Miscarriage and Abortion Doulas: How we show up

As a doula, its most common for people to see our role in the narrow scope of non-medical labor support.  That our work is only for healthy middle class women who carried, their babies full term, who left the hospital with a swaddled bundle of joy all ten toes and ten fingers intact. In this narrow scope of doula work, 10-20 percent of women who miscarry, the 1 in 100 stillbirths that happen in a year, the 17 percent of people choosing to have an abortion are left out of the picture.  Who advocates for the woman who is choosing to get an abortion? Who swaddles the mother and helps her retrieve all the parts of herself lost in time for the traumas of the previous is carriages? Who holds space for the mother who didn’t leave the hospital with a newborn in her arms?

Full spectrum doulas broaden the scope of doula work to encompass all types of pregnancy discourse and outcomes including abortion, spontaneous miscarriages, fetal loss, adoption, surrogacy, and postpartum care. Doulas of this nature recognize the many ways the intersections of race, class, gender and past traumas can effect the birthing persons reproductive choices and holds space for emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing the person during these times. My manifestation of the healing work as a full spectrum doula is to meet my clients exactly where they are with compassionate, non-judgmental support, and both worldly and spiritual resources.

All persons are deserving of a doula in all birth outcomes and reproductive phase. If you are in Colorado and in need of doula support, please book a clarity call with us today!