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)
This makes me smile!
Allie - it is great you are getting to see this side of it. It will be interesting to see how your thoughts evolve as you pursue your medical training. Keep an open mind, as there are more than one side to this story. Good luck on a promising career!
@Lee-Ann-- Thank you :)
@Nicholas Fogelson-- Thank you so much for reading and commenting! Your Academic OB/GYN podcasts are something that I avidly listen to. I also love keeping up with your blog and Twitter feeds. Thank you so much for being a fantastic source of knowledge for those interested in OB/GYN and those who are interested in learning the latest developments in the field. You are awesome!
Allie, good for you! I would be interested to see the ways in which you are able to resist Nicholas’ paradigm of maternity care as being an us-versus-them situation. It’s really not! Hang on for the ride and you’ll join the ranks of the many low intervention, pro-woman OB-GYNs that practice like and with midwives. Good luck!
Allie, you are an inspiration! Kudos for your work as a doula, and all best wishes as you progress forward toward medical school. The medical profession needs people with your compassion and sensitivity. Find a mentor in the profession who believes in good balanced care of mother and baby throughout the stages of pregnancy, labor, delivery and recovery, keep your present attitude, and you will be a great doctor!
Allie, though I might be a few years older than you (OK, more than a few years,) I'd like to be you when I grow up. Hang on to your enthusiasm. If you do end up going to medical school instead of entering midwifery, it's going to be a lot like Dorothy in Oz, but if you close your eyes and click your heels you will remember how you got there and you'll know how to go home again. Best of luck.
Allie, I am a doula, I trained for two years as a direct entry midwife, and I am planning on going into ob/gyn.
You already know about step one, too! You are way ahead of the game. I didn't even know about the different board exams until I was accepted to medical school, believe it or not.
@HB--Thank you! I realize that a lot could change in the obstetrics system before I have a chance to help change it, but when I get there, I really want to make sure that it's not a war-like situation. OB/GYNs, midwives, doulas, etc, all enter the field with the goal of helping moms and babies, but we all have different opinions on how to achieve that goal. It's all about working together!
@KathyC--I am very lucky to have found so many who are willing to help me as I continue this journey. The birth community truly is amazing, and I am very thankful for all the men and women that have helped me out over the years, and those that will help me in the future. Thanks for your comment!
@Lauren Plante--Thank you so much! I received your contact information from Jill, so I will definitely be in touch in the next few days.
@MomTFH--Wow! Where do you go to medical school, if you don't mind sharing? You are going to be such a great OB! And I've been scared to death about Step 1 since sixth grade. I need to get a life :)
Yes you are such an amazing young lady. Keep up the good work!