who i am

I wear several hats, the most important with regard to doula work being that of a mother, community advocate for families, a woman with a strong cultural upbringing that values families and children, and someone who enjoys and appreciates the research and seeking out information.

I am mother to six year old Ma'iingan, who was born in the hospital in the presence of my midwife, doula, partner, best friend, mother, and the doctor who came in just in time to put gloves on and catch the baby. Though Ma'iingan's birth was not as we planned, with a transfer to the hospital from our planned homebirth, there was never a moment that I felt as though I was being steamrolled, and I know the presence of my doula was one of the reasons for that. I felt empowered during the entire process, and so have very little sorrow that things did not go as planned. And I wish that for every family - that feeling that they play an active role in every step of the birth of their baby, even when the birth is not what they imagined.

I am one of the co-founders of Happy Bambino, a parenting boutique and center here in Madison. I have spoken with, supported, and worked with hundreds of families in the 3.5 years HB has been open. I am also very thankful to have been able to meet and work with many members of the birthing community in the area, and their wisdom and support has been instrumental in my decision to do doula work. The vision for Happy Bambino has always been happier families through parental empowerment and community support, and doula work is, for me, an embodiment of that same vision, albeit on a more personal level.

I grew up in Bad River, an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) reservation in northern Wisconsin, amongst a family of strong females. I was taught to understand the ways in which the strength of both men and women are necessary to the success of a community and of families. Families and children in particular are very much valued, and in my family, my mother and grandmother both worked in education and social services and I grew up tagging along to many community and social gatherings. This sense of community and support was a major motivator in opening Happy Bambino, as I was seeking out a social network for myself as a parent, and it is also a motivator for doing doula work. Many of us are here in the area without family close by, and in such a transitional time in your life as the birth of your baby, it seems even more critical that you have support that you can trust.

I came to Madison for college, as so many of us do, completing a BA in American Indian Educational Policy in 2002. I began a master's degree in Educational Policy, but got sidetracked by Happy Bambino. I hope to complete my degree in the next couple of years, and very much miss doing academic research. Seeing communities and families make decisions that are based out of as much information as posssible is important to me. There are too many messages out there about what sorts of people and parents we ought to be, and it is hard to sort through those messages, but information and making self-informed decisions is empowering. As a doula I will not be pushing any particular agenda, rather helping my clients to sort out the barrage of information, and seeking out additional resources and providing access to many points of view so that each family can make the decisions that are best for their families.