Kyndal May, a DONA International Certified Birth Doula and birth doula trainer and creator of the Confident Birthing
Childbirth Curriculum discusses how she became interested in birth work, her history with DONA, how she helps train doulas, and how doulas can be a resource of support for parents. She talks about how the DONA International founders were pioneers in understanding the life of the newborn and the parent/baby dyad when most medical professionals did not support it. She discusses the importance of knowing your options, making informed, evidence-based decisions, and how doulas can help navigate the sometimes complicated world of birth in this country. She talks about how parents can pick the right doula for them – what to look for when interviewing doulas, and valuable resources for parents who are considering doula support for their birth and/or postpartum experience and how doulas can help facilitate a positive birth experience that will reduce the likelihood of trauma.
Kyndal May is DONA International Certified Birth Doula and birth doula trainer and creator of the Confident BirthingChildbirth Curriculum. With over 5000 hours of teaching experience, she is a master facilitator who was inducted as aFellow of the Lamaze International Academy of Certified Childbirth Educators in 2018.
Her career as a birth professional began in 1995 in Seattle,Washington State and she has attended nearly 400 births ,both in and out of hospital, with over 60 different midwives and as many obstetricians in 8 free-standing birth centers and 12 different Pacific Northwest hospitals.
An avid photographer, telling the story of birth through the lens of her camera, her photography has been featured in such publications as Birth Ambassadors: Doulas and the Re-Emergence of Woman-Supported Birth in America and TheEssential Home Birth Guide.
She is currently the Chair of the Board of the newly formedIdaho State Chapter of Postpartum Support International. And in 2017, she was recognized with the Advanced Doula Designation from DONA International for major contributions to DONA International, to the doula profession, and in the maternal-child wellness field.
Last fall, Kyndal was accepted into the Feldenkrais Training Academy, a 4-year somatic education program. She is excited to be returning to her roots in bodywork with the intention of helping both parents and professionals improve their lives through mindful movement and embodied
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