Guiding Gates Doula

02/27/2026

Well, dang, there's nothing more to say.

www.facebook.com/kemi.johnson

02/23/2026

While we're talking about s*x...did you know there are so many similarities between birth and s*x?

🩷Intimate experience you only want to share with someone you love and trust
🩷Consent puts you in charge
🩷Tapping into your body to find the position that works
🩷Sweating, moaning, and deep breathing
🩷Surrender ends in release
🩷Some pain/discomfort is accepted for the feeling of pleasure
🩷Dim lights and a safe environment
🩷No audience (thank you very much)
🩷So much oxytocin!!

02/19/2026

Sometimes it's just gotta be a C-section.

Sometimes your water breaks on Saturday and you have measly contractions on Sunday and Monday. So, you do some exercises and work on breaking down mental barriers (aka cry it out) and you finally go to the hospital on Tuesday. You try your hardest to have the contractions pick up and stay but you end up needing just a touch of Cytotec. By Wednesday you realize that medication didn't do much to move labor along so you agree to some Pitocin. Finally, you see some progress!

Early morning Thursday, you recognize you have nothing left to give. You haven't slept in days, you're hooked up to so many wires that just wear you down, you've made countless decisions, and your baby just can't recover after the contractions. You are bone tired, overwhelmed, and just over it.

Sometimes it's been five days and you've done it all. There's only one thing left. You confidently decide to get a C-section. It was clear there was no other option. You feel relieved to not have to make so many decisions, to be off of those damn belly straps, excited you'll finally meet your stubborn baby. You tuck away the loss, the disappointment, and fears. You'll deal with that later.

But for now, you understand that sometimes it's gotta be a C-section. And you're ok with that.

Always, I will wait for you. While you're becoming a mother one incision at a time, I'm catching up on eating and thinking of you. I can't wait to meet your baby and tell you how proud I am of you.

02/14/2026

Amazing resource for Hampton Roads families!

02/05/2026

It's been about a year since I posted this, and I still tell this amazing story!

I can truly say this is one of the written pieces I'm most proud of! I'm equally proud of my client, who has allowed me to share her empowering birth story with you.

Please stop by and give it a read. My biggest hope is that it inspires you to break free from the undue fear of birth.

"Amber's story became a testament to the power of embracing the unknown, of finding strength in surrender, and of the transformative magic that occurs when we trust in the wisdom of our bodies."

https://www.guidinggatesdoula.com/hampton-virginia-doula-blog/finding-strength-in-surrender

01/30/2026

Sometimes it's a C-section.

And I know it's not about me. But I am there. I also hoped, sacrificed, got angry, cried.

My insecurities bubble up.

Did I do enough?
Do they still value me?
Do they blame me?

I visit them weeks after birth and help them process and heal. They feel only their experience and I get to feel many more. I hold that weight, let it go, and it comes back every now and then. I don't forget them. Years later, I wonder if they're truly healed.

I understand it's not about me, and, rationally, I know why it happened, but I'll always wonder if I could have done more.

01/27/2026

I'm incredibly lucky to have talented friends like Ariel Eishen whose untitled poem speaks to me beyond birth. It's a story of transformation and bravery. Values that we so desperately need in these times.

01/24/2026

Meet Arianne. You're gonna be glad you know her because she'll be your car seat BFF!

"I’m a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) and the owner of That Car Seat Mom, a small nonprofit serving families throughout Hampton Roads. My focus is on car seat education, proper installation, and caregiver empowerment—helping families feel confident transporting their children safely from day one.

My approach is non-judgmental, evidence-based, and family-centered. I aim to complement the care you already provide by ensuring families leave the hospital or birth center with confidence in their child’s safety—not just a correctly installed seat."

She offers FREE:

✅One-on-one car seat checks and education sessions

✅Prenatal car seat education (ideal for expectant families)

✅Postpartum support for correct fit and adjustments

https://thatcarseatmom.com/
That Car Seat Mom

01/20/2026

I got a new tattoo! This one is for Artemis.

She's known as the goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and childbirth. Her symbol is a bow and arrow, that shows her dominion over the untamed world, her swift, precise nature, and her role in women's health.

She is also considered the first midwife after helping her mother deliver her twin brother, Apollo, during her mother's difficult nine-day, nine-night labor.

The same bow and arrow used to hunt animals also represented her power to bring sudden death to women during childbirth. This was seen as a way to "release" them from pain or as a, sometimes, vengeful, often protective, act.

Artemis is known as Diana in Roman mythology, who's represented by the moon, so I added that to the bow and arrow. She is invoked at childbirth because children are born after nine lunar revolutions.

01/13/2026

I love it when mamas go into their ritual during labor!

Sometimes, that looks like circling the hips on a labor ball in a specific rhythm, maintaining deep eye contact during contractions, or tapping a finger. They do these things repetitively to keep focused and cope with contractions. And don't you dare interrupt her ritual!

They don't practice this ritual ahead of time, nor do they choose what it'll be. Their body simply calls them to do it.

But my favorite is verbal rituals. I had the honor of attending two births this week, and the moms were deeply immersed in the moment, repeating their special words. One was "open," and the other was "amen." A verbal ritual says so much about the laboring person. ❤️

Did you have a ritual during labor?

01/09/2026

Let's talk money!

Did you know many new parents don't hire a doula because they can't afford one? Yet, they easily create a baby registry of 100-130 items that can total up to $2,000! Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't get the diapers, the gear, or the cute clothes. But instead of getting the latest and the greatest, I suggest you keep a minimal list and use your savings toward a labor/postpartum doula and lactation specialist!

In the end, the things you've bought likely won't add much to your labor or postpartum experience as much as a doula or breastfeeding expert. Look for minimalist registries for ideas and encourage loved ones to show their support by pitching in towards a doula through Be Her Village.

https://simplelivingtoolkit.com/blog/the-minimalist-baby-registry

https://behervillage.com/

This blog is devoted to helping readers create a simpler, experience-over-stuff lifestyle. Minimalism (also intentional living or essentialism) can help us to live our chosen values in a world that makes it all too easy to focus entirely on consuming.Years ago, my house burned down, and I got an imp...