As we head into a new year, I reflect upon what an awesome year 2018 was for Buffalo Doula Services. I created and began offering CBE/newborn care classes with my amazing partners. I upgraded my photography equipment, invested in mentoring and education, and began offering birth and newborn photography as a separate service, as well as an add-on for labor support. I founded the Queen City Doula Cooperative with two incredible women I couldn't be more well-aligned with. I made big changes to my website, and created another (for QCDC). I served as a long-term postpartum doula for a few special families, and a labor doula for many others. I signed a lease on a beautiful office space, a goal I didn't expect to meet this year. Most meaningfully of all, I served as a doula for two of my most dear friends, an honor which can't be defined in words alone.

I am immensely proud of the hard work I've put in, after leaving the corporate workforce over 4 years ago to follow my dreams and turn them into a career. I'm thankful for a supportive husband and kids who think my work is super cool, and will grow up understanding birth is amazing and normal. I'm filled with gratitude for the 74 families who have invited me to support them through their own transition into parenthood.

A career and a passion can coexist; in fact, change and progress are more likely to occur when they do. I firmly believe you can value yourself, your time, and your work AND care about, support, and advocate for women and birth simultaneously. You won't hear anyone making derogatory statements about predominantly male careers or successful men and their lack of humanity because they charge for what they do; and yet women in human service fields, especially, are expected to sacrifice their livelihood (hello, patriarchy.) Women can thrive in business, support their own families, and change the world at the same time.

Wishing a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2019 to all!