Episode 3 1/07/2022

The Doula Profession

with Rhonda Fellows

Being a doula is an incredible job. We witness the amazingness that is pregnancy and birth, but it’s also a job with a high burnout rate because of how demanding and unsustainable it often is. Today we bring on the amazing doula and doula trainer, Rhonda Fellows, to discuss sustainability of the profession, what we believe doulas should know, scope of practice, and how to have a collaborative relationship with providers and hospitals. If we are going to impact real change, we need sustainability and proper education. Moreover, we need to build relationships with the hospitals and providers our clients are going to. Rhonda has been leading the charge in collaborative relationships in her local birth community and we believe this is something that every birth community should strive for!

Rhonda Fellows is a black birth doula, childbirth educator, doula trainer, lactation champion, doula mentor, pelvic steam facilitator and family advocate. She is a DONA International certified birth doula and Childbirth Educator with 20 years of working with youth and families in the non-profit realm. Serving families in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area, she loves helping parents realize their strength and ability. It is her desire to help families understand their rights and options so they feel empowered to advocate for themselves.

Rhonda has spent two decades working to support healthy families and has attended over 100 births. Her career has included working as an after-school program director, healthy relationships/sexual health educator, community connector for an elementary school, homeless shelter co-facilitator and leading teen mission trips.

Rhonda enjoys spending time with others, watching TV/movies, eating good food and relaxing on the beach. Her favorite things in life revolve around relationships with others!

Website: Oilydoulamn
Instagram: @Oilydoulamn
Show notes: The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin ; My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem