Teresa Howard's training

How Do I Know What I Know?
by Teresa Howard

Experience is something that comes from many sources. I feel that I learn something from each birth I attend. I have personally given birth three times unmedicated. I think my experiences were good ones and I want that for others. I have breastfed all three of my children and was a La Leche League leader for many years. That too is an experience that I cherish and love helping new moms make this a good experience for them as well. Experience comes in many ways- personally having done something, training by other in techniques and being involved with someone else while they are doing it.

I began as a doula in May of 1992 when a friend asked me to come and be with her as a companion to her and her husband. I did this again for a friend in February of 1996. Later that year, in July, I was asked by a friend to be there for her at her fifth birth, my third as a companion. In 1997 I again offered to come and offer guidance to two friends in April and again in November. Then a special invitation to accompany a mom who was my second birth came in January of 1998. I offered my help to a teen friend in March of 1998 and soon after took my doula training as I was hooked at being at births!

My first professional doula birth was in May of 1998. By year end I had attended my 27th birth. The year 2000 allowed me to attend my 100th birth on Christmas Day! In February my youngest daughter gave birth to a son- I attended as her mom and she had a doula- but I feel I used my doula skills at that one for sure! In May 2003 I had the privilege of doulaing my oldest daughter at her birth - that was my 200th birth! At the end of 2008 I had completed my 400th birth as a doula. I average three births per month now and stay really busy.

In the past I have enjoyed being the state representative for CAPPA as well as a labor and postpartum doula trainer and a lactation educator trainer with them. I now stay quite busy running a company of a dozen doulas who cover most of the metro area. I really get affirmation after each birth, after each childbirth class I teach, I know what I am doing now is definitely what i am supposed to be doing. I have found my calling! So many people don't enjoy their work or don't find it fulfilling. That is certainly not my situation!

As a company we have done close to 900 labor supports as a group!

TRAINING
• DONA Labor Doula Training, Anne Tumblin, RN
• When Survivors Give Birth, Penny Simkin, PT
• Precipitous Labor, Emergency Childbirth, Debbie Pulley, CPM
• Birthing From Within, Pam England, CNM
• Joy of Labor, Northside Hospital
• Prenatal Parenting, Frederick Wirth, MD
• Lactation FastTrack
• Midwifery Workshop, Ina May Gaskin, CPM
• Psychotropic Medicine during pregnancy and lactation, Z.Stowe, MD
• Infant and Child CPR
• Another Look, Breastfeeding and HIV, Miriam Thompson
• Physiologic Closure of the Cord, Anne Frye, CPM
• Spinning Babies, Gail Tully, CPM
• Advanced Doula Training- Massage and Reflexology, Donna Johnson, CMT
• Advanced Lamaze Training- Mission Impossible, Ann Tumblin, RN
• Supporting Women through Perinatal Death, Miriam Maslin
• Escorting Women on their Inner Journey, Miriam Maslin
•1st Advanced Skills for Birth and Postpartum Professionals with Leadership from CAPPA

• Dancing For Birth Trainer Certification Workshop with Stephanie Larson

CONFERENCES
• LLLI conference 1980
• DONA conferences 1998, 2000
• CAPPA conferences 2000, 2001, 2002* 2004*, 2007, 2008
• Georgia LLL Conference 2001
• Summit for Safe Motherhood 2001
• Gentle Birth World Congress 2007
• International Cesarean Awareness Network 2009

*also emceed

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
• Georgia LLL Conference 2001
• Joy of Labor Training, Northside Hospital 2001
• Stillwater Yoga Prenatal Workshop 2002
• Prenatal Yoga in Athens, GA 2002-2007
• Natural Mama Expo 2002, 2003
• Interviewed and Appeared on REAL MOMS, REAL STORIES, REAL SAVVY Leading the Way in Women's Health Programming on Public Television
• Panel for questions and answers Birth, the Play by Karen Brody
• International Cesarean Awareness Network:Concurrent Session 2009