What is a full spectrum doula?
Full Spectrum Doula, Birth Companion, Care worker, Kasama ng Manganganak
A professional companion who supports a pregnancy no matter the outcome, whether it is though birth or loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion). Doula care includes non-medical, professional support of physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual care for the birthing person.
“Many full spectrum doulas approach the work, not only from a stance of individual care and respect, but also from a deeper political conviction that anyone who becomes pregnant deserves bodily autonomy, meaningful support, and full access to quality health services… People frequently refer to us as ‘advocates.’ Often it simply means this: we are ‘holders.’ We hold space by creating safe, comfortable environments where our clients can be heard. We hold stories and experiences and reflect them back to our clients to help shape a memory that’s meaningful. We hold abundant love for our clients and each other in times of crisis and in times of joy.”
—Mahoney & Mitchell, The Doulas: Radical Care for Pregnant People
Kultura: The Story of Urduja Doula
As I began to commit to the decolonization path, I found Tita Leny Strobel’s book who solidified Urduja’s mysterious presence in my life. From Tita Leny’s book Babaylan: Filipinos and the Call of the Indigenous, Urduja is:
“A cultural healer and powerful leader, but most importantly, a paradigm for spiritual transformation that extends to the political. For me, Urduja marks my own journey toward my divine or authentic self. In calling them a Babaylan (shaman, priestess), it places a special meaning on what it means to be a powerful warrior. It privileges the spiritual, the necessity of honoring our spiritual selves and realizing who we really are as warriors, and as individual spirits, to precipitate a positive transformation on this planet.”