Meet Alicia! Birth & Postpartum Doula

At Balanced Birth Support, we are honored to work with such a talented, caring, and supportive group of birth & postpartum doulas, childbirth educators, lactation consultants, and placenta specialists. Every single one of the members of Balanced Birth Support bring a unique life experience to the amazing and wondrous work that they do to support expectant families. In the first installment of a series dedicated to profiling members of Balanced Birth Support, I have spoken with Alicia Bennett, a birth and postpartum doula who joined us in November of 2017.

Alicia is a native of Southern California and although she misses the sun and the beach, she has called the Washington, DC area home for the last 14 years.  She earned a Bachelors Degree in English from George Mason University and worked as a middle school English teacher after graduation. She chose to put teaching on hold after the birth of her first child (she has 3 now!) to stay home with her children.  

In November of 2017, Alicia joined Balanced Birth Support as a birth and prenatal doula. Read on to learn more about what drove Alicia to become a birth worker as well as some fun, non-birth related information!  

Alicia...

Where were you born?

I was born in Champaign, Illinois, but grew up in Los Angeles, CA.

How long have you lived in the DMV?

I've lived in the DMV for 14 years this summer!! Yikes that went fast.

Tell me about the moment you wanted to be a doula.

My "wanting" to be a doula grew gradually. The instigating moment for me was when one of my best friends invited me to be with her at her home birth of her firstborn. I was 9 months pregnant with my second at the time, and didn't know if I would be helpful at all!  But just being with her, a reassuring presence, an encourager, and assuring her of her strength, was so giving to me and just what she needed!! It was then that I realized what a joy it was to support women in this adventure of birth. I spent a few years raising my own babies before feeling like I had some time and energy to pursue being a doula. I love it!

Are you a birth or postpartum doula? Or both? Why?

I am both a birth and postpartum doula. I like how they go hand in hand. When you form a bond with a family through labor and birth, it naturally passes into care for the family as they get used to welcoming a new one into their home. Nothing makes me happier! 

What is your favorite book/author/movie/band? Why?

TOO MANY TO LIST!!! I have always loved the Lord of the Rings series, both the books and the movies, and so, classically, they will always be my "favorite". As far as music, I love hiphop, TSwift, Chance the Rapper, country music in general, United Pursuit, Lauren Daigle, Kings Kaleidoscope, Walk the Moon,  Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Justin Beiber, Coldplay, Rachmaninov, movie soundtracks especially from Disney/Pixar....maybe I should stop, haha. 

What are some organizations that are near and dear to you? Do you do any volunteer or charity work?
I love my church, Redemption Hill DC. They are like family, an ever changing, growing, family :).  This area is so transient, and I feel like I've found such a purposeful, sacrificial, loving family in my church.
Our community group volunteers mostly at the DC Dream Center (also called the SouthEast White House). These people do good work and have been doing so for dozens of years. I love that it is led and run and volunteered by people in southeast. We hang out with a group of kids every last Monday night of the month for their Moms' Night Out, so mamas and grandmas can catch a break at least once a month. It is so rewarding and its right in our neighborhood!
Also, my husband and I are in the process of becoming an interim care family with Bethany Christian Services, an adoption agency. Looking forward to caring for infants before they go to their forever home. 
Do you have any favorite quotes or poems?
"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like." - Augustine
 
Psalm 103: 1-5 
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. - MLK JR
Do you have any useless talents?

Hmm...does making a meal from random items in your cabinet count? Or how about getting three kids to shower in under ten minutes? HAHA. Pretty much all my "mom" talents.

What do you like to do in a your free time? Do you have any hobbies?

I love to run, for my mental clarity and health, as well as physical health, and its a great way to clear your mind and heart, as well as explore your city. I also love reading! I'm usually reading two or three books at a time, and so it takes me forever to finish one, but I enjoy fiction paired with something theological or biographical. I'm also all about trying new eateries in DC, playing Uno with my family, and going for bike rides. I also just picked up macrame recently, as a way to display my plant babies in my house, and multiply them out to friends. 

If you could have an all-expenses paid trip to see any famous world monument, which monument would you choose?

WHOA. I don't even know!!! I'd probably want to see something huge in nature, like Machu Pichu, or hanging cliffs in Thailand, or volcanoes in Hawaii. As far as a building is concerned, I'd love to see the Eiffel Tower. 

What would you like your doula clients to know about you?

I SUPPORT YOU AND CARE FOR YOU AND RESPECT YOU SO MUCH!!! Anything you chose for how you want to experience birthing your baby, I stand by you. I want to be your cheerleader, your calm, and your best pal in those moments, and I do not take it for granted that you would invite me into such a beautiful, sacred space. 

What do you hope to bring to a birth?

I hope to bring, calm, assurance, encouragement, affirmation, and cheer into a birth. 

What do you like best about being a doula?

I love the miracle of life, the moment when two become three, the incredible, durable strength of a mother when she trusts her intuition and her body, the patience of waiting and working for something so beautiful. 

What do you wish that more people knew about birth or pregnancy?

That google is WRONG!! haha!! Trust your circle and your tribe more than what the internet wants to tell you about your body or the process of birth and delivery. Your body can do this all on its own!!

Where do you draw your inspiration?

From my own mother and grandmother, from my friends who have birthed babies in so many different ways (IVF, induction, cesarean, non medicated, medicated) and are raising our kids together. 

Who do you look up to or idolize?

I look up to my mom so much. She birthed and raised five kiddos and the best gift she and my dad gave us was EACH OTHER.  I also admire my husband so much. He was the one who pushed me to pursue this dream. 

If you could have any super power, what would it be?

TO FLY!!! Like, who wouldn't want to do that???!!!

To learn even more about Alicia, visit her Balanced Birth Support profile page! Have you worked with Alicia? Leave some love for her in the comments sections! 

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