Today we’d like to introduce you to Eleanor Prado.
Eleanor, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My journey began back in my junior year of college at Fordham University when I found out I was pregnant. During my pregnancy, I battled the stigma of being a young, unwed mother and I found that although I studied about childbirth and was educated on hospital procedures, I was not ready to face giving birth alone. I found myself unable to find my voice during labor to express my questions and concerns. After I gave birth to my daughter, the lack of support that continued, propelled me into postpartum depression. I began to realize more and more that all people need support when entering into parenthood. The more I read about birth and immersed myself into the birth world, the more I felt called to train as a doula in order to support birthing people.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road to becoming a doula started off on a detour. I worked as a high school teacher for nearly 8 years before I decided to leave and start my own doula business. I think fear mostly held me back; it’s hard to leave a stable income. However, even though I was happy teaching, there was always something missing. As my friends got older and began having babies of their own, I was always the one they came to for advice. I realized my passion for birth outweighed my passion for teaching high school, and my doula business was born!
My advice to young women who are just starting: don’t lose sight of what makes you happy. While I was a teacher, I found myself reading medical articles about pregnancy and birth in my free time. I even subscribed to a midwifery newsletter and would read every word of it whenever it came into my inbox. If you find yourself with a passion about something that’s outside of your current career, listen to it. At the very least, make that passion a hobby! Nourish your passions; you never know where they might take you.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
As a doula, I provide education and emotional and physical support for birthing people. I like to say that I am “waist up” support. I do not perform any medical or clinical practices and do not replace the need for a care provider such as a midwife or doctor. Labor doulas are cheerleaders. We affirm the individual experiences of each person whether they choose to have a cesarean birth or an out of the hospital, unmedicated birth. We are not here to push an agenda of what “birth should look like.” We help with breathing, we massage, and we normalize all the strange birth sensations that someone might feel.
I operate with a strong emphasis on informed consent. I believe that all births are valid and people deserve to enter the birthing space confident of their options so they have the power to choose the birth they want. Due to my teaching background, I am also keenly aware of inequalities in our society. According to the CDC, black women in America are, on average, four times more likely to die giving birth than white women and I am passionate about using my privilege as a white individual to raise awareness to inequalities such as these in the birthing world.
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I believe women are particularly well positioned for advocating. For a long time, our voices have not been heard in the political, religious, scientific, or social spheres of society. The #metoo movement was the beginning of a huge change in America. On the reproductive side of things, I see more and more women talking about infertility, miscarriage, endometriosis, the maternal mortality rate of black women, and a variety of other topics that were once considered taboo. Women no longer have to hide or feel shame and isolation. The more we speak out against injustice or voice our personal struggles, the more emboldened others will become to voice their stories. Normalizing these topics allow so many to realize they are not alone. There is so much power in that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eleanorpradodoula.com
- Email: eleanorpradodoula@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eleanorpradodoula/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eleanorpradodoula
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/eleanor_prado
Image Credit:
Pinell Photography & Mario Prado
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
