by Samantha Olivia | Dec 9, 2020 | Motherhood & Life
I tested positive for COVID-19. And my first fear was for my mother, and my doula clients. (For the record, based on the timing of my last negative test and symptoms, no doula clients need to read this and worry). Beyond fear, the very next thing that I felt was...
by Samantha Olivia | Nov 28, 2020 | Motherhood & Life
I’m about to do something uncomfortable. BUT, the whole point of being a doula is supporting y’all as you do uncomfortable things, so… my turn! Let’s talk about money. Specifically, what it means to “buy Black”, shop small, and support a Black woman owned...
by Samantha Olivia | Nov 4, 2020 | Motherhood & Life
I have a hard truth, that I’ve been hiding: right at this moment, I’m a doula who is afraid of having a baby. It’s not the pain of labor. Contractions come, and then they go. And if a cesarean birth were what was right for my body, that would be okay too. ...
by Samantha Olivia | Jul 28, 2020 | Motherhood & Life
You need boundaries. I know. It probably sounded like I had a new gadget, or book that every expectant and parent should read. And instead, I’m just therapizing. (That’s not a word but you know what I mean). Boundaries, according to Merriam Webster, are:...
by Samantha Olivia | Jun 15, 2020 | Motherhood & Life
We interrupt your regularly scheduled blogging for a special message (that I hope one day goes without saying): Trans* birthing folks are valuable to us. Regardless of your gender, when giving birth, you deserve quality, affirming healthcare. You should be cared...
by Samantha Olivia | Jun 3, 2020 | Motherhood & Life
Content warning: this post discusses White supremacy, Black death, and police brutality. This has been a hard week, coming after weeks of “unprecedented times.” And, like so many of you, I’m tired. I’m over being adaptive, and nimble and pivoting, and responding...
