A Doula's Journey: Into the World of Birth

by Sarah Goldstein

In this captivating chronicle of a doula, Sarah Goldstein reminisces about being on call to serve women before, during and after labor. There are no breaks or time off in this profession. It is a memoir that both the novice and the informed will be unable to put down.Often torn between her life's calling, and her family, Sarah is even further challenged by being in a 'sandwich generation.' She is raising six children while caring for her ever-worsening Alzheimer's mom. Yet with family support at the most trying of times, she experiences both the trials and triumphs of facilitating mothers in bringing their newborns into the world.

280 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2014

Reviews

[Rebecca Shelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Doula’s Journey is an autobiographical memoir written by Sarah Goldstein all about how she became a birth doula, and later on a doula trainer with DONA International. In the book she chronicles her early life and education, her several moves across America and eventually to Israel, and how that move affected her decision to enter into the world of being a birth professional. She also describes what being a doula is like, the emotions that come with it, and the limit of her practice. She began the journey as a young mother herself and often contemplates the importance of her work with the guilt of not being home as often as she’d like for her own children.

Goldstein did not hold back on describing the emotions that come from being a doula. Throughout her career she has juggled being a mother of small children and caring for her own mother who deteriorated over the years from Alzheimer's disease. I related with her on a personal level throughout the book and felt the joy, happiness, sadness, stress, and disappointments right alongside her. This book is definitely one that every birth professional should read. I really enjoyed this book and I’ll even venture to say that it was my favorite that I’ve read during the course of my training.

[Sarah Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

|Great! Especially if you are passionate about birth.