As I prepare to discuss doula differences, I’ll start by making a confession…I’m not very “crunchy”. Up until a couple of years ago, I didn’t even know what the word crunchy meant when used to describe a person. In case you are still unaware of the meaning behind this word, as I have come to understand it, it is used to describe a person who is generally more health conscious and natural-minded. I know there are varying aspects to crunchiness depending on who you ask, but I have always been more focused on the healthy living and natural parts of it.
When I learned what it meant to be crunchy, I decided I really wanted to be that way. It sounded great to be healthy and use more natural products in my life; who wouldn’t want to do that?
As time went on, I did find it beneficial to myself and my family to be more health-conscious, of course, and to seek out more natural products to bring into our home. I actually really enjoyed it and still eat a lot of the same foods and purchase many of the same products now. However, as time went on, I realized that I wasn’t very passionate about living the crunchy life. Yes, it definitely proved to be beneficial and nice, but when it came down to it, I still liked my highly processed cosmic brownies and the price tags on the less-natural cleaning products.
Having this realization that I probably would never be completely crunchy (according to my own interpretation of the term) was a bummer. It was a bummer because I sort of felt that I NEEDED to be that way because I am a doula and doulas are crunchy. Aren’t they?
No, they’re not.
As for myself, I’m not completely crunchy, but I do plan to give birth at home and consume my placenta in capsule form; two things that many people might consider to be on the crunchier side. I’ve learned from experience that the “sort of crunchy” way I live my life really resonates with certain clients who live their lives in a similar way. On the other hand, maybe a client would like someone who is not crunchy (tired of reading that word, yet?) at all to be their doula, and in that case another doula besides myself might be a better fit for them. Maybe a doula’s level of crunchiness would never even occur to another client, but they just really want a doula who is a knowledge bank about all things pregnancy and birth and who would bring a calming presence to their birth space.
I now understand that doulas don’t have to be and truly aren’t just one “type” of person. Doulas come from all walks of life. They each have their own unique background, interests, hobbies, personalities, families, and lives. Not all doulas have to fit a certain mold, and it’s better that they don’t because the people we serve are always going to have their own unique preferences for the type of doula with whom they would like to work. Doula differences are 100% necessary in this field of work.
Every single person’s preferences for their doula will always differ at least slightly from the next person’s. That’s the magic of this work; there is so much individuality involved in it on the side of both the doula and of the client. Just like there are numerous doula differences, there are an equal amount of client differences, too.
At Utah Valley Doulas, we have a spectacular team of doulas, and we encourage you to interview as many of them as you would like as you search for your doula. Each doula on our team has their own unique personalities, strengths, and styles. What they all have in common, however, is their professional training and certification, as well as their passion for helping families through pregnancy, birth, and early parenting. We know how important it is to find the best doula for you and your family, and that’s why we love being able to provide you many different options to help you build your dream birth and postpartum support team.
