066 The Revolutionary Doula Sabia Wade- part 2

Listen in to the second part of Michelle’s conversation with Sabia Wade. Together, they explore the ways in which the current medical system is failing us from patient to physician and the reality that many birth professionals carry secondary trauma due to the hierarchical system and the very nature of birth itself. They discuss why self-care is a vital responsibility for all birth workers. Sabia encourages expecting families to demand and require curiosity from the providers and caregivers that are assisting them with their care. 

"For me, it is always important for anyone that I interact with to know that they are the expert of themselves. And that I am here to assist in whatever ways that I can. That's my job. That's who I am. I am never going to be the person who is the all-mighty knowing. But I can assist you in what you know about yourself. And I can assist you in learning new things about yourself, and you can assist me in learning more. That's the kind of energy that needs to be brought to birth work and just to people to people interactions."—Sabia Wade

About Sabia C. Wade:

Sabia is a radical doula, educator, doula business coach, reproductive justice advocate, and somatic practitioner in training that is elevating the voices and experiences of marginalized communities. Sabia embraces the role as a liberator of self by equity, autonomy, and justice for every body!

In 2015, Sabia's doula journey began as a volunteer doula with The Prison Birth Project. In the role as a volunteer doula, Sabia assisted incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents, as well as parents in recovery for two years. In these two years, Sabia gained knowledge not only about birth but also about topics such as obstetric violence, the Black maternal crisis, and reproductive justice. That experience has been the foundation of who Sabia is, all that Sabia does, and who Sabia is becoming.

In 2018, Sabia founded the nonprofit organization, For The Village, a community doula program that provides free and low-cost doula services to underrepresented communities. They are currently partnered with Project Concern International and Birth Roots Birth Center to better outcomes for Black birthing people in San Diego, CA.

Sabia's experience and knowledge inspired the creation of the Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings (BADT) in 2019. The goals of BADT are bringing necessary education to birth workers seeking to go beyond the standard doula role and into advocacy for the underrepresented and increase accessibility to BADT by creating an online platform, as well as providing affordable options to participating birth workers. 

In 2020, Sabia officially started the training to become a Somatic Experience Practitioner with the Somatic Experience Trauma Institute (SETI) after embodying the practice into her own life for about two years, and is now a proud member of the board of directors for SETI.  

 

Connect with Sabia Wade:

Websites: https://theblackdoula.com/,   https://www.badoulatrainings.org/

Facebook:  @doulasabia, @birthingadvocacy

Instagram: @theblackdoula, @birthingadvocacy

 

Connect with Michelle Smith:

Website:  BirthEaseServices.com

Facebook:   Birth Ease,   The Birth Ease Podcast,  Birth Ease Baby Loss Support

Instagram:    @birtheasemichellesmith,  @birtheaselossssupport

YouTube:    Birth Ease

LinkedIn:  Birth Ease Michelle Smith

Show:  Birth Ease