The Beginning of the Doula Journey with Joy Okeze – Bebo Mia Scholarship Winner

The Beginning of the Doula Journey with Joy Okeze

Hello to my birth friends! My name is Joy Okeze and I am a birth worker in Phoenix, Arizona. My background is centered around all things birth as I have been a Labor and Delivery nurse for a little over a year and prior to that, I worked as a nurse extern in Labor and Delivery for a year and a half, and just before that I was a birth assistant at a birth center. So, it’s clear that birth is my jam! 

Being a Labor and Delivery Nurse wasn’t enough

A few months ago I was invited to join a beautiful team of doulas local to my area as I had the experience and drive to continue my work in the birth space so I joined and started working and taking clients. I quickly realized I wanted more, and despite my two degrees and experience in labor and Delivery, I wanted more education on doula work and sought out to find certification programs to 1. Learn more about how to be the best doula, and 2. Obtain my certification to take my career farther in the doula space. 

Finding Bebo Mia – “The education they provided their Doulas was unmatched”

After researching what felt like pages upon pages of programs, I found Bebo Mia via instagram and spent what felt like hours reading their posts and being in awe of the work they do in the communities that I represent (both queer and black birthing people). It felt like they not only were inclusive, but the education they provided their doulas was unmatched. Most of the programs I saw felt rushed, and had a very weak mentorship presence and Bebo Mia was just the opposite. I realized quickly this was the program I wanted to go through but recognized I had financial hardships getting in the way. As soon as I saw they offered scholarships I took my chance and shared my story. Weeks later, I was so incredibly fortunate to be a runner up for the Queers for Queer Care Award!

Becoming a mother

Aside from being passionate about my birth work, I am first and foremost a mother to an amazing 14 month old boy – Kai. As a queer mother, I took on the unknown and experienced first hand what it feels like to undergo fertility treatment and went through IVF to conceive my sunshine. It did not come without hard work! I was born in Nigeria, and moved to the states after tragically losing my mother at a young age. Being black and experiencing birth was both scary and empowering. My birth plan was simple – I wanted to stay alive and bring my baby earthside without complications. My labor nurse and provider were the epitome of what it is to listen to black women and truly included me in my care and made all of my birth wants come true and alas, on July 17th 2023 at 5:43am I heard the cries of everything I had ever wished for.

Aiming for Continuous Support

My focus in the birth space is bringing the awareness and education that I have as a registered nurse and match it with my empathy, patience and grit of doula work. My plans after completing the Bebo Mia Maternal Support Practitioner Program will be to continue my work as a doula with emphasis on serving single mothers, women of color and queer birthing people in the Phoenix area. I want my work as a birth doula to be profound in the education I can provide, and genuine in the connections I can offer. I always tell my clients that I am their “birth bestie” because while I understand clients seek out my services, I am first and foremost their friend and support during birth. I want my work to be less of a transaction and more of continuous support during pregnancy, labor, and birth and even continue onto motherhood.

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What a beautiful and inspiring journey, Joy! We are so honored to be part of your doula story at Bebo Mia. Your passion for supporting birthing people, especially within the queer and black communities, truly shines through. It’s incredible how you combine your extensive experience as a Labor and Delivery nurse with your empathy and dedication as a doula. We’re thrilled to see the impact you’re already making and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll achieve after completing the Maternal Support Practitioner Program with us.

Welcome to the Bebo Mia family! 🩵