About Me:
 Rae Davies
BSH, BDT(DONA), LCCE
There is no doubt that my life’s passion is reflected in my 40-year career focused on mothers and babies. It all began when I attended Husband Coached Childbirth Classes (now known as The Bradley Method) for the birth of my first baby. The founders, Marjie and Jay Hathaway, taught my classes and produced the film Childbirth for the Joy of It where my birth experience is featured.
Inspired by my birth, I trained as a Bradley Method childbirth educator, and later became a certified DONA International doula and trainer, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I enjoyed teaching group and private classes along with attending births as a doula and providing breastfeeding support in hospitals, birth centers, and homes. Through these activities more opportunities to support optimal birth practices crossed my path including birth assisting with midwives, creating workshops, teaching, and speaking nationally and internationally. Eventually I expanded into administrative roles that enhanced maternity care services on both the national and international level. I became the first Executive Director for the Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), and then joined the first board of directors for the International MotherBaby Childbirth Initiative (IMBCO), currently I am the administrative director for the IMBCO. While serving in administrative positions I became more involved with the promotion and protection of breastfeeding as a Health Care Practices Co-coordinator for the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), and I represented CIMS at the US Breastfeeding Committee. Midwifery has remained close to my heart; consequently I served on the Board of Directors for the Florida School of Traditional Midwifery for five years. Ultimately my love for the work of doulas keeps me where I feel I can make the most impact on maternity care - through training doulas thus the creation of The Birth Company. Doula workshops inspire me, motivate me, and give me hope for the future. There is so much to learn and experience in this field, and I am continually discovering from doulas that they want to learn more to serve their clients better. This is the reason for the creation of Online Doula Workshops. The courses are designed to supplement doula workshops, not to replace them. The courses will cover topics just touched on at doula workshops and/or enhance specific topics. With that in mind here’s a Chinese proverb that I love – “If you are planning for a year, sow rice. If you are planning for a decade, plant trees. If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people.” "Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." - Rumi |
Favorite Links
I chose to certify as a doula and become a trainer for DONA because of the incredible founders.
The IMBCI is translated into 18 languages. Step 1 states: "Treat every woman with respect and dignity."
CIMS 10 Steps are evidence-based steps focusing on prevention and a wellness model of maternity care - the IMBCI was born through CIMS.
WABA's site includes so much information from a global perspective that I can't begin to summarize it!! WABA created World Breastfeeding Week.
An excellent resource for doulas and childbirth educators as well as for consumers - it is the leading organization for impacting maternity care within the health care system.
The Florida School of Traditional Midwifery offers excellence in direct entry midwifery education.
This site is full of wonderful resources and handouts for birth professionals. Refer your clients to Lamaze for Parents.
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