Working to dispel the taboo

What is a doula? Ask the Google.

dou·la
/ˈdo͞olə/
noun
a woman, typically without formal obstetric training, who is employed to provide guidance and support to a pregnant woman during labor.
“from admission through delivery, a doula stayed at her assigned patient’s side”
a woman employed to provide guidance and support to the mother of a newborn baby.
“my mother-in-law hired a postpartum doula to help me for a couple of weeks”

So what do we find?

That Doula Guy

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That’s not a “taboo,” it’s a fact. Men can’t give birth; just a fact, ma’am.

Tell us about yourself, Mac Brydum.

“That Doula Guy” is Mac Brydum.

Specializing in comprehensive doula support, including labor support, postpartum care, infant sleep consulting, and lactation support.

Mac enthusiastically offers LGBTQ-inclusive, empowering, compassionate care for ALL families.

Also offering consulting for professional organizations on LGBTQ inclusion.

Don’t you want him for your lactation support?

But the last line gives it away a little – really he’s about the LGBTQ inclusion, and really what that means is the T inclusion. What’s best for women in childbirth isn’t his concern.

It’s so irritating, and so male-entitled, this move to have men take over everything women do. I’m making an educated guess that doulas are women because women don’t actually want to hire a man to hold their hand and cheer them on at that particular project. They’ve had to accept male doctors for generations because women doctors were so scarce, but there’s no reason they should have to accept men doing the female support person job too. No doubt some women will sign Mac Brydum that doula guy right up because women are expected to be sweet and accommodating, but a man who knew how to give a shit about anyone other than himself wouldn’t make women feel obliged to make him feel “included.” Women in labor shouldn’t have to be “inclusive” in that way.

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