At the WFB&WC we love doulas! Doulas serve such a great purpose giving moms and dads reassurance and education both in pregnancy and in birth. Because doulas do not perform any medical tasks, they can zero in solely on the emotional, physical, and educational support aspect that her clients need. Of course midwives do this too, but we don’t come to your home (unless it’s a home birth) in labor like a doula does and we have medical tasks that sometimes have to take priority over that type of support.
In rural areas, doulas are few and far between. Occasionally the USAF brings in a doula for a few years while her spouse is stationed here but then she has to move on to their next base. Sometimes doulas move on to become midwives and can no longer take doula clients and sometimes doulas just simply move out of the birth field. To remedy this, Wichita Falls Birth & Wellness Center decided to build a doula program from the ground up. Its very important for our clients, especially the first time moms and the VBAC mothers to have a pool of professional doulas to choose from.
Enter the Wichita Falls Doula Alliance. The Alliance belongs to the birth center and doulas who want to be showcased by us must belong to and be active in the Alliance.
To qualify for the Alliance, a doula must:
-Be trained by an approved organization. There are many great training organizations out there but there are a few we do not align well with regarding philosophy that is safe and ethical for our clients.
-Regularly attend the monthly Alliance meetings
-Pay a nominal fee
Doulas who are part of the Alliance benefit by:
-Mentoring by Wendy, who was a doula for ten years
-Debriefing after births to continue to learn as well as decompress
-Networking with other doulas for business ideas as well as for possible backup
-Becoming the main referrals by birth center midwives
-Access to the birth center’s library for their personal study
Families using a Doula Alliance Doula benefit by:
-Knowing their doula has a solid training and is mentored by a seasoned birth professional
-Having a variety of doulas to choose from
-The option to hire a doula who can “phone a friend” for sound advice
-The reassurance that their doula has a strong network of professionals around her
-Knowing their doula has been vetted by the birth center
Our current list of Alliance members & their bios in alphabetical order:
Heather Tyson
Heather has always had a passion for caring for others, especially women experiencing PMADs. It’s her goal to help families become educated about their decisions so that she can empower and support them in the ways that fit them best. “Becoming a doula was a natural next step in my journey to support women and families, and I’m looking forward to bringing my years of experience and education to support you.”
https://lovestardustdoula.com/
Kimberly Parker
Kimberly Parker is a Wichita Falls, Texas native birth doula and lactation student living in the Lawton/Ft. Sill area. After becoming a mother and working in the oil and gas industry she decided to she wanted to do something that she loved, something that would fulfill her and give purpose. She realized helping families by becoming a birth worker and lactation consultant was her calling. In 2019, she began her studies to become an IBCLC trained with DONA to become a birth doula. Kimberly is a mother of three children ranging in age from young adult to a toddler.
https://www.heartsandcrownsbirth.com
Melissa Pate
Melissa’s passion started with a spark when she attended the birth of a high school friend who had no other support. Melissa recounts this memory, “I had no idea what I was doing, but I was amazed by her power. She asked me to sing to her through each contraction. Somehow I was able to find just the right melody to ease her pain and give her some peace and support as she brought her child Earthside. And she did it! My seventeen year old self knew I had been part of a miracle.” She later learned the word “doula” and trained with DONA hoping one day to become a midwife. She obtained degree in nursing from Montana State University. During her last semester she met and married the love of her life, Kyle, and they focused on growing a family. She is now the mother to seven amazing souls. The first three were born by c-section, the next three were VBACs born at home, and the last was induced for medical reasons in Fort Worth, Texas. Each of her children’s births shaped her as a woman and mother. She has now come back to her passion for birth work by joining Birth Boot Camp to become a doula and childbirth educator.
https://m.facebook.com/birthwithmelissa
Murphie Robinson
Murphie Robinson is a DONA Certified Birth Doula serving Southwest Oklahoma. She has been attending births since 2015, and has experience with Home, Hospital, and Birth Center births. She is committed to helping families obtain the birth that best suits their individual needs. She has strong family values and a deep walk with the Lord. Murphie calls Duncan,OK home and loves living in the country. She enjoys raising Miniature Australian Shepherds, spending time with friends and family, and drinking coffee!
https://www.facebook.com/babystepstobirthdoulaservices/
Sabrina Harroun
Sabrina Harroun is a Certified Birth and Bereavement Doula through Madriella and StillBirthday. She is also a trained Placenta Encapsulater. She was born and raised in Lawton, Oklahoma. She is a wife and a mother to five babies; two who walk beside her and three who fly above her. She became a certified doula in 2015 after the birth of her oldest son, however, she had the goal of being a doula several years before that. Sabrina loves being a doula because she felt like there was a gap in information for pregnant families and she believes that through education comes empowerment. She joins families where they are in their journey of welcoming new life and helps them find their confidence together as a birth team.
https://www.sothisislovedoula.com/
Shelby Jones
Shelby Jones has been practicing as a doula since 2018. She is married to her high school sweetheart and together they have three children. Her passion for birth began when she became pregnant with her first child and started planning for her own birth, and she saw firsthand how best evidence is not always used in medical practice. She has attended births in all settings but community birth and midwifery care hold a special place in her heart. Her favorite things about doula work are: helping women find their own voice in their medical care and witnessing the birth of a new family.
Instagram: shelbyjonesdoula
If you’re interested in joining the Wichita Falls Doula Alliance, email me at [email protected].