Navigating Cultural Nuances with Doula Advocate Debbie Mitchell
Release Date: 11/04/2024
TBG Interview with Kathryn Konrad
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
Nursing educator Dr. Kathryn Konrad talks to us all about her research, the nurse-doula relationship, the problem with many nursing textbooks, maternity care deserts, and how doulas can foster great relationships with nurses in training too.
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Navigating Sleep Disruption and Recovery for On-Call Doulas
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
This one's for the birth doulas who are excited to get the wake up call and haven't yet realized the physiological toll that this will take (as we see in the scientific literature) on your body. We're talking about all the ways we deal with being on call and making sure we're getting our Zzzzzzzs on this week's episode. Birth doula work gets described as thrilling—the middle-of-the-night call, the quick scramble, the arrival at a birth. But what’s left out of that story is the reality of sleep deprivation, the impact of disrupted schedules, and the ongoing challenge of protecting...
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The Scarcity Mindset: How Doulas Treat Each Other (And How to Do It Better)
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
The doula community talks about abundance mindset constantly, but the actual behavior in many local communities tells a different story. In this episode, Dr. Robin Elise Weiss and Dr. Hillary Melchiors dig into the professional dynamics that shape how doulas treat each other across the experience spectrum. They name what a scarcity mindset actually looks like in practice, why it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, and why newer doulas often misread what established doulas can and should offer them. This is a direct, honest conversation about the professional culture that determines whether...
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Getting Hired as a Doula: Tactics That Actually Work for Growing Your Client List
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
Everyone who comes through doula training asks the same question: how do I actually find my first clients? In this episode, Dr. Robin Elise Weiss and Dr. Hillary Melchiors cut through the anxiety around getting started and offer practical, grounded strategies for new birth and postpartum doulas who are ready to build a practice. The conversation covers everything from the psychology of feeling "ready" to the concrete mechanics of networking, social media, pricing, and contracts, and it does so in a way that will resonate with trainers and agency owners who field this question constantly. ...
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Geek Out with Dr. Jennifer Lincoln
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
In this episode of The Birth Geeks, Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, OB-GYN hospitalist, IBCLC, and author, joins Dr. Robin Elise Weiss and Dr. Hillary Melchiors to talk about the hospitalist model and what it means for doulas and clients, how to show up during a home birth transfer, obstetric violence and why the term matters, misinformation on social media, informed consent as a human rights issue, and what a well-prepared patient looks like from the perspective of someone meeting people for the first time in active labor. Dr. Lincoln also discusses her new book, written for birthing people and...
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Supporting Clients Through Inductions Without Losing Yourself: Hard Lessons Learned
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
We're tackling a tough subject for birth doulas in this week's episode: induction arrival. When do you join your clients and how do you communicate with them before and during an induction? Speaking from our experience as birth doulas, we're talking about approaches we've seen work and some that haven't too. As birth doulas, at some point you will absolutely have a client be induced, and planning ahead can make a world of difference in everyone's experience, including the doula's.
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Hard Truths About Doula Insurance Coverage
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
Insurance coverage for doulas sounds like a win for everyone. More clients, broader access, sustainable practice. But the reality is messier than the headline, and Dr. Robin Elise Weiss and Dr. Hillary Melchiors have both lived that reality from opposite sides of the billing process. Robin brings a background in health management system sciences, years of taking insurance as a doula, and experience running an oral surgery practice where insurance claims were part of every single day. Hillary brings the on-the-ground perspective of a doula agency owner who has navigated company benefits,...
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When Clients Don’t Show Up: Navigating No-Shows in Birth Work
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
No-shows are one of those topics birth professionals talk about in private but rarely address out loud. In this episode, Dr. Robin Elise Weiss and Dr. Hillary Melchiors get into both types of no-shows that doulas actually deal with: the potential client who ghosts a consultation, and the client who goes into labor without ever picking up the phone. They share what they've done to reduce no-shows before they happen, how to respond when they do, and why extending grace doesn't mean abandoning your systems.
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Rethinking Burnout: Moral Injury & Sustainable Care for Birth Workers
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
Dr. Hillary Melchiors sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Kerry Makin-Byrd for a grounded, experience-led conversation about burnout, moral injury, and the emotional weight of long-term birth and mental health work. Dr. Makin-Byrd reflects on moving from Colorado to New Zealand and how that shift reshaped her clinical practice and her own recovery. Taking apart the myth that burnout is a personal failing, they make the case that systemic factors, not individual shortcomings, drive the exhaustion so many birth workers carry. Covering boundary-setting in a field...
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Interview with Loudmouth Lisa
The Birth Geeks' Podcast
Lisa Vee, aka Loudmouth Lisa, is a doula business strategist and coach who brings her whole heart to this work with the flare of the dancer and salesperson background that she brings to the table. In this episode we talk about attracting clients, pricing your services, shifting priorities, and more. Enjoy!
info_outlineJoin Dr. Hillary Melchiors as she dives deep into the enriching journey of Debbie Mitchell, an integral part of the European Doula Network. Debbie shares her insightful experiences and the remarkable collaboration between organizations like DONA, ICEA, and Red Mundial de Doulas that brought the "doula corner" to the FIGO Conference in Paris. The discussion shines a light on the enormous impact that collective efforts can have in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology.
- European doula shares her journey, influenced by a friend, and completed training in Slovenia.
- Faced challenges in establishing her practice amidst language and cultural differences.
- Discussed involvement with the European Doula Network (EDN) and the importance of networking and support.
- Emphasized sociocracy and consensus in EDN decision-making and the diversity of doula practices across Europe.
- Noted the need for simplified language for better communication and inclusivity.
- Highlighted growth in conference attendance and financial accessibility concerns.
- Mentioned collaborative efforts among doula organizations and traditions like the "doula song."
- Importance of volunteer leadership, local engagement, and shared responsibilities within EDN.
- Reflected on the significance of relationships, communication, and cultural nuances in the doula profession.
- Closed with appreciation for community connection and an invitation for doulas to share experiences.
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