Certifications and qualifications: CD(DONA)

I am a mother of 4, living in the twin cities area. With three adult children in their 30's and a baby of 19, I enjoyed all natural childbirths, skin-to-skin contact at birth and wonderful breastfeeding experiences until they each, in their own time, weaned themselves. Prior to having my own family and after my college graduation I became a case worker for ADC (Aid to Dependant Children) and worked with a number of unwed moms choosing to have home births. I assisted them in their births and with these births was born my joy in working within the birthing community. Yes, like the velveteen bunny, I had 'become', in my case, a birth doula. I taught in public schools for years as a special ed teacher, and discovered within myself a love for teaching. I became Lamaze certified and taught these classes along with La Leche classes for years, branching out to become a labor assistant and a quasi-lactation consultant to any and all who needed me. (We had yet to be dubbed doulas.) After I started my own family, I became self-employed, opening a children's clothing store; I became a licensed pilot, going on to become a commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. I have worn many different hats and loved them all. I am Nanna to one awesome granddaughter, age 3. I am blessed to have her care when my daughter goes to work and to have known her from the moment of her birth within the dynamics of extended family. With my own children raised, I now have the time and drive to do what I love most – enable other families in the birth of their choice. I like to think my hat now reads Inanna. I became a certified birth doula through DONA almost three years ago and am in the process of completing my re-cert for the upcoming three. I have almost completed my DONA certification as a postpartum doula. This is my third year as a member of the Collective, an organization that I find does not rest in its aspiration to change the norm for birth in a multitude of positive ways.

I hesitate to dub myself a 'grandmother doula', though perhaps I should google it and find the technical definition. I find that what I bring to my birthing couples and singles now is much the same as what I took to them when I was 23 years old albeit with a great deal more experience: a love for the birth process, an absolute respect for the woman's body and its congruent ability to produce a baby, the joy in seeing a family born and the unequivocal knowledge that I have helped with my support to bring all into being. The smile that initiates in my heart and ends up on my face at each birth I attend, is the same. I am in awe of the baby produced, doing all that I can to help my moms and their partners in my support of their birth experience. At home, in the water, on a hospital bed, on the floor, in a squat, on knees, with a midwife, with a doctor, nurses around, or not, each family's birth should be their own and it is my calling to attend to them in the best possible way to support their birth process. I want to walk the birthsteps with my moms and dads as they transition into the dynamics of family. As a birth doula I meet with moms for prenatal visits at least once each trimester or twice in the month prior to delivery if I'm retained toward the end of the pregnancy, and once postpartum. Additionally I make myself available, at mom's discretion, for an office visit with their caregiver, a hospital or birth center tour and ultrasound visits. Once in labor, I meet parents at their home for labor, join them at the hospital for labor/delivery duration and stay for one-two hours after the baby is born, certainly through breastfeeding latch-on. I am available via telephone and e-mail from the time I'm retained and for as long as needed postpartum. As a postpartum doula I am available as needed, by the hour or block of time, during the day or overnight 24/7.

I have Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education and Special Ed; DONA certification as a Birth Doula with a Lactation Education Resources certificate in lactation management and certification in CPR & AED (adult, child & infant) as a Healthcare Provider through the University of MN. I will complete my DONA postpartum training on 12/01/07 and will be certified as a DONA postpartum doula shortly thereafter.

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