Episode 52: Doulas are for Every Birthing Person: Interview with Kathryn Courtoy

04/25/21 • 40 min

Thank you so much for listening to the Finding Your Village podcast, before I get into the details about today’s episode. I wanted to let you all know that in the month of May, I will be publishing a series of podcast episodes all about childbirth preparation classes. As I finish the last steps of getting certified to become a childbirth educator myself, I wanted to feature different preparation philosophies and some popular classes.

My opinion about birth preparation is that it is important, but it is also not one size fits all. I compare it to exercise programs. Exercise is important for everyone, however, not everyone likes the same kind of exercise class. Some may prefer yoga, another person might like Crossfit and another may be a pilates gal. Similarly, I believe that birth preparation is important, no matter how you are giving birth and that some people may resonate with one philosophy over another. So I will be featuring an interview with a birth education from Birthing From Within, Evidence Based Birth, Hypnobirthing, The Bradley Method and Hypnobabies. So tune in for that series in May!

In today’s episode, I speak with Kathryn Courtoy of 3 Hearts Doula. Kathryn has 3 children that she calls her 3 hearts and named her business after, a son, a daughter and an "angel daughter". She is a Cappa Certified Labor Doula offering Childbirth Support in the North Metro Atlanta area. Kathryn believes there is no great transformational time in a person's life than bringing another human in the world and that every birth has a story. Kathryn and I discuss what labor doulas do and how they support all birthing people.

In this episode we discuss:

Labor Doulas are for every birthing person who would like support
You do not have to be planning an unmedicated birth or a vaginal birth to have support from a Labor Doula
What a Labor Doula does before and during birth
“Doulas catch the mom and Midwives catch the baby”
I think of Labor Doulas as “birth consultants”
Doulas don’t just get paid for being present during labor, but for all the support and expertise that they provide before labor starts
The difference in roles between the support Partner and Labor Doula
What holding space means

How to get in touch with Kathryn:

Website: www.3heartsdoula.com
Follow her on Instagram

How to get in touch with me:

Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at [email protected]
Monthly Newsletter

Visit www.keepsakecastle.com today!

Support the show

In this episode we discuss:

Labor Doulas are for every birthing person who would like support
You do not have to be planning an unmedicated birth or a vaginal birth to have support from a Labor Doula
What a Labor Doula does before and during birth
“Doulas catch the mom and Midwives catch the baby”
I think of Labor Doulas as “birth consultants”
Doulas don’t just get paid for being present during labor, but for all the support and expertise that they provide before labor starts
The difference in roles between the support Partner and Labor Doula
What holding space means

How to get in touch with Kathryn:

Website: www.3heartsdoula.com
Follow her on Instagram

How to get in touch with me:

Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at [email protected]
Monthly Newsletter

Visit www.keepsakecastle.com today!

Support the show

Previous Episode

Episode 51: Attachment Theory and EMDR: Interview with Eden Hyder

In today’s episode, I am doing another Podcast swap! That means that this episode is also airing in the near future on my guest’s show, which is called Inside Out Podcast Today Eden Hyder and I are discussing attachment theory and EMDR.

Eden Hyder is a licensed therapist, psychology teacher and mother of two who is passionate about helping others understand themselves, their relationships and their kids from the inside out. She does this through her counseling practice Inside Out Collaborative, her 5-star podcast Inside Out, and her online psychology courses - all of which you can find through her website edenhyder.com

In this episode, Eden and I discuss attachment theory and talk about how EMDR therapy can help people with insecure attachments heal from their wounds and trauma. I share part of my story and get vulnerable in hopes of encouraging others to know that healing is possible. I hope you enjoy the episode and maybe even find encouragement and hope.

In this episode we discuss:

What is Attachment Theory?

A way of understanding people’s behavior and motivations through our relational patterns.
Those patterns develop from day one between the primary caregiver and infant. This core relationship gives us the rules that we apply to all relationships
Attachment is essentially a bond that we create for the purpose of safety

The four Attachment Styles:

Secure
Anxious
Avoidant
Fearful-Disorganized

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprograming: a way of reconnecting to a memory that creates stress or a traumatic experience
EMDR allows you to access those memories and allows you to process it and get “unstuck” from that experience

How EMDR can help an insecurely attached parent?

We have core attachment needs. Those with insecure attachments didn’t get some of those core needs met and that can result in distorted beliefs about ourselves
EMDR can help resolve those unhelpful beliefs and integrate a helpful resource to help us develop more secure attachments with others

I can discuss a little bit of my own story, having a disorganized attachment, what it has been like to parent while healing my own stuff with EMDR and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Recommended books:

How to get in touch with Eden:

Website: edenhyder.com
Follow her on Instagram

How to get in touch with me:

Follow me on Instagram
Find other episodes at: www.findingyourvillagepod.com
Email me at [email protected]
Monthly Newsletter

Visit www.keepsakecastle.com today!

Support the show

Next Episode

Episode 53: Birthing From Within Childbirth Preparation: Interview with Nikki Shaheed

11 Recommendations

In today’s episode I am kicking off the series about childbirth preparation classes. I am featuring a different type of birth education program each week in the month of May.

I had the privilege of interviewing Nikki Shaheed and she is a certified Trainer, Mentor, and Doula for Birthing from Within, as well as the author of Heart Centered Pregnancy Journal. Nikki is passionate about bringing balance and self-compassion to the childbearing year. She lives in San Antonio, TX with her husband and three amazing children.

In this episode we discuss:

Background of Birthing From Within

Created by Pam England, who is the author of Birthing From Within
Her birth experience led her to ask herself: what did I need to know as a mother that I didn’t know as a midwife?
That question inspired her quest to find self compassion and a way to help people to have more realistic and holistic expectations before they give birth

What is the BFW "unmethod"?

There is no way to get it wrong with Birthing From Within, it is not outcome based
It is all about developing self love, self acceptance and doing what the moment calls for without being held back by conditioning or judgment

Words we use in birth

The words we use are powerful and create imagery
The term “natural childbirth” makes Cesarean or medicated birth seem “unnatural”

You cannot plan out your birth

You can prepare for birth, but you cannot control birth outcomes
Center preparation around the foundational concept that you are stepping into the unknown
Nikki likes to call Birthing From Within the “self compassion buffet”
Self compassion is the most important thing to pack in your birth bag

What will parents learn about childbirth, as well as themselves?

Parents will learn the “nuts and bolts” of birth
Stages of labor
Common procedures that can occur during birth
How to prepare the for the unknown

Birth Art

Embodied experience that allows parents to practice figuring out what to do when they don’t know what to do
Wise and compassionate mentor is there to encourage them to keep going

Emphasis on the postpartum journey is a big differentiator between Birthing From Within and other birth preparation programs

Find a Birthing From Within Birth Education Mentor
How to get in touch with/follow Nikki

How to get in touch with me: