Who's Your Doula? Get to Know Olena

I am excited to join The Maya’s Nest and to work alongside Samantha. Samantha and I started our doula journey together. We took the DONA Doula Training in March of 2014. We both flew solo for a while but now have decided that together we can make a pretty amazing team.

I would like to use this space to introduce myself.

First, let’s talk about some personal stuff:

1. Up until the birth of my son 2 years ago, I never drank coffee. Now, I drink anywhere between 3-5 cups a day… depending on the day.  
   
2. I can’t stand the taste of milk…unless it’s in coffee.
   
3. I was born in Odessa, Ukraine and immigrated to Canada when I was 12 with my mom. We settled in Terrace, BC. It was a huge culture shock to move from a city of 2 million to a town of 15 thousand.
   
4. I am currently learning Spanish for fun.  (Tengo muchas ganas de ser su doula… I think.)
   
5. I am fluent in Russian but I have a terrible English accent. 
   

How did you become a doula? 

The simple answer is that I had a doula at my birth that inspired me to help other women. I had a very tough birth that resulted in a c-section and my doula stayed with me almost until I was taken into the operating room. She was a huge support for my partner and me.  

I wasn’t sure that this is what I wanted to do when I took the DONA training, I just knew that I wanted to learn more about birth and doulas. Walking out of this course as a fresh-faced, excited labour support person, I was eager to help any and ALL pregnant women. The first birth that I ever attended convinced me that this was my passion. When that phone rings I feel needed and connected to something that’s greater than myself. Helping someone out and watching a new person come into this world is an unbelievable feeling. 

What is your favourite part of being a doula? 

There are many things: 
- the waiting. I know it seems odd, but I there is something reassuring in waiting and surrendering to time. As Murakami puts it, ““now all you can do is wait. It must be hard for you, but there is a right time for everything. Like the ebb and flow of tides. No one can do anything to change them. When it is time to wait, you must wait.” (Murakami, Haruki “The Wind Up Birth Chronicles).
- the phone ringing in the middle of the night
- the drive back from the hospital/family home after the baby has been born. Things seem somehow different, smaller, and I find that incredibly comforting. 
- watching new moms and dads interact with their little person for the very first time
- being a part of the birth team 
- the calm that I can bring to the labouring mama just by using my words. 
- These are just a few. There are too many to list. 

What do you do when you are not doula-ing? 

I am a PhD student at SFU. Currently, I am getting ready to start writing my dissertation. Aside from being a student, I work with people that have disabilities as an Employment Specialist. I truly enjoy talking with people about their lives and their hopes for the future.  

What is something that people may be surprised to learn about you? 

All that is surprising I have sort of covered. I guess the one thing that people tend to be surprised about is the fact that English is not my first language. I don’t have a very strong accent, it only tends to come out when I am nervious or excited.