Research, Community, and Care: Tayvie’s Journey Into Birthwork

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Every Doula Journey Begins Somewhere

Every doula has a different reason for stepping into this work. For some, it starts with a personal birth experience. For others, it’s a lifelong passion for supporting families. Through bebo mia’s doula scholarship program, more aspiring doulas can access full spectrum doula training and begin building meaningful careers in fertility, birth, postpartum, and loss support.

Grounding Care in Community and Social Justice

My name is Tayvie (she/her) and I am a mixed-Indigenous (Ojibwe, Saulteaux, Métis, and settler) woman living on the unceded, traditional, and ancestral territories of the Sḵwx̱ú7mesh, səlil̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm peoples.

I am currently in my Master of Arts at UBC at the Institute for Social Justice where my thesis investigates how folks suffering miscarriage find and enact community care. This summer, I will be conducting interviews with previously pregnant persons and I will spend the next year putting these findings into words.

In my personal life, I am a skilled Indigenous beader, cat-lover, and homebody. My favourite moments are those that are in community and around the people I love.

Bringing Research Into Real-World Care

Doula training feels like a natural extension of my academic interests and research. If you had asked me two years ago if I would apply for a Masters degree, I would have told you absolutely not. After I realized that research could be supportive rather than extractive, my interest in grad school changed. My Masters research exists solely for the purpose of creating new ways forward for supporting folks who have suffered pregnancy loss.

Becoming a doula both informs and is informed by my Masters research. I want my academic and professional work to be grounded, rather than theoretical. By becoming a doula, I can put my research findings into practice and advocate for pregnant persons in a new way. I also believe that doula training will allow me to take my interests, passions, and carework out of the classroom into the community—where it ultimately belongs.

Finding a Training Program That Reflects Her Values

As a Bachelor’s holder and current MA student in Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice, I am passionate about helping pregnant persons as they navigate intersectional challenges. My practice is informed by a deep belief in community care, embodied theory, and equity.

As a chronically-ill and disabled person, I know how overmedicalization can impact one’s experience in the healthcare system. This is especially amplified in reproductive spaces that subtly (or not-so-subtly) frame birthing-bodies as needing to be optimized. Doula work offers a space to challenge overmedicalization, medical racism, discrimination, and fears that often accompany pregnancy, birth, and loss. While I have been interested in doula work for a long time, I did not want to just do any doula training. I wanted the organization I learned from to reflect my values of equity, radical empathy, and the transformative quality of feeling seen, heard, and loved.

I heard of Bebo Mia from Brood Care—a local doula community that I have admired for their social justice oriented work. When I saw that Brood was offering a scholarship alongside Bebo Mia, I immediately jumped at the chance. Upon looking at bebo mia’s website, I found myself relating to their statement about “the shaming and manipulation, the disregard for already marginalized families from BIPOC and 2slgbtq communities, and the silencing and traumatization of birthers by the medical system.” 

This is exactly why I want to become a doula—so I can help others that are facing additional hardships in their parenting journey. I appreciate bebo mia’s commitment to social justice, which is one of the top qualities I looked for in a doula training. I feel incredibly fortunate to learn with Bebo Mia and see my values reflected in the deeply intentional education they have created.

Supporting Indigenous Families Through Birthwork

As a doula, I will be able to give back to my community by creating a safe space for young Indigenous pregnant people to come to. I will be attentive to cultivating a culturally-safe and trauma-informed practice that contributes to positive birthing and parenting experiences. I know the power of representation that uplifts others in your community—it is important for equity-seeking people to see themselves reflected in their care team. In this, I know I can offer a sensitive and research-informed space that is greatly needed by pregnant people.

I continue to be softened, expanded, and changed by my miscarriage work. I cannot imagine spending my life doing anything other than being in service to those who are navigating pregnancy, loss, and parenthood.

Looking Ahead With Community at the Center

I am excited to join Brood Care after successfully completing my doula training. I am overjoyed to be part of such a wonderful and intersectional agency.

In addition, I hope to work with local Indigenous peoples and offer free or low-cost doula services for those who cannot afford them, or who lack insurance. This is where I feel I will be able to do work that speaks closest to my heart.

Your Story Could Be Next

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a doula, don’t let financial barriers hold you back. Explore our full spectrum doula training or apply for a doula scholarship and take the first step toward supporting families through every stage of the reproductive journey.