Hi everyone! I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Veronica and I'm currently studying to be a birth doula.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "What in the world is a birth doula?" Well, a birth doula is someone whose role is to support the mother throughout her birth. While a midwife is involved with the actual birth of the child, the doula is involved only so far as it supports the mother. She makes sure the mother is comfortable, is happy with her surroundings, she helps the mother deal with the pain of the contractions, and if necessary, supports the mother in her decisions on the birth plan.

To be honest with you, I used to be terrified of birth, in general. A big part of this was a result of what I'd seen in the movies. The mother is screaming and everyone is running around in a panic, acting like the mother is about to die. She's throwing herself around dramatically or is being held down by other people, who look like they are feeling sick. This is the average birth scene that Hollywood gives us. What a pity!

I first started to feel not as terrified about the process about a year ago when I attended a birth education class with my mother. The woman who ran the class had two children, both born at home with no interventions. I didn't really see this as that big of a deal, as I come from a family of eleven, all of which were born at home. What really struck me about the woman was the fact that she talked about how "empowering" birth was, about how it gave women a purpose that men could never share. She did talk a little about the pain of childbirth, but it was treated as something beautiful.

I made up my mind then and there that I wanted to learn more about this mysterious process. So I started reading books and talking to mothers and midwives. Within six months, I had decided that I wanted to be a doula. Quite the flip, right?!?

What started the flip, was the fact that I started to see a whole new world out there that I wasn't a part of. I wanted to be a part of it. As a result, I am now six months into my doula training and rocking it. I can't wait to get certified and make a real impact on my community by empowering women through their birth.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you next time!