Empower Yourself, Hire A Doula

Empower Yourself, Hire A Doula

It’s International Doula Month! This month we celebrate all the hardworking doulas around the world who assist mothers before birth, during birth, and postpartum. Through their love and attention, they help to improve the health of mothers and infants.

For my book about childbirth around the world, I interviewed Maria De Los Ángeles Chero, a well-known midwife in Lima, Peru. Maria was one of the first doulas in Lima. She is a pioneer in Peru helping women to have an empowered childbirth experience. Unfortunately, Lima, Peru is a place with a very high c-section rate. Some say the c-section rate in the city is 80 to 90%. Thankfully with Maria’s calming, empathic nature, she is able to assuage many women’s fears and help them to feel supported at this vulnerable time.

Maria De Los Ángeles Chero with newborn, Jaime Caetano.

In her interview, Maria talked candidly about childbirth in Peru and what it means to be a doula. She believes that the way to control women with the healthcare system is to take power away from women. Here is a snippet from the interview.

Maria - “We need to remember, to remember that women have the power.”

Khristee - “I think that’s it. This needs to be heard by more people. Even in the U.S, we have been controlled so long as women in so many different ways that now finally people are seeing this with the healthcare system too. But we haven't had our power in so long! You say to remember, but when did we really feel our power?"

Maria - "We have to remember from the times that we felt fear, when we started believing that we are not able to do it (give birth) because someone else told us that we are not able to this, that we are going to fail in doing this. Because women are vulnerable... There's a system; patriarchy is everywhere. Everything for men. Doctors have always been situated in a superior position. What does that mean that I should give you my body and power my power? And my feelings?"

Khristee - “What is the best benefit of being a doula?”

Maria - “It was the first place that I can do what I like the most.”

Khristee - “Why do you like to do it so much?"

Maria - “I love babies!” (She laughed.) “The second reason is because I can remind them (the women) of their power and that it can be a wonderful experience, to not focus on the pain, but on the delivery. And there's only one childbirth, even if it  at home, at the hospital, at the clinic. There's only one childbirth. There is only one type. The woman is the one who delivers. Wherever they are, whoever they are with, whoever is the doctor, the woman is the one who delivers. She has to know that her body is designed to deliver. It's designed to fit and she can feed the newborn because she was given breasts. The other part (why I enjoy being a doula) is to empower women.”

I look forward to sharing more of my interview with Maria in my two book series about childbirth around the world.

Share below. Did you have a doula assist you before, during, or after birth? Or all three? Are you considering having a doula with your next child?

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Thank you so much to all the doulas who I interviewed for my book and to all of the doulas around the world who assist moms and their babies to have the best experience possible!