Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Keener.
Hi Kathryn, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started working as a Postpartum Doula after I had my own two children. I had been looking for a career change after working in Mediation and Dispute Resolution for 15 years. I also longed for the flexibility that comes from working for yourself – yes, I worked for families, but I could set my own hours, decide what kinds of shifts I could offer, and how many.
After a few years of solo, I wanted to have a larger impact. The idea of having a few doulas on the team, and being able to match them up with families based on needs and qualifications, really appealed to me. It was so exciting to know that we were helping 4-5 families at a time, during such a vulnerable time, rather than one. That number has continued to grow, and in addition to serving families, we’ve become a resource for doulas, helping them to grow their careers and providing coaching, support and professional development. An interesting side note is that there were surprising parallels between mediation and doula services: Nonjudgmental support, effective communication, and fostering self-determination are major tenets of both. A family needs to feel their postpartum doula is not more attached to their breastfeeding goals than they are, for example. Or, the family’s culture influences their decisions around diet or postpartum recovery, and they don’t need to worry whether their doula thinks they are doing things “right.” The doula is a source of information if they need it, but not to push an agenda. Using my background and those values that overlap between my two areas of expertise to influence not only who we select to work with but also how we coach them to be the type of support the family needs (while protecting their own boundaries) has been especially rewarding.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The last year, which has been our 6th year as an agency (9th year for me in business) has probably been the most challenging. The main challenge, though there have been others, has been finding effective ways to handle increased demand. As one can imagine, playing matchmaker gets pretty complicated when we have a certain number of competing due dates, the unknown of babies coming early or late, the sometimes changing needs of families. It’s hard to predict if a doula will be done with one family in time to start with the next one she’s paired with, for example. And pairing is difficult when you are looking at so many variables such as location, availability, level of experience, pet allergies, vaccination status, etc.! While we have explored technology-related solutions to this – automating certain things, using programs that can assign “tags” for search-ability… I eventually realized we were trying to apply systems to a process that just no longer works for an agency our size. So I’ve spent the last few months reinventing – finding a way to still provide that intimate, personalized touch while empowering the doulas themselves to play a larger part in determining “fit” and managing their schedule and commitments. This has so many benefits; it increases the doulas’ earning potential as they take on more of the responsibility, it frees us up to focus our time and energy on being a resource to the doulas – and doulas everywhere – via our professional development offerings, and it still benefits the families with the same level of vetting, quality assurance, and catered doula matching. We feel we are empowering doulas to be an even better support to the families AND to make the work more sustainable for them!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Families often aren’t sure what type of support they’ll need postpartum. We start with a call that helps answer their questions, gives them some examples of how best to utilize the services available, and really helps them get clarity for moving forward. We then connect them with a few postpartum doulas or newborn care specialists who match well with their needs and preferences. A major value we provide is that these doulas have been through a thorough vetting process and benefit from the ongoing support of our agency, so the family knows that their providers are vouched for and set up for success. In addition, when working with us, the families are better equipped to know what to ask the doulas they meet, how to determine if they’re a good fit… and save hours and hours on the search process!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Hmm. I’m pretty proficient at speaking Spanish, which I guess would be unexpected. Also, perhaps surprising for a business owner is that while I love people, I’m pretty much an introvert. So, I have to balance my quiet time for creativity and flow with the outward energy of meetings and engaging with people!
Pricing:
- Most postpartum doulas and newborn care specialists charge between $30-$45/hour in our area. We can help you find a doula in your price range depending on the qualifications you’re seeking.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@onemoondoula.com
- Website: www.onemoondoula.com
- Instagram: @onemoondoula
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/onemoondoulaservices
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/one-moon-doula-services-encinitas-2?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Image Credits
doulas in homes – Vuefinder photography Headshots – Buffet photography
