Doulas Unhinged

Ep 19: What "They" Don't Tell You About Doula Work

In this week's episode Alex and Lacey pull back the curtain on how doula work impacts the individuals in the work. They offer insight and wisdom to new doulas entering the field. They openly discuss the implications to health, family, commitments and overall lifestyle while also sharing how much they truly love this work. It is both the hardest and most beautiful job.

Episode 16: How Care Providers Can Empower or Traumatize- A client's Birth story

This week on Doulas Unhinged, Lacey and Alex dive into a powerful topic- Empowerment or Trauma surrounding birth. This is one of the biggest differentiators in how someone remembers their birth for the rest of their life. The same situation can feel empowering or traumatic depending on how care is delivered. Tune in to hear and explore our thoughts! How Providers Can Empower a Birth Experience 1. Informed Consent (not just “permission”) •Explaining risks, benefits, and alternatives (BRAIN in action) •Using language like: “Here are your options” instead of “This is what we’re doing” •Respecting a “no” without pressure 👉 Impact: Builds trust, autonomy, and safety 2. Respecting Bodily Autonomy •Asking before every touch (especially cervical exams) •Honoring position changes, movement, and pushing preferences •Supporting refusal of interventions 👉 Impact: Prevents feelings of violation or loss of control 3. Calm, Regulated Presence •Grounded tone, slow movements, non-chaotic energy •Confidence without urgency when things are still safe 👉 Impact: Keeps laboring person’s nervous system out of fight-or-flight 4. Language That Supports, Not Scares •“Your baby is tolerating labor well” vs “We’re concerned” •Avoiding worst-case framing unless truly necessary 👉 Impact: Reduces fear → supports physiological labor How Providers Can Traumatize a Birth Experience 1. Coercion or Pressure •“If you don’t do this, your baby could die” (without context) •Repeatedly pushing interventions after refusal •Using fear as a tool 👉 Impact: Loss of autonomy, panic, long-term mistrust 2. Non-Consented Touch •Performing cervical checks or procedures without clear permission •Ignoring verbal or physical resistance 👉 Impact: Can mirror sexual trauma → deeply triggering 3. Creating Urgency Without Explanation •Sudden tone shift: “We need to move NOW” •Rushing into interventions without context 👉 Impact: Triggers fear response—even if outcome is medically fine 4. Violation of Birth Preferences Without Discussion •Ignoring birth plan completely •Performing routine interventions without checking in 👉 Impact: Leaves people feeling powerless and unheard 5. Chaotic Environment •Multiple people entering/exiting •Loud conversations unrelated to patient care •Lack of privacy 👉 Impact: Disrupts safety → stalls labor + increases stress 6. Postpartum Silence or Avoidance •No explanation after emergency or unexpected outcome •Brushing off questions 👉 Impact: Unprocessed experience → birth trauma, PTSD symptoms

Ep 15: How to Vet a Homebirth Midwife

All midwives are not created equal. In this brief episode, Alex and Lacey were inspired to discuss things families might want to look out for when vetting a homebirth midwife to help you find the right person to support you. Questions about training, experience, equipment and how they handle the unexpected or most serious situations are all discussed.

Ep. 14 Postpartum Tips for Partners

Prioritizing your relationship in the early days of the postpartum period can make or break your future relationship. In this Episode, Alex and Lacey discuss many of the common pitfalls of the postpartum period and offer many tips for easy tweaks, adjustments and simple mindset shifts which can be implemented immediately. If no one gives you a play book, how can you know. Now that you have the tips, what will you do with them?

Ep 13: Cervical Checks

In this episode of Doulas Unhinged, Lacey and Alex get real about one of the most routine—and rarely questioned—parts of modern birth: cervical checks. Are they actually necessary? What information do they really give? And why do so many women walk away from them feeling uncomfortable, discouraged, or even violated? We’re breaking down: •What cervical exams are meant to assess (and their limitations) •The emotional and physical impact they can have during labor •How they can shift the energy of a birth—for better or worse •When they might be useful…and when they’re just routine •What true informed consent around cervical checks should look like We also dive into the nuance providers don’t always talk about—how these exams can influence decision-making, create unnecessary timelines, and affect a woman’s confidence in her own body. This isn’t about fear—it’s about awareness, autonomy, and giving you the full picture so you can make decisions that feel right for your birth. Because you deserve care that asks, not assumes.