Compassionate care with doula Katy Kelley

A Compassionate Presence for Every Birth with Doula Katy Kelley

Today’s guest is doula, Katy Kelley, who has supported hundreds of couples as they brought babies into the world. We start the conversation with a definition for the word doula, which means a mother mothering, and Katy shares with listeners that she has learned something new at every birth, which she takes to the next couple. We dive into the four cornerstones of her practice: nurture, support, education, and celebration, and she describes the labour prep classes she offers in the privacy of a couple’s home. Find out why she believes that the birthing experience has become such an anxious time, why it is important to trust the birth process, and her belief that it is divinely planned, as Katy shares her advice that listeners be team players and trust the healthcare practitioners assisting you through your birth. Katy tells the story of the most meaningful birth experience she has had and what the journey to becoming a doula entails, as well as why she chose to become a childbirth educator. Learn how she aims to empower couples when she educates them leading up to a birth, what a doula can’t do in a birthing process, and how she uses essential oils and acupressure for pain relief. She also reveals her amazing success rate with vaginal births after C sections and tells us about the importance of educating yourself, knowing the medical field, and knowing that it is your experience in order to move through it in a relaxed manner. In closing, she shares some things that can make the birth experience more positive, including music, angel massage, reiki, and more. We hope you join us to hear from this highly experienced practitioner today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• The Greek definition of the word doula, which means a mother mothering. 
• How many births Katy has been present for: hundreds and hundreds.
• How, through each birth, she learns something new to take to the next couple.
• The four cornerstones of her practice: nurture, support, education, and celebration.
• Her overall purpose to provide a positive environment.
• Why there is increased anxiety during the birthing experience: electromagnetic fields, stress, and not embracing the present moment. 
• The importance of trusting the birth process and the belief that it is divinely planned.
• Why it is important to be a team player and trust the rest of the team.
• The most meaningful birth experience Katy has had: seeing her granddaughter being born.
• The journey to becoming a doula and why she chose to become a childbirth educator.
• How she aims to empower couples when she educates them leading up to a birth.
• What a doula can’t do in a birthing process: birth the baby, mandated care, pain relief.
• How she uses essential oils and acupressure for pain relief. 
• Why a doula can be helpful for any kind of birth.
• Katy’s acronym for the word doula: devoted, observing, understanding, loving, and attentive.
• Why you have to have a connection with your doula.
• Katy’s amazing success rate with vaginal births after C sections.
• The importance of educating yourself, knowing the medical field, and trusting in your experience in order to move through it in a relaxed manner.
• Making the experience more positive with music, essential oils, angel massage, and reiki.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Katy Kelley on LinkedIn

The Zen ish Mommy Podcast