Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Brewster.
Hi Jamie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a labor and birth doula serving Los Angeles. Becoming a birthworker was a fairly organic process. I went to school for massage therapy in 2012 and while studying Integrative Therapeutic Bodywork, I was not only learning a skill, I was getting reconnected to myself. In addition to hands-on massage, I also studied Reiki. These practices highlighted my natural inclination for connection and communion and together sharpened my intuition. The community I was engaged with through massage school was overflowing with all kinds of bodyworkers, energy workers, midwives, doulas, and on and on. The people I met that were working in the birth world had me captivated. By 2014 I had started diving into all things birth. I was enamored by a different way of looking at this tremendous rite of passage. I had my first two babies in 2005 and 2007.
My first birth, though ultimately the outcome I wanted, was very medicalized. When I gave birth the second time, it was better, but still didn’t feel like it was fully mine. I didn’t know any better back then so I followed the lead of the Nurses and Doctors that cared for me. Once I started to get more educated and had a deeper understanding of the birth process I knew that I wanted to make sure that everyone had the opportunity to have a fully informed and supported birth experience where they felt safe and held and most importantly that it was theirs. Life is always full of surprises and becoming pregnant with my third child at the end of 2014 was beyond fitting. I would now have the opportunity to experience what I wanted to offer to others. With a birth doula by my side I was able to have a beautiful and supported birth with a midwife (in a hospital setting) in 2015. Since then, I have been supporting people and families all around Los Angeles. It is such an honor every single time I get to partner alongside people for that journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As I said, it was a pretty organic process, but getting your name out there can be tricky- especially in a city the size of Los Angeles. There is no shortage of doulas/birthworkers out here! I mentored under someone who had been in the industry for over a decade when I started and that was an incredible help as far as networking. I sometimes think the bigger struggle is trusting the process and yourself!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a birthworker my goal is to create and hold a safe and supported space for new life to enter. I provide emotional, physical and informational support to the birthing person and their partner and/or family during labor and delivery. I accompany them while in labor, providing emotional and physical support, suggesting comfort measures, and providing support for the partner. Prior to the birthday, I meet with clients for three in-depth prenatal sessions where we get to know each other (pretty intimately) and establish their vision for birth. I offer explanations and discussions of practices and procedures involved in the birthing process in addition to assistance in acquiring the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about care.
Truly, the birth process- conception, pregnancy, laboring, and birth- is about full surrender. So much of what I do is facilitating the arrival to that space of release. Everything about us as living people is connected. The body/mind connection is the basis of my practice. We prepare for labor and birth with vision and intention, addressing the full spectrum of the person’s (and partner’s) needs. There is no way to separate those parts and this work tends to the mind, body and soul/spirit.
I think if you were to survey all the folks I’ve supported over the years the most common words you would hear are that I am deeply grounded, calm, and fully present. It is an absolute honor to do this work. I have a deep reverence for the birth process and who we are on the other side. In our house, we always say that how we are in anything is how we are in everything. I bring that into this work and aim to foster that approach beginning in labor and birth with my clients.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
For me, because we have three kids at home, having an incredibly supportive husband makes this work possible. When I’m on-call he is aware that at some point (and sometimes in a moment’s notice) I’ll be headed out to a birth and be gone for an unknown amount of time. Knowing that I don’t have to worry about anything at home gives me the freedom to be fully present with clients. That is such a gift.
I am also tremendously fortunate to have a community of people in my life who are partnered in support for one another. This work requires that you take care of yourself in all ways; physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Having a community that is integrated into those parts of my wellness is paramount.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.birthedinlove.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birthedinlove
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birthdoulajamie
Image Credits
Photos by Whitney Williams, Logo by Diana Kohne
