S3 E.6 Women’s Advocacy in the Birth Space | A Chat with Laura DePasquale, Adriana’s Doula
In this EpisodeIn today’s episode, Adriana and Mariah sit down with New Jersey based Doula, childbirth educator, and doula trainer, Laura DePasquale. Laura was Adriana’s doula and helped her tremendously throughout her birth journey. The girls cover everything from birth, understanding your body and its signals, toxic optimism, Laura’s perspective on Adriana’s birth, and so much more!
First, let’s get to know more about Laura! Laura is a mother of 3 and the founder of Holistic Beginnings. 27 years ago, she stumbled into the occupation, witnessed a birth, and completely fell in love! Laura supports families and pregnant women throughout the entirety of their birth journey – from teaching them how to make informed decisions about their bodies to holding a sacred space during labor, she truly values all of her clients.
Adriana, Mariah, and Laura discuss the importance of having a doula. The prime time to get a doula is 5-6 months into pregnancy. Besides the support they offer, doulas also teach aspects of female reproduction, birth, and nutrition that are not taught in schools. Let’s face it…we live in a world where the healthcare system was created by men, and in turn, accommodates men. There are SO many things that women are not taught about their own bodies and turning to research and professionals goes such a long way.
In today’s world of Western medicine, there are lots of quick fixes – many of us don’t actually figure out root causes. Many professionals tend to feel that they know your body better than you do, but YOU are the expert in your own field. Our bodies tell us so many things about our health. If something doesn’t feel right, focus on the symptoms. Healthcare and medication is never a “one size fits all.”
Speaking of medication, Laura offers her personal angle. She says that her goal is to find natural methods to be healthy. Our society doesn’t want to feel pain, let alone anything. The world is very quick to reach for medication, but we need to become in tune with physical symptoms in order to nurture our bodies. If you are going through a stressful time, your body feels that stress. Everything is connected!
Adriana and Laura go into depth about Adriana’s personal birth experience. Birth is not a performance, and everyone’s journey is different. From the moment that Laura got to Adriana’s house, she recalls that Adriana presented herself as a woman in very active labor. It was shocking to see that Adriana was only 4 cm dilated upon arrival to the hospital – this left everyone feeling defeated. Throughout the entirety of the experience, there were so many mixed messages and the hospital team was not bending to Adriana’s birth plan. Adriana says that every time she looked at Laura, the eye contact was truly empathetic and she felt like at least to Laura, she was a priority. Laura created a sacred space, even in the typical hospital environment.
Laura closes out today’s episode with some insightful advice. Moms-to-be: find a provider who gives you respectful care. There should be a symbiotic relationship between the caregiver and the receiver. If you are unhappy with the care you are receiving, it is never too late to switch - always advocate and put your best interest first. Your team is so important!
We hope you enjoyed today’s episode – Laura is truly a gem. Keep glowing, and show empathy to those around you. Catch you next time!
Important Times0:50 - Welcome back!
2:06 - Welcome Laura!
3:41 - What a doula is
9:24 - Best time to get a doula/health care industry
16:53 - Knowing your body
28:06 - Medication
32:55 - Connection between bodies and our lives
36:28 - Doctors vs. patients
39:03 - Learning
42:50 - Adriana’s Birth
53:54 - Toxic optimism
1:01:07 - Advice/Tips
Can't get enough?;)Tune In
 | Apple Podcast |
 | Spotify |
 | Youtube |
dive in deeper
Welcome bestie.
We’re so glad you’re here.
We’re Adriana and Mariah. Co-hosts, entrepreneurs, BFFs, and girls just like you trying to figure it out as we go.
