We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Camille Wright. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Camille below.
Camille, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
People always say “you should never quit a job without another lined up” and “it’s just work, just clock in and clock out.” But what about when your work environment turns toxic? What about when you wake up every day dreading work so bad that it physically makes you ill? What about when your work makes clear stances that fundamentally go against your values? It’s no longer “just a job.” It’s 40+ hours of our week, time we will, quite literally, NEVER get back. And I’m expected to just sit there and take it because “well just be grateful you have a job anyways.” Here’s the thing, I can be grateful for still having work while still acknowledging that the work is NOT meant for me and who I am. It’s not being selfish or ungrateful, it’s setting a boundary within yourself.
When I realized that me and my previous work were, simply put…no longer aligned on values and expectations, I had a really hard decision to make: grin and bear it OR quit and do something on my own. I HAD to choose the latter, lest I give up the very foundation of myself. I am not the kind of person who stops fighting when they are backed into a corner. I absolutely refuse to accept that “this is just how things are” when, mind you, the “things” in question are emotional and mental abuse. I demand more and better! And time and again, that demand makes people uncomfortable, especially in the corporate world.
So, in April 2025, I left my comfortable, mentally & emotionally exhausting “9-5” (I know y’all know the 9-5 work schedule is more like 8-8, let’s be real). I had nooo job lined up. However, I had a plan. I had been doing an online training certification to become a Birth Doula. And what better push to jump full-time into being Doula than being freshly unemployed!
My last day of work was Tuesday April 2. By the following Monday April 7, I was meeting with a pregnant mother to ask her to let me by her Doula. May 28, 2025 I supported my first birth with that same parent. The following weeks I supported them in their postpartum stage by helping take them to doctor appointments and by watching the baby while they tended to their other children. In the middle of June, I had joined a Doula collective to continue networking and meeting with other Doulas in Southern California. In July, I had multiple interviews with several families to become their Doula and/or their Postpartum Doula. In August, I started working as a Postpartum Doula for a family. In September, I got two NEW clients, both due in October, and started working with them prenatally to prepare for labor. At 12:30am October 10, I supported one of those clients in the delivery of a healthy baby girl! At 7pm October 10th, my other client went into labor and I joined them at the hospital as they were laboring and navigating a toxic doctor that refused to listen to their medical decisions. By 6pm October 11, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy (with a new *respectful* doctor in tow)! Now, I’ve got 3 postpartum parents (all first time parents!) that I have the honor of supporting as they navigating new-parenthood.
My life has become exactly what I’ve dreamed of. I get to do community-based, healing work every day. I am so so honored to be in this new line of work and to be able to improve the lives of pregnant people in SoCal. I couldn’t be more thankful – I finally found the thing that I absolutely love and I am so happy.
Camille, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Hey! My name is Camille Wright and I am a Doula. The first time I ever heard the word “Doula” was in high school. I don’t have any family that works healthcare who I could ask about it so the thought of being one kinda dissipated when I didn’t have the support to learn more. I had always done volunteering all throughout my life specifically with women and children and was always wondering how that could be something I do full-time. Little did I know…
In May 2024, I began an online training program to become a certified Birth Doula. I started my own small Doula business called Blooms In Abundance at the end of April 2025. Now, I work with expectant parents prenatally, during labor/delivery, and postpartum! Prenatally, I help them create a comprehensive birth plan, go over breathing and comfort techniques for labor and we discuss, at length, the signs and stages of labor. My goal is to help parents feeling adequately informed and prepared when the time comes so that they can make informed decisions about the type of medical care they want to receive. During labor/delivery, I work to keep them feeling calm and empowered as they navigate each contraction and change that’s happening in their body. It’s very important to me to create a very tranquil environment for them so that they can stay at peace and feel in control of themselves. In their postpartum era, I come to their homes to help take care of the baby with them! This can look like overnight sessions so that parents can get the sleep the need and I’ll be the one that wakes up with the baby. Or daytime sessions where parents may need to tend to other household or work matters and need extra hands to make sure baby is fed, changed, burped, etc. I also make sure to go over nutrition plans, especially for parents that choose to chestfeed because an underfed parent can quickly become a sick parent. I’m able to remind them that although the newborn trenches are HARD, they are absolutely not alone. It takes a village and when I become someone’s Doula, I take the role of being a village member very seriously.
I’m incredibly proud of my ability to not just keep myself calm but keep everyone in the room calm during labor/delivery. Things can change soooo quickly in the delivery room and my attitude toward a situation can also shift the vibes. My client’s look to me not just for guidance on what to do but also REASSURANCE that they are doing the right thing and that everything is going to be okay.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Parents are always going to trust referrals and recommendations from OTHER parents. The most effective strategy I have is to simply be damn good at my job, to be totally honest. At the end of the day, I can post on social media, make flyers, and spend time of marketing but there is nothing like the power of WORD OF MOUTH! And if I’m damn good at my job, people talk. And when people talk, that’s when they start to find me.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
I think the most helpful thing is staying grounded in my purpose and WHY I’m in this field. It is a million times deeper to me than simply collecting a check from these families. I work with vulnerable populations that are often taken advantage of and they need someone in their life whose focus is sincerely dedicated to their wellbeing. Compassion and empathy is a must at all times. Even when it’s hard and you’re so tired from being at a birth for 30+ hours…remember the HEART of this work. Caretaking cannot be done when your heart is shrouded in darkness and greed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomsinabundance/
