My fascination with all things pregnancy and passion to help women through a safe and positive birth experience originally materialized during my first pregnancy, although I suspect the desire had been laying dormant in me, like a small seed, for quite some time.
My appetite for pregnancy and birth information grew along with my expanding belly. Both Connor (born in 2002) and Siena (born in 2005) both came earthside joyfully according to my wishes. I never stopped reading and learning about birth even after my family felt complete and I had undergone a hysterectomy (for prolapse) in 2006. I realized that if I still was reading birth books although I no longer had a uterus, this was more than a passing interest – it was a calling.
For years I have instinctively gravitated toward helping my pregnant friends and family make the journey from woman to mother by providing balanced and sound information and a compassionate ear. Even before I was a doula or a childbirth educator, I’ve helped solve breastfeeding problems, relieve pregnancy aches and pains, overjoy in positive birth experiences, and help find perspective in negative ones. Now as an experienced birth professional, my experience runs the gamut: single, partnered and married moms; births with a father present and without; teen and young single mother pregnancies; over-35-year-old mothers; economically disadvantaged families and others more fortunate; high-risk high-intervention hospital births; low-risk low-intervention hospital births; homebirths with a midwife present; planned and unplanned induction; and planned and unplanned cesarean birth. I learn from each birth I attend and each family I meet and leave my agenda at the door.
I am a certified birth doula through DONA (Doulas of North America), the world’s largest and most well-known doula training program. As part of my certification I completed labor support training in June of 2006 through the well-regarded Seattle Midwifery School taught directly by one of my personal birth heroes, Penny Simkin – the original doula – founder of DONA, doula to over 700 births, speaker, and author of many fabulous books about pregnancy and childbirth. The co-teacher of the course, Carrie Kenner, is my equal hero for her passion for babies’ conscious experience of birth and passion that gentle birth can change the world.
As a doula, I’ve noticed that I really enjoy the prenatal period and helping women build their confidence. In April of 2008, I began my journey toward becoming a certified childbirth educator. I attended the Passion for Birth childbirth educator training taught by the fabulous Teri Shilling, ex- Lamaze President whose mission is to “stomp out boring childbirth education”. There I learned many dynamic and exciting ways to teach pregnancy and childbirth classes. Before you all wrinkle up your noses at the word “Lamaze”, I have to tell you that Lamaze has changed a lot since our mothers’ days! It is no longer a method of patterned breathing, but is a philosophy that includes all kinds of comfort measures.
In August, 2008, I attended Birthing from Within mentor training which blew me away with how much I grew through the process. Birthing from Within is a “right-brained” approach to childbirth education – not a simple lecture, the Birthing From Within framework allows me to help women and families tap into their own inner birth wisdom. I love Birthing From Within for its ability to allow individuals to interpret the class experience in their own way. It has profoundly effected my life as a childbirth educator, as a doula, as a mother, and as a person.
I have now taught several sessions of Birthing From Within courses, and work within a Birthing From Within framework but pull from my Lamaze training, my doula training, other books/articles/knowledge and my experience as a doula to teach what I hope is a well-rounded class that is never boring. I am working toward Birthing From Within mentor certification and still considering if my time (and my pocketbook!) will allow me to certify with Lamaze as well – they are both wonderful programs. I hope that I am successful in melding these two ways of teaching into my own balanced right brained/left brained style. I also want to make sure I always teach to whatever my classes’ specific needs and interests are.
I received a Bachelor’s degree from Washington State University (go Cougs!) in 1996, worked in Marketing Communications for several years in Seattle and the Tri-Cities, and have lived in Richland since 1999. I am a stay-at-home mother to my two amazing children (who also give me lessons in the patience necessary for doula work every day!) and am lucky enough to call my husband of twelve years, Rich, my best friend. Besides birth, my interests and hobbies include environmentalism, yoga, writing, organic gardening, cooking, and enjoying the great outdoors.
I continue on my journey with an open heart, mind and hands. Although I have many tools (innate and learned) that have already served me well on this adventure, each class I mentor and birth I attend continues to give me knowledge and skill. I would be honored to have the chance to assist you in making your birth a positive, safe and memorable experience you will remember for the rest of your life and know I will learn as much from you as you will learn from me.
Peace,
Kristina French, CD(DONA)