Women's Options in Maternity Care & Birth

Medicine Hat's first DONA-approved birth doula training took place August 15-17 at Medicine Hat College. Our concern was that we have enough registrants and thanks to the Medicine Hat News, Facebook and lots and lots of groundwork, we had 10 registrants!

View photos from the workshop below and check out the story written by Tenille Tellman of the Medicine Hat News!

Doula Training Workshop - August 15-17, 2008

Medicine Hat News Article

Our fab facilitator, Suzanne Moquin of Gentle Touch Doula Services

Suzanne demonstrating comfort measures.

Group photo!  I am on the first row, far left.  Behind me is Loree Seirmachesky; Medicine Hat's first certified doula, who attended as part of recertification.

Medicine Hat News
Life-Monday, July 7, 2008, p. B1

Doula Workshop will train Hatters to provide support                 
                                                                                                   
Tenille Tellman
ttellman@medicinehatnews.com                                                   

An upcoming workshop will train more Hatters to provide support options to expecting mothers.

Women's Options in Maternity Care and Birth (WOMB) is sponsoring a Doulas of North America (DONA) approved birth doula training workshop next month at the Medicine Hat College. Registration for the three-day intensive is $375, due July 15, and the workshop runs Aug. 15-17.

Michelle Maisonville, founder and president of WOMB started the organization after moving to Medicine Hat and seeing a need for supports in the southern Alberta corner.

"For women, birth is a right of passage. It's a big deal, it's not just the means to an end."

The workshop will train people to provide professional labour support to expecting mothers and their families. Doulas help develop labour and birth plans to help mothers feel more involved in the birthing process.

Doulas are sometimes mistaken for midwives so Loree Siermachesky, the one practicing certified childbirth doula, has been educating the community since she started in Medicine Hat in 2002. With a regional baby boom, business has picked up over the years and the area could easily handle at least another four doulas, she says.

"The more doulas that are in town, the faster the education gets out," said Siermachesky. "It's really hard for one person to make that big of a change."

Every woman who wants a doula deserves one, she added, so she has travelled throughout the region to provide assistance to more than 400 moms for the last seven years. Last year she helped 57 moms through child birth.

While medical staff in the area are some of the best, they cannot be everywhere. A doula never leaves the mother's side and can fill the role of support for the mother and her spouse through some of the difficult emotions and confusion experienced in labour.

"I'm a compliment to what they do, all I offer is emotional and physical support, I don't do anything medical."

Hatter Sara Lee decided to become a doula because of the lack of information she felt she had when she had children.

"It was something I didn't want other people to have to go through," said Lee.

Carrying a baby herself, she has hired Siermachesky to help her practice the skills she just obtained in training.

"Anyone who is really interested in birth, passionate about birth, or who has had a difficult or wonderful birth experience might be interested in attending the workshop, even if they're not sure if they want to pursue a career as a doula," said Maisonville.

More information about the workshop and registration is available at http://www.freewebs.com/womb or by calling Michelle Maisonville at 403-488-7367. Payment can be made to Suzanne Moquin, facilitator for Gentle Touch Doula Services, by contacting her at suzanne@gentletouchdoula.com.

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