We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gabrielle Steward. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gabrielle below.
Gabrielle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?
When I first spoke with you all. I had just became a doula. Now I am in Midwifery School. The story I reflect on the most is the experience with my first client as a doula. She ended up delivering her baby at home and everything about that night was beautiful. When I first arrived to her home she was in the earlier stages of labor and had not reached transitioning. The intensity of her contractions picked up some and we went straight into comfort measures to help her through each contraction. We walked around her home, I had her sit on the birth ball, we used the rebozo (a strong fabric cloth like a scarf) and did abdominal lifts and she enjoyed the “shaking the apple tree” method a whole lot during contractions. We even danced a little. We had affirmations on the TV. Her friend was there as well and the environment was just full of us laughing and encouraging her. She got in the bathtub a few times once the contractions were really intense, here she rested awhile until it was no longer helping her. She sat on the toilet and this is a personal fav position for me because of how it opens the mom up. Which is literally what happened because she sat on the toilet for about 1 or 2 contractions and she felt the need to get up and move again. As soon as she stood up she had another contraction and felt like the baby was coming out, so she came onto the floor of the bathroom, had another contraction and baby was born. The whole moment was exactly what she wanted, naturally at home. Mom and baby were both fine and healthy. The moment is one we both will remember forever and definitely bonded us for life.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m from Columbus, Ga. I became a Birth and Postpartum Doula two years ago. I knew I wanted to work with moms and babies and initially considered Lactation Consultant, but when I came across Doulas and read what they did and how they assist moms, I immediately thought of my own birth experiences and how BOTH of my experiences were simply awful and the only good thing that came from them was my babies and I surviving. As a doula, I offer birth support during labor, I offer prenatal support which includes education on your body and what happens during birth, your options during your labor including helping you create a birth plan. I also schedule a few appointments with my clients to do comfort measures and birthing positions so it’s not something new to mom, her and partner once labor begins. I offer Childbirth Education classes and Lactation Education. My postpartum support focuses on lactation and I even offer overnight care which is basically helping parents overnight with their newborn. My personal experience makes births hit close to home with me, I don’t want anyone to have the experience I did, I also want every mother to feel heard and connected to during her labor. I am most proud of my community support, I recently connected with a Maternity Home in Savannah, right now I volunteer with the home and provide simple educational services but I hope to be able to do and offer more for the women and babies that live there in the near future.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
I would choose this career over and over again. I wish I’d known about this field sooner. I’d be over 5 years into it by now. But I do believe everything happens at the best time.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Marketing and Advertising yourself is the best way to succeed. You really have to get out there and let people know who you are, your services and that you are available. Every now and then someone will find you. My first client found me, but if I’m being honest a client hasn’t found me since. Any family I’ve worked with since, I saw a post and reached out or someone sent them my way. My new goal is really putting the work in to let people know I am here as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BirthedByMatriarchs.com
- Instagram: @doulabaegee_
- Facebook: Gabby Steward
Image Credits
Myself – first pic Dre.Snapped – second pic