If you’re expecting in the North Alabama area, you may be looking for a Huntsville doula. And as a mom myself, I am so glad that you are! I’ve personally used a doula for three out of four of my births, and I am again this year for my fifth. I hired Rocket City Doulas as my doula team for the first time in 2019 and have chosen to have them on my birth team ever since. I honestly could not recommend them more highly and am excited to feature an interview with Huntsville doula and agency owner Tracy Abney!
As Huntsville’s premier doula agency, Rocket City Doulas provides a variety of services for expectant families. These services include childbirth education, comfort measures class, birth plan assistance, labor support, sibling support, postpartum and infant care, placenta encapsulation, and bereavement support.
Enjoy the interview with Huntsville doula and Rocket City Doulas owner Tracy Abney!
Table of Contents
What is a doula?
“Well, the “text book” or maybe “doula certification” answer would be “someone who provides physical, emotional, and informational support during pregnancy, labor and birth, and the postpartum period.” But that feels very vague sometimes. I usually like to explain it like this: A doula is like a wedding planner, but for birth. A wedding planner takes your ideas, helps you find the venues you want/need in order to best implement those ideas, knows what venders are available at the venue, what their rules are, etc. They help you gather the information you need to help you plan for your special day- even the information you didn’t know you needed. Then the day of the wedding- they help make sure the entire day runs as smoothly as possible.
So imagine a doula in the place of the wedding planner, and instead of getting married, you’re having a baby. It’s your birth, your plan. Your doula is taking your wishes and helping you gather information to make the best choices to fit your goals. They know what hospital protocols are, what is available to you, help you formulate questions for your medical team, etc. The day of the birth, they help make the process as smooth as it can be.
For postpartum support- we’re your everything. I’m kidding. Sort of. But, we are supporting your recovery, mentally and physically, from giving birth by helping you in almost every aspect of life if needed. Helping you rest, recover, and bond with your baby- whatever it looks like that day. It could be helping you catch up on laundry, holding your baby while you shower, helping you give your twins their first baths, teaching you how to pace feed, running errands, etc.”
What are some misconceptions people have surrounding doula services?
“Oof. Where to start? It used to be that people thought you had to be very “crunchy” in order to benefit from doula support. I think we’re finally making headway in the community in terms of realizing that doulas are for anyone who wants more support. I think one misconception still would be the idea that you wouldn’t find a doula beneficial if you are planning an induction or cesarean birth. As someone who has experienced both and induction and a C/S, I might personally argue that those clients might be some of the folks that benefit the most.
For postpartum support, I think many people believe that we somehow diminish the support of family and friends. The truth is, they serve very different roles. Your mom or MIL loves you, but also has an emotional stake in the situation. Often, they are working from their own experience with their own babies. Our doulas bring education and training alongside experience and they have worked with a lot of families, not just their own. Your family is there to love on you. We are there to support you objectively. Both are important.”
How did Huntsville doula agency Rocket City Doulas come to be?
“RCD was born from a place of reaching the limits of my own personal capacity, knowing I wanted to serve more people in our community with more service options. I wanted to offer postpartum support. I wanted to offer childbirth education. But, I was very full with clients, solo, and could not physically continue doing that alone, much less add more services.”
What sets Rocket City Doulas apart from other doulas in Huntsville?
“For all of our doulas- we offer monthly continuing education opportunities. We do not stop learning just because we have a certification. We value education and continued learning. Our clients also have access to the information from our entire team, not just the doulas who are supporting them physically. Including me – the owner.
For labor: I think our model of support is what separates us from most other doulas in our community. We practice a team model – meaning all of our clients have a doula team of 2 doulas. Those two doulas are FULLY their doulas. Meaning there is no primary/backup. You form a relationship with both of them, essentially having two doulas for the price of one. This model allows our doulas to go on call for clients IMMEDIATELY. We do not wait until a certain gestation. Once a client signs with us, our doulas are available to attend a birth in any trimester. This model also greatly reduces the risk that you will have someone at your birth that you don’t know. Because there are two of them, if one of your doulas is sick, at a birth, etc. your other doula will step in (and you will likely never even know that has happened since they’re both your doula!).
For postpartum- I think one of the biggest differences between an agency and solo doulas is the accountability and standards. We make sure that our doulas are certified, insured, CPR certified, and have clean background checks. (These are things that a lot of solo doulas do not have to provide.) There is recourse if someone has a negative experience with a doula outside of the doula themselves. Our doulas have to abide by the standard put forth by their certification body as well as those from RCD. We are also able to provide overnight support!
We also have the ability to work large contracts because we have multiple doulas. (We specialize in working with families with multiples as well!)”
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a first-time mom thinking about her birth and postpartum experience?
“There is a fine line between learning and educating yourself about this experience and overwhelming yourself with others’ opinions. I think it is beneficial to consider, early on, who you trust and are willing to take advice from and stick with those voices. (And always weigh those things with your values, of course!) And never, ever ask about an induction in a Facebook group. I’m kidding, of course. Sort of. 🙂 “
What is Rocket City Doulas’ philosophy surrounding pregnancy, birth, and postpartum?
“RCD’s philosophy around pregnancy, birth, and postpartum has been the same since our own inception. We believe every family deserves unbiased support from pregnancy through postpartum so they can feel confident and connected through one of the most significant times in their lives. We also have a passion to work collaboratively with other birth and postpartum professionals. We support clients in formulating and asking questions and help implement the plans they create together.”
How do you help partners stay involved during labor and delivery?
“While the client who is having the baby is our primary focus, (you know, since the baby is coming out of them, typically) the entire family unit is our client. Part of our role is to help facilitate family bonding. We are the partner’s doula, too! So, helping them show up the way they want to during labor by helping them build confidence. We teach comfort measures, coaching them either prenatally or in the moment. We guide them into an active and meaningful role at their person’s side.”
What advice would you give someone interviewing a Huntsville doula for the first time?
“There are questions I would definitely make sure get answered outside of logistics like price. My number one would be: Who is your backup/ what happens if you cannot attend my birth? Other questions would be:
- When do you go on call? What happens if I need you before then?
- Who are you certified with and do you have insurance?
- What have your experiences been with my care provider as a doula?
- What happens if I have a question and you don’t know the answer?
- How will you involve my partner?
- What access do I have to you?
Internally I would ask myself- Does this person make me feel better about my upcoming birth experience? Do I think they will support me if my birth plans change? Do I think this person can support choices that would be different than their own? Will this person work collaboratively with my care team?”
What else would you like readers to know about Rocket City Doulas?
“One thing we didn’t touch on is loss. We want families to know that we support you no matter how your pregnancy journey ends. In the event of a loss, we refund our fees and provide bereavement support at no cost. We also have a relationship with Ryker’s Rainbow, a local organization that supports families through pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and infant loss. It is important to us that no family navigates that kind of grief without support and we are honored to be a part of that network.”
Thank you so much, Tracy, for sharing your expertise as a Huntsville doula! If you’d like more information about how Rocket City Doulas can serve you, contact RCD here.
Mallory Bell Photography is a Huntsville newborn and family photographer documenting the joy and connection of family. Interested in information about maternity or newborn photos in Huntsville? Contact me today!
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