Sixteen-Year-Old Doula Allie Sakowicz Gears Up for Summer
Monday, June 14, 2010 at 5:55AM
Guest Post by Allie Sakowicz
Every person has their own morning routine. For some, it’s waking up, taking a shower, getting dressed, walking the dog, making coffee and leaving for work. During my three years of middle school, my morning routine involved waking up at 5:54 am, tip-toeing downstairs in my pajamas, making a hot chocolate, and settling in front of the television downstairs for back-to-back episodes of “Birth Day” on Discovery Health before I trekked back upstairs to get ready for school. It was always so refreshing to see several births every morning so that I could carry that exhilaration with me for the rest of the day. Now a high school junior, I wake up even earlier in the morning, but instead of watching births, I use the time to study so that I can continue on the path to my dream of delivering babies.
I’ve been interested in medicine for as long as I can remember. I can vaguely recall parading around my house with a fake stethoscope and pin that read “Dr. Allie” before starting kindergarten. When I was nine, I developed a very strong interest in obstetrics and birth, and have been full-speed ahead ever since. I would constantly watch every birth show I could, checked out tens of books on pregnancy from the library, (albeit to plenty of awkward looks from staff members) and even subscribed to Pregnancy Magazine. My belief for several years was that birth was a medical event that was meant to take place in a hospital, and I thought that all cesarean sections were medically necessary and interventions were always justified. Fortunately, my opinions on the topic recently shifted from the medical model to the midwifery model, thanks in part to my discovery of doulas.
Sakowicz after attending her first birth as a doula in 2006For those that do not know, a doula is a non-medical professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to pregnant women before, during and after birth. I knew that it would be extremely difficult to become a doula at the age of fifteen, but I also knew that it was something that I was very passionate about, and therefore, would inject my heart and soul into. I dream of the day where I can utilize both my skills as a doula and an obstetrician to support women in whatever type of birth they choose. I plan on supporting women who desire unmedicated births, VBACs, waterbirths, you name it. It’s incredibly hurtful to read stories of unnecessary cesarean sections, unnecessary inductions, and unnecessary medical interventions. It is my mission to improve maternity care for women by encouraging them to trust their bodies during pregnancy and birth, only intervening when absolutely essential.
I still have a long way to go before I walk across the stage to receive my medical school diploma, so in the meantime, I have found a new love in working with teen mothers. I really enjoy the educational aspect of doula work, and find it very rewarding to give moms-to-be all of the information that they need to make an informed decision in regards to their pregnancy, birth or baby care. Because I am also a full-time high school student, I can only attend births during my summer vacation since it’s impossible to predict when a woman will go into labor. The day school lets out on the summer holiday, I begin going to bed each night with my cell phone in my hand and lugging my birth bag with me everywhere I go, waiting for that one adrenaline-filled phone call. The excitement and amazement of childbirth never has and never will get old for me. Every single birth is a miracle, and I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of it.
I love what I do and wouldn’t change it for the world. I am greatly looking forward to my future in the field of obstetrics, and hopefully, being able to change the American maternity care system for the better, one mom and one baby at a time.
Allie Sakowicz is a 16-year-old DONA-trained birth doula and freelance writer from the Chicago area. Feel free to visit her online at www.alliesakowicz.com or email allie.sakowicz@gmail.com.
Reader Comments (39)
Wow, I am so impressed! I am a medical student and a mom, and I wish I knew what I wanted to do so clearly when I was your age. You sound so clear headed and driven, I am sure you will be successful. Good luck!
Allie, I am so inspired by your energy and dedication and drive to help birthing women. In fact, I wish that EVERY woman could encounter people who "inject their heart and soul" into their work like you do. BRAVO!!!
Amazing! Your passion comes across in your words. You are providing such an important service for your peers. I wish you all of the success that is yours in your journey to become an OB.
Wow! That is so inspirational! There are so many ADULTS these days who don't know what they want and who have a passion for nothing, or have no idea what their passion is! Congratulations Allie on discovering your passion at what most would assume to be a very young age (I personally think *most* passions are discovered at a younger age) Yours is a very unique exciting passion though :D I want you to thank your parents for me for raising such a thoughtful, insightful mature, encouraging young women!! It really warms my heart (and tears me up a little!) to know you will be working with teen moms!! I was a teen mom and at 17 and very uneducated about birth ended up with an uneccessary cesarean! Good luck Allie!! What you are doing is amazing!!
Allie, your passion for childbirth amazes me! When I was your age childbirth rarely crossed my mind. It took going through nursing school to realize what an amazing, miraculous, natural event it truly is. I'm hoping to become a Doula myself, but it took me having 2 children myself to realize that dream! It is so great that you can work with teen moms. They need a lot of support from someone like you! I wish there were more young women like you!
I'd let you assist at my birth! Boston is a little far from Chicago, though.
Way to go! I love reading about your passion and I love the fact that you didn't just think about your dreams, you are achieving them, even now!
Allie you are amazing! I have no doubts what so ever that you will achieve your goal - your passion makes it obvious. All the best for a fantastic summer of births!
Wow! What an amazing young lady! Keep up the good work Allie! This country needs more doctors like you!!!!
How amazing! Allie, you are an inspiration. I love it that you are working with teen moms to give them information that they would likely not receive somewhere else. We need more people like you - in every age group!
Thank you for what you are doing, and I wish you much success in it! :)
Way to go Allie! How inspiring to see someone of your age so invested in their future path. I am just as addicted and involved in birth and you're right, it never gets old! Keep plugging away and before you know it you'll be catching your first baby as a resident. You're going to need all that fire you've got in your belly to change the American maternity system. Good luck to you!
Thank you for sharing your story, and for being such a wonderful advocate for mothers, even very young ones! I am sure the mothers you help appreciate it, and years down the road, they will look back on your work with even more gratitude. Thank you for planting the seeds of change. I look forward to hearing more about you and your life!
Go, Allie! We need more young women growing up confident about birth. Keep up the good work!
Allie! You are an amazing, inspirational young woman! We need more passionate people like yourself with the goal of changing Maternity care in the U.S. I wish you the best of luck in all of your endeavors.
You are an inspiration! And you remind me of myself although I was never as close to birth as you are (I am truly impressed), just baby crazy! When I was in medical school, it only took a few days to know that OB/GYN was the field I wanted to be in, I couldn't imagine doing anything else. You have the one key that will bring you through the hard times...PASSION. So as you make your way, just never lose that love for birth and you will be an awesome doc! I have always said that if we are going to change the current maternity system, it has to start when people are first in training...but you starting now is even better...time to start blogging!
You are an inspiration. It is an amazing thing to have beliefs and have a mind open to changing those beliefs. Such a pleasure to imagine all the lives you will be able to touch in your lifetime.
Wow! Thank you so much for posting your story! I think you're going to make one heck of an OB! We need more strong, intelligent young women out there that are passionate like you are! I don't think the birthing world has heard the last of you. :) Keep up the good work!
That teared me up. Allie, you're awesome. What an inspiration. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young. You rock.
You go girl! I hope and believe you will fulfill your dream and you already are. What an inspiration. At such a young age, with a mission in mind and hand... you ARE doing it! The world needs more people like you.... keep that light shining!
Congratulations on your passion and devotion. Have you ever considered midwifery instead of obstetrics?