Dear Families,
Thank you for considering me as a possible support person during your birth and postpartum time. There is always a lot of excitement and anticipation leading up to the birth, which can sometimes be replaced by exhaustion and isolation if families aren’t well supported. Setting up a strong support network beforehand can help to ease this transition for your family. My role in your support network is as a non-judgmental person who is there to offer you educational, physical, and emotional support. My role will be ever changing, constantly adjusting to your needs. My focus is on nurturing the family, giving you space and energy to enjoy this sacred time.
My journey to become a doula has been a long one, but I feel like it has been well worth it and I’m honored to be doing this work. I am the daughter of a midwife and I used to go with her to homebirths and postpartum visits as a toddler. I believe that it something that stayed with me and has steered me in the direction of my work as a doula and massage therapist.
When I was growing up, I had no interest in going into the “family business”. My background is in elementary education, but after subbing for years and not feeling a strong desire to have a classroom of my own, I started working with families as a nanny. This work as a nanny opened my eyes to need of families for respite and connection. I was fortunate enough to be with a family when they had their second child. This was the beginning of my work with families postpartum.
In 2007, I moved back to the Midwest after the birth of my nephew. Although I have never had my own children, for a year, I was able to care for him along with another baby. With two infants under my care, I began to understand the challenge that families face when having a baby at home. This only fueled my interest in becoming a postpartum doula. Although I had started massage therapy school, I wanted to pursue being a doula as well. In April 2009, I went through the DONA postpartum doula training at the Center for the Childbearing Year in Ann Arbor , MI . I’m still working towards completing my certification, which means having certifying experiences with families like yours. Although it is not necessary to be certified, I think that it will show my commitment to this work.
I look forward to the possibility of working with you.
Blessings,
Emily Semer