Meet Katie Jackson of Durham

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Jackson

Hi Katie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been working with families for the last 8 years. My experience and skills include Childbirth Education, Doula Support and Birth Photography+Video. My motto is parents deserve more joy and less stress through this major life transition.

My background is in public health. After I experienced the anxiety and confusion of navigating my first pregnancy and labor, my eyes became wide open to the importance of maternal health and physiological birth. I researched like crazy and learned what I could to become more confident and informed for my next two babies. I still was not fully aware of the existence or the role of a doula until much later. I worked with midwives and assumed that was best chance I had to improve my birth experiences (but it could have been so much better).

One of my biggest regrets is that I did not know all my options and have more support. And so I jumped officially (and enthusiastically) into my birthwork training and education to be the kind of person I needed when I was a young mom and starting my family.

So much of being pregnant and becoming a parent is baby-centered. I become a doula to bring the focus back to the one giving birth and to fill some of the huge gaps of information and care for women and families.

I was a doula and childbirth educator for 4 years when I decided to add birth photography to my services. Seeing births over and over again and walking with people through such courageous and joyful moments was so moving to me and I wanted to share that. Having given birth myself and having very hazy memories, I understand how quickly they can fade. I began my Birth Photography education in 2020, changed my business name, and the The Doula Lens was officially born.

It has been such a joy for me preserve these beautiful memories for all of the wonderful clients who trust me with such intimate moments. The highs and the lows and the range of emotions you see in a birth is like nothing else out there. No matter how your birth happens I want you to look back and see yourself how I see you; glorious, powerful, beautiful and full of love.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Growing up, I never could have imagined that I would be doing this kind of work. However, after the spark that led me to research this profession, the journey of my business always felt very natural for me.

From the minute I stepped into the birth room to support my first client, I had an immediate awareness that was where I was meant to be. It always felt very comfortable and instinctive for me to be in that space.

However the work of being a doula and seeing the ins and outs of some of the more medicalized parts can be overwhelming. This job will humble you very quickly as you experience the range of births and accept that we really can’t control or predict a whole lot. We can do everything “right” and birth will still do it’s own thing.

Being a doula can feel very discouraging sometimes when you start to understand that there are so many issues within our healthcare system that cannot be replaced with education and support alone. Like a lot of doulas, I know I started out with an overly ambitious idea about the kind of impact I could have and it just does not reflect the reality. You see some hard things and treatment that does not align with best practices, but you cannot fix the need for widespread changes within the larger system.

While I’ll always wish I could do more, I’m happy to make a difference here and there and keep spreading information and awareness for better care and policies that address inequality and improve birth outcomes for all.

The other challenge of my job is making sure I give enough to my clients while also prioritizing my own family. I have three kids and they are quickly growing up. While I imagined doula-ing to become easier over the years, I’ve actually found the opposite to be true for me. The older they get, the more dynamic our life becomes, and I feel more aware of missing something or not being available physically or emotionally. This is a big reason why I choose to work for myself and run a small business. It’s very important to me to be my best self for at home and at work. I keep a very small client base to ensure I don’t get spread too thin.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am known for being a very experienced doula and birth photographer-in-one. It is hard to excel at both, but I have many years and many hundreds of hours of labor under my belt.

I take my work very seriously. It would be a whole lot easier for me to snap some pictures, transfer them straight to a flash drive and call it a day. I pride myself on delivering crisp, bold and cinematic memories that are worthy of this very grand occasion. When people hire me they can expect to have a very personal and professional service.

Having supported labors for years and working in different kinds of settings means I am very sensitive and intentional with my camera. Documenting a birth is very different than any other kind of photography. I understand birth very well and I know how to be in the room without disrupting what is unfolding. As a seasoned doula, I know when to step in to support you and when to hold back. I am a really firm believer that no one should be in your birth space (with or without a camera) unless they really understand and respect you, the birth space and the birth process. It’s too important.

All doulas are amazing and have their own unique set of skills but this is the area I have chosen to specialize in. I will never be the kind of person who needs to do everything and know everything. For myself, I work best when I focus on a few things and learn to do them very well. For the families that are looking for exactly what I have to offer, I can promise to make that day as beautiful and enjoyable as it can be. There’s so many wonderful providers in the Triangle Area that serve all different kinds of needs and I’m just happy to be part of it and help in my own way.

The thing I am probably most proud of in my business is raising the awareness and importance of birth stories, women’s experiences and believing that parents deserve better. More than ever before, we are speaking up as a society about issues that have not been given a voice. There’s a saying that “peace on earth begins with birth” and I really believe that. I know that if we can improve the way we care for people through this significant process, we can create big changes in the world.

I see doula work and birth photography as a big part of that and I hope for a future for my children and for all, when we can place more value on the emotional, mental and physical health of women, mothers, parents and families.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’d say the people who probably deserve a lot of credit are the midwives. While I’d still go back and do a few things differently in my own births, I’m still very grateful for the care of my first midwives. For the first time ever in my life, I felt seen and validated in a way I had never been before. It changed me and inspired me to learn more and consider a career path I wouldn’t have imagined otherwise.

Along the way I’ve also learned a lot from my peers, colleagues and other local birthworkers. Sometimes working this kind of job does get a little lonely because we don’t really “work” together. I really value the collective wisdom and experience we all share. I learn something new whenever I spend time with a fellow doula.

I’m also inspired in general by a lot of the other local women in business that I’ve been able to interact with since moving to the area. I wasn’t really raised to ever imagine myself in that role at all. I love seeing other women in business working hard and leading with heart and passion.

Pricing:

• Birth Doula Support+Photo Starts around $1800. I have a few different options for more complete or lighter packages to fit different budgets and desires.
• Birth Photography Only starts around $2,000 for a full gallery.
• I run specials here and there during different seasons when I have more flexibility. I know this service is an investment and I do my best to make it accessible
• I offer some savings for out-of-hospital births

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thedoulalens.com/
• Instagram: @the.doula.lens
• Other: https://search.app.goo.gl/9qQoD5e