Let’s Meet DONA International’s 2018 Advanced Doulas

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE

This summer, DONA International awarded three doulas the credential of “Advanced Doula.” This certification level was initiated in 2015, and the designation honors DONA certified birth and postpartum doulas who have made major contributions to DONA International, to the doula profession, and in the maternal-child field. Today, I would like to congratulate these three doulas and share them with our blog readers. You can learn a bit about their career and their experiences. If you are interested in applying for this advanced designation, please look for the 2019 application in May 2019, during International Doula Month. In the meantime, you can learn more on the Advanced Doula page of the DONA International website where you will find the application there in 2019.

Debra Pascali-Bonaro, LCCE, BDT/PDT(DONA)

Bio: Debra Pascali-Bonaro, Lamaze International childbirth educator, birth and postpartum doula trainer with DONA International, Director of the award-winning documentary Orgasmic Birth: The Best-Kept Secret, co-writer of “Orgasmic Birth: Your Guide to a Safe, Satisfying and Pleasurable Birth”  and the founder and president of the revolutionary online childbirth class Pain to Power, which prepares expectant mothers, fathers, and partners to be positively prepared for birth and focuses on the intimate and sacred nature of birth. Debra’s passion comes from her over 30 years of working with women, men, midwives, doulas and physicians in over 40 countries bringing comfort, love, and pleasure to birth and life!

Sharon Muza: What do you know now as a very experienced doula, that you wished your “younger, just starting out newer doula” self knew?

Debra Pascali-Bonaro: As an experienced doula I wish that when I was a new doula I understood that value of just being present. We live in a time and especially when being paid that I  felt the need to “do” something to be a good doula. The word doula begins with do – but the most important aspect of our doula care is our caring presence, just being there without any distractions. My first 50 births I had a big doula bag, because I felt I needed to have everything possible to do something at any time and in any situation. Now my doula bag is small-  mostly my personal comfort kit, my birth ball and rebozo as I know my greatest tool is to be fully present, with my heart and  to be mindful. I think of my self as a Be-La instead fo Do-La.

Uta Mattox, AdvCD(DONA), CD(DONA)

Uta certified as a birth doula in 1997. She has provided labor support to many families along the East Coast, in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Uta received a Maternal Child Health Certificate (Boston University School of Public Health) in 1999. She has also trained as a childbirth educator and postpartum doula and is a Certified Lactation Counselor. Uta has organized regular networking meetings for DONA members, as well as other doulas and perinatal professionals, offering guidance and mentoring; and she has organized various events and informational offerings for the general public about DONA, doulas, and their services. Uta has been a volunteer almost continuously for DONA International since 1999. She has served in many different roles and responsibilities, usually with more than one responsibility at a time, including as Massachusetts State Representative, member of the Board (2001-2005 as Southern US Region Director, 2009-2015 as Director of Certification), member of the Certification Committee (since 2002), and has also served in different capacities on the Conference Committee (2002-2007, again 2010-2017), on the Nominating Committee (2002-2015), and other committees. Uta has authored several articles for the International Doula and eDoula. She is a founding member of the Breastfeeding Coalition of Cumberland County, NC; served as Vice-Chair (2008-2011) and Chair (2011/12). Currently, Uta is supporting her aging parents and working again in her original profession- nursing.

Sharon Muza: What do you know now as a very experienced doula, that you wished your “younger, just starting out newer doula” self knew?

Uta Mattox: Two things come to mind, primarily. I now know that my presence alone, my voice, and my hands, are my most important and truly powerful tools. As a new doula, I was really worried about making sure I had various gadgets and other tools in my birth bag. I still have them, of course, but I am okay if it turns out that I didn’t even need them during a labor and birth experience. And I am much less upset if a potential client does not hire me. Over time I have learned that there is often a good reason that did not happen, looking at it with hindsight. It is okay if a client and myself are not a good match, I just make sure that they have names and contact info for other doulas.

SM: What has most surprised you about your work as a doula?

UM: How truly different each and every client, and each and every labor and birth is, even with repeat clients. Even though many wish lists and visions for the labor share a lot of similarities, it is never predictable, and even those births that go according to plan/vision turn out very different, one from the other. And it is always interesting and touching, and an honor to be allowed to share in the experience and be a witness.

SM:  Any funny story you have about your birth or postpartum work?

UM: One of my first clients told me that she did not much like to be touched, and certainly not anything with pressure at all. So during our prenatals, I demonstrated for example counter pressure on the lower back and the double hip squeeze on her partner instead, just so that she would have an idea about them. It turned out that she had had a very long second stage, and she had a lot of pain in her lower back! You guessed it! Her partner and I took turns doing hip squeezes and lots of really hard counter pressure on her for hours and hours, and it was difficult to do it hard enough for her to be satisfied with the effect. This also taught me to not discount anything ahead of time: preferences and needs can change during labor. It remains unpredictable, and the doula needs to be prepared for anything, and often needs a lot of stamina and strong muscles!

Betsy K. Schwartz, AdvCD(DONA), CLC, RM, MMHS

Betsy is the creator of Down the Canal – the Game of Birth®. She is also a member of the Citrus County Florida Healthy Babies Committee and a Founding Member of the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS). Betsy is the former Communications Chair of the Florida Breastfeeding Coalition, as well as a Reiki Master.

Sharon Muza: What do you know now as a very experienced doula, that you wished your “younger, just starting out newer doula” self knew?