8 years as a Doula and Birth Advocate with Alyssa Booth

Together with Rachael Rose

In this conversation with Alyssa Booth, we covered a lot of ground. We started with Alyssa's conception journey and her path to motherhood. Her three fast births, and then moving into doula work and studying and starting her business. We talk about imposter syndrome, money and charging for your worth and your value.
You’ll hear us discuss:

• Alyssa's story on becoming a mother and her 3 births
• How Alyssa became a birth doula and logistically what that looked like for her
• Alyssa's volunteer advocacy work with Better Births Illawarra
• Alyssa's business and how that's changed over the years
• What Alyssa loves about being a doula
• What Alyssa loves most about being a mother
• Charging, visible pricing, outsourcing, being a business owner

MEET ALYSSA BOOTH
Alyssa is a birth doula, childbirth educator, a Christian, a wife, a mum of 3 and someone who is passionate about people feeling loved and valued. She loves being involved in her community and does this often, within her business and volunteer roles.
ALYSSA SAYS

"It took us about 18 months to actually fall pregnant. Then I was sick the entire time but still treasured and really loved pregnancy. I think because it was such a long, longed for thing that when it finally happened, I didn't even care that I was getting up and throwing up throughout the day and night sometimes.
It was just a beautiful thing that I was finally happy to be experiencing."

Connect with Alyssa Booth
Instagram - @cherish_birth
Website - http://www.cherishbirth.com.au/

Connect with Rachael Rose
Instagram: @the_rachael_rose
Website www.rachaelrose.com.au

ALYSSA SAYS
"A midwife had been recommending Illawara Birth classes. But she was told to stop, because the obstetrician didn't want their clients being taught by someone who's just a doula.

And that sentence, just a doula, has stuck in my head and every time I have an idea or bookings get into a lull or something, just a doula, you're just a doula.
I really have to dig myself out and be like, I've been in the birth world for a long time now. I am okay to teach these classes. I'm not giving individualised medical care. I'm teaching childbirth classes.
Historically that would've been done by women in the villages in the communities. I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm not acting out of scope. I have to talk myself off a ledge quite regularly."

Music by Edwina Masson 'The Feminine Spitfire'