I’ve been listening to people in the Black community speaking, asking us to consider the origins of the word doula.
I’ve also been listening to people in the LGBTQIA community telling us that the current definition of doula is not inclusive and is causing harm.
I’ve taken in the information I’ve seen shared and have decided I will no longer use the term doula to describe my role and the services that I provide. I am in the process of discovering the best words to holistically describe the prenatal, birth, and postpartum services I provide and will use the term birth support specialist in the interim. The language on my website and other social media platforms reflect this.