Labor Day: Kiera's Birth

It's world doula week!

A doula is a birth professional who supports families throughout pregnancy, birth, and/or postpartum (as well as other transitions in the lives of birthing people.) I am a Full Circle Doula, which means I provide holistic doula support and education to families throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum centering African American birth traditions. I have specialized training, education, and experience in cannabis medicine and endocannabinology, so I also support families in holistically consuming cannabis medicine which is also an African American birth tradition. I'm extremely honored to do this work, I absolutely love love love being a doula!

So I wanted to share one of my favorite birth experiences! I've had so many wonderful clients with great birth outcomes, but I’ve always said that as a doula, I'll know this is my calling if I get the chance to labor with a mom on Labor Day. I had the wonderful pleasure of supporting Kiera and her family as she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on Labor Day! (Sidenote: I do not believe birth is not a laborious process but it does to take lil loving work!)

I met Kiera & Eddie at my 4/20 CBD tea party, a meet & greet where I share information about The Cannabis Doula and support and education on cannabis. Soon after we had our initial consultation to make sure we were a good fit for one another. During our consultation, not only was I interviewed by Kiera but I also had the chance to talk to her partner and her mom! It was such a loving experience I knew immediately we’d be a great team. I met with Kiera three times during her pregnancy, she also took a childbirth education class, and we supported her in choosing to birth at a local birth center with a midwife and making informed decisions throughout her pregnancy and birth.

During one of Kiera’s prenatal appointments with her midwife, after discussing she’d hired me as her doula, she found out that her midwife had taken my Holistic Cannabis Consumption: Pregnancy, Childbirth, & Postpartum online course! A dream come true! We were all in alignment and this was really something I had dreamed of! Kiera had a phenomenal birth team! This girl literally had her whole family cheering for her, with the support of her doula and midwife. Her birth was relatively short for a first time mom! She called me just as my little ones were waking me up and I was home before midnight. We used various comfort measures during her birthing time, including CBD topicals, massage oils, and salves. Lots of moving around, time in the tub, and good vibes. Kiera gave birth to her healthy beautiful baby boy and I am still so honored to have been there to support her and Eddie, and her whole family. During postpartum, I provided herbs, meals, and supported her with breast-feeding, belly binding, newborn care and self-care.

I can go on and on about the importance of prenatal care, childbirth education, and a supportive birth team but Kiera and her family is actual proof! I’m still so proud of her and grateful that I was able to support her in safely using cannabis from pregnancy through postpartum, but more so that I was able to support her in a safe birth. She gave birth to a healthy little King who is now six months old.