about them and we all have clients that use them everyday. In this episode, we explore the pros and cons of intervention use. We talk about why our clients get them, how one doesn't always lead to the other, and how we, as doulas, sometimes allow our biases to cloud the support we provide.
Episode 13: Agency vs. Independent Contractor vs. Solo
September 06, 2019 17:10 - 1 hour - 47.6 MBBusiness structures! Do you become an agency, an independent contractor, or do you strike out on your own and go solo? In this episode, we weigh the pros and cons of all of those options.
Doula Bytes #4: Empowerment
August 30, 2019 16:10 - 23 minutes - 14.5 MBThis is a Doula Byte do you do not want to miss! CAN SOMEONE WHO LACKS EMPOWERMENT IN THEIR OWN LIFE EMPOWER ANOTHER? We recognize that birth as an individual's sacred moment. An experience that lasts and lifetime. A powerful experience where there are no do-overs. It's a story that they will tell again and again. Yet when a birth worker is carrying trauma from their own experience they can't effectively help another have an empowering experience of their own. If you are dealing with you...
Episode 12: What We Were Taught
August 26, 2019 14:34 - 27 minutes - 16.7 MBIn this special episode we had an opportunity to sit down with ProDoula's CEO Randy Patterson and discuss what we were taught and how we use that in our careers. How can we grow from the knowledge we were given and improve upon it? We were very excited to sit down with her and have this discussion. We hope you enjoy it too!
Episode 11: Insurance
August 09, 2019 17:57 - 1 hour - 41.9 MBInsurance for clients, insurance for doulas. We talk about it all in this episode. Can clients use insurance to cover the cost for doula services? Will it ever be a widely accepted? How about insurance for you as a doula? What ae the pros and cons of having insurance as a birth worker?
Episode 10: Unassisted Birth
July 26, 2019 15:49 - 52 minutes - 35.6 MBIn this episode we discuss doulas attending unassisted births. We talk about the pros and cons for both the client and the doula.
Episode 9: Creating Boundaries
July 12, 2019 06:04 - 1 hour - 42.8 MBIn this episode we discuss creating professional and personal boundaries. We discuss social media practices and pitfalls, reaching out to other doulas for help, and the importance of creating these boundaries for yourself.
Episode 8: Non Judgemental Support
June 28, 2019 05:23 - 37 minutes - 25 MBDo you provide non judgmental support? In this episode Angela and Eva sit down with Kristyn Blocher to discuss the ways that doulas can provide true non judgmental support. We look at the language we use, the actions we take, and the biases we bring into our client's lives and how we can provide better support.
Episode 7: Childless Doulas
June 14, 2019 16:57 - 43 minutes - 29.7 MBIn this episode Eva and Angela talk to Lacey Bauer about doing this work without having children of our own. How that impacts us, do we do anything to compensate, and how our clients and colleagues feel about it.
Episode 6: On Call Life
May 31, 2019 16:33 - 33 minutes - 22.5 MBIn Episode 6, Angela and Eva dive into the reality that is being on call for our clients. There can be a lot of ups and downs with being on call as well as different things to navigate. We give some tips and tricks to help, but mostly we discuss the truths of being on call.
Episode 5: Grandparents & Other Support Persons
May 17, 2019 18:48 - 34 minutes - 22.4 MBIn this episode Angela and Eva sit down with Mona White-Ortega to discuss grandparents and other support persons in the birth rooms. Mona teaches a Grandparents class that helps grandparents navigate the birth room and helping their child through the birthing process.
Episode: 4 Infant Feeding
May 03, 2019 01:34 - 58 minutes - 41.1 MBIn this episode Angela and I sit down with Lacey Bauer and discuss all things Infant Feeding. How do we support our clients with breast feeding, bottle feeding, pumping, the physical and emotional stresses, as well as the joys, and so much more? Sit down with us and let's have a conversation!
Episode 3: Self Confidence As A Doula
April 19, 2019 17:10 - 35 minutes - 22 MBSelf-Confidence is the feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgment. It can hold you back as well as propel you forward, and it is up to you on what you allow it to do. You are the only one who is in control of it. In this week’s episode, we talk about self-confidence as a doula. How self-confidence can holds us back and how to overcome that. It’s not about having all the answers, it’s not about attending every kind of birth scenario, and it’s not about knowing all the th...
Episode 2: Placenta Chat w/ Kristyn Blocher
April 05, 2019 03:59 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBLet’s talk about placenta encapsulation! There’s no denying we love the placenta in all its glory. It’s a magnificent organ that facilitates a wonderous process of supporting life. Yet the fascination and power of this organ can lead some who encapsulate placentas into a false sense of security when it comes to the potential dangers of the encapsulation process. In this episode we discuss common attitudes towards the placenta and the hidden dangers that can exist in such a belief syst...
Episode 1: Old School vs. New School Doulas
March 22, 2019 05:58 - 49 minutes - 31.6 MBWelcome to Episode One!! In this very first episode Angela and I sit down and talk about the differences between how we viewed this work when we first came to it. With a difference of 18 years experience we look at what has changed and what needs to change. We also, discuss how this topic can potentially be controversial. We have seen that there seems to be a divide in the doula community with doulas that have been doing this work for a long time vs the those who are new to this wo...
Doula Bytes #3: What Kind of Doula Should You Be
March 20, 2019 15:43 - 15 minutes - 10.6 MBWhen thinking about entering birth work, there are many different paths to consider. In this doula byte we discuss the many paths available to supporting growing families, and the considerations that an individual may take when choosing the path that is right for them.
Doula Bytes #2: Collaboration vs. Competition
March 15, 2019 06:33 - 21 minutes - 14.1 MBIn the birth community there seems to be two sides when it comes to the idea of competition and collaboration. Some believe that collaboration should always trump competition. And others believe that competition is healthy and pushes us to do better. In this Doula Byte we discuss the idea of collaboration over competition and share our ideas, beliefs, and viewpoints on this divided topic.
Doula Bytes #1: Birth Bags
March 08, 2019 17:04 - 18 minutes - 13.5 MBWelcome to our Doula Byte Session. These mini sessions are snippets of discussions we have behind the scenes. We wanted to give you some insight into the conversations that we have that may or may not result in a full episode, but are a important, controversial or funny none the less. This is the first episode in this mini series and our topic is Birth Bags. There's a lot of discussion amongst doulas about what to pack in their birth bags. We explore why doulas feel the need to carry a b...
Episode 0 -The Introduction
March 01, 2019 18:09 - 16 minutes - 12 MBIn Episode 0, we explore who we are, why we created this podcast, and a bit of information on our launch episode which will be released on March 22nd 2019! Grab a seat and let us explain why we are so excited to bring this podcast to you!
Doulas of the Roundtable Trailer
February 28, 2019 21:09 - 1 minute - 4.1 MBWelcome to Doulas of the Round Table! We are so glad you are here and we look forward to having you along for the journey. Our podcast was born through a series of late-night talks between two doulas on opposite ends of the experience spectrum. Through a series of discussions while searching for the perfect title for our podcast “Doulas of the Round Table” was born. A play on the Arthurian “knights of the round table concept”. A place where each seat at the table has an equal voice. This i...