Significance of Childbirth to the Birthing Person and Family

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In this session, DONA Founder, Penny Simkin dives deeper into the significance of childbirth to discuss the cultural and personal meanings of birth along with the needs of the birthing family and how doulas can make a difference. Many of the foundational components of the work of the doula will be expanded upon in this session, leaving participants with a better understanding of the significance of birth and their part in participating in it with birthing families. Penny will explore her research as well as more recent studies on birth memories, expanding on our basic knowledge of how people remember their birth experiences.

This session is valuable to the doula, healthcare professionals, and anyone who interacts and supports people through the perinatal and childbirth experience.

Penny Simkin

PT

Penny is a physical therapist who has specialized in childbirth education and labor support since 1968. She estimates she has prepared over 12,000 women, couples and siblings for childbirth. She has assisted hundreds of women or couples through childbirth as a doula. She is the producer of several birth-related films and is the author of many books and articles on birth for both parents and professionals. Books include The Labor Progress Handbook (2011) with Ruth Ancheta, The Birth Partner (2008) and When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse of Childbearing Women (2004) with Phyllis Klaus. Her latest film is “There’s a Baby: A Film for Children about Birth and the New Baby” (2013).

Besides being one of the Founders of DONA International, she currently serves on several boards of consultants, the Editorial Board of the journal, “Birth”, and serves on the senior faculty at the Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations at Bastyr University, which was named in her honor.