Lauri Branson, Certified Doula

My name is Lauri Branson. I love being a doula because I am naturally a helper and an encourager. Empowering and supporting delivering mama’s is a natural extension of who I am. My first time assisting in a delivery, the nurse asked me how long I’d been a doula. I told her that I was assisting in my first delivery. She was surprised that this was my first because she said I was very calm and naturally encouraging and could read the mama so well. The nurse encouraged me to become a doula! I was so touched by her words. I love supporting mamas in this powerful, sacred journey.

My first delivery was dangerous and traumatic. Knowing what I know now, I know things would have been different had I had a caring servant sister with me to guide me, support me, and help me when my baby and I needed it. My husband is a great partner, but we were so young, and didn’t know what we didn’t know. 30 years later, I have delivered 4 children, and had 2 difficult miscarriages. Having gone through two losses also gives me a way to connect to moms who are going through a loss, or trying to recover from the trauma of a miscarriage. I’ve also had 4 vaginal deliveries, each with their own set of circumstances that also allows me to connect to the laboring mama and her partner.

As a mom of 4 and just celebrating 30 years of marriage, I’ve had a lot of experience in learning to listen to what other people are hoping to achieve and develop a strategy in how to achieve their goals. When it comes to laboring mamas, I am able to anticipate their needs and meet those needs in a way that requires the mama not to need to verbally communicate much! I can put myself in her shoes and support, comfort, and encourage her without much prompting. I also have had experience in teaching the partner how to anticipate the needs of their significant other in a way that brings a nice calm, peaceful atmosphere to the delivery room.
All of my life experience and mothering experience has helped me make a decision to volunteer in my local pregnancy center. I hope to be working with women who maybe don’t know what a doula is, and, after some evidence based education, be excited to allow me to join them in their delivery journey. I have a passion for helping moms realize the profound value of a continuous coach with them during their labor and delivery journey.

This is the right time in my life to pursue this new chapter as most of my own children are grown and moving on in their lives. I have a young daughter at home that I am homeschooling who is very supportive of my goal to become a doula. She even likes to watch the birthing videos with me. She has been my video editor as well. I am grateful to have my husband in my corner cheering me on as I work to become a certified birth and postpartum doula!