Doulas On Call

Called to Birth: Our Doula Origins

• Misty and Tammy • Season 1 • Episode 1

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Ever wonder what it would be like to have a trusted friend by your side during childbirth who knows all the insider tips, brings humor to intense moments, and supports you without judgment? Meet Misty and Tammy, two passionate birth doulas from Denver who are breaking open the birth conversation with refreshing honesty and plenty of laughter.

In this premiere episode, Misty and Tammy introduce themselves as your "birth besties" and explain why they felt compelled to create a podcast that celebrates ALL types of birth experiences. Unlike many birth resources that lean heavily toward one philosophy, these doulas embrace the full spectrum of birth choices without judgment or fear-mongering.

Both hosts share their fascinating origin stories—how witnessing births at young ages (Misty at 9, Tammy at 12) sparked lifelong fascinations with the birth process. Through their combined decades of experience supporting hundreds of families, they've developed a perspective that blends evidence-based information with emotional intelligence and practical support.

They demystify what a doula actually does (hint: they're not "magical birth wizards" but rather your "no TMI best friend"), explain why continuous support during labor leads to better outcomes, and share heartwarming stories about the deep connections they form with clients. As Tammy beautifully puts it, what birthing people often need most is simply someone to look them in the eye during a challenging moment and say, "I believe you."

Looking for birth stories that will make you laugh, cry, and feel empowered? Subscribe now and join these delightful doulas for conversations with birth professionals, real parents sharing their experiences, and plenty of insider tips—including which snacks are best for labor! Whether you're pregnant, planning to be, or just fascinated by birth, this podcast promises to educate, entertain, and remind you that your body is absolutely magical.


The study referenced in this episode is listed below. 💕Evidence Based Birth is another great resource for all things pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full

Thanks for listening! Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!


Misty:

I'm Misty and I'm Tammy and we're the doulas on call. Remember, mamas, we're not doctors, midwives or magical birth wizards. Just two passionate birth workers with microphones sharing personal experiences, trusted information, the best snacks for labor and a whole lot of heart. What you hear on this podcast is meant to educate, encourage and connect, but it's not medical advice.

Tammy:

Please consult your trusted healthcare provider when making decisions about your health, your birth or anything clinical. Basically, don't sue us. We're just here to talk birth, spill some tea and share the love.

Misty:

Ring ring. Doulas on call. Hi everyone, I am Misty, I'm Tammy, and we are two birth doulas here in Denver, colorado. What up, misty, what up Tammy, what are you doing? What are you doing?

Tammy:

Yeah, we are starting this podcast. We've actually been talking about doing it for quite a while. We realize it's crowded in here, just as doulas and birth and all the things, but um, missy, why are? Why are we doing a podcast?

Misty:

well, I would say what inspired doulas on call that's our name, by the way, in case you didn't know. Yeah, doulas on call hashtag. Um. I would say what inspired is the lack of podcasts out there that include all types of birth yeah, for sure.

Tammy:

I think there's a lot that um are like low or no intervention, uh, like anti-epidural right anti-hospital. Oh my gosh, you had birth right with an ob gasp yeah, or just, or just fear, like I think a lot of them are meant to be informative but really instill fear. That's the feedback I get from my clients. I mean, I think that's what was helpful.

Tammy:

Also, there's not a lot of funny ones like like, birth is crazy, it is so wild. And there are I mean there's so many takeaway stories, right, like yeah, I mean we have to go on a group text and talk to each other because we're dying after some birth.

Misty:

You know episodes that are just out there, so expect that yeah, well, and funny that you said that, because we used to say all the time we need to start a podcast just with our stories, all the time, just through birth stories alone.

Tammy:

It's totally true well that still have heart and we we still obviously we love birth work, right like that's right, like let's talk about our origin story and actually we should back it up even more. What is a doula? My dad doesn't know to this day. I don't know if he knows what I do.

Misty:

Well, funny thing, so my kids, they tell people Sorry, dad.

Tammy:

They tell people that you know your mom's a doula. And people are like what A doula A doula what.

Misty:

So my kids will laugh and say a doula, ablangada.

Tammy:

Oh, that's really good.

Misty:

I have not heard that. I have not heard that that's really funny.

Tammy:

I always say, you know, I back it up and sound really smart and be like the word doula actually means to serve.

Misty:

It means to serve right um women to serve other women shout out ann pollock, dona dou, dona doula trainer. Yeah, doula trainer here in Denver Trained both Tammy and myself and several of the doulas in the practice we work with here in Denver.

Tammy:

So love her, so Misty. What is your story? Why did you become a doula? Where?

Misty:

did this all begin, Gosh? I have to take it back to like. I won't say diaper days, Wait five. I won't say diaper days. You remember your birth? I remember my birth, it was my birth that took me back. No, honestly, is when I was about nine or 10, I witnessed my first birth. I had my first birth experience. So I have a sibling who's much older than I am and I was able to witness their home birth. Um wow.

Tammy:

And.

Misty:

I was fascinated by it.

Tammy:

Right.

Misty:

And I always say, like when people ask me what do you think about kids being involved?

Tammy:

in birth. I'm like, hey, you know your child by the name of Betty, Same same.

Misty:

But apparently my sister didn't know her child and that child like ran from birth.

Tammy:

I never wanted children. I never really knew that.

Misty:

But then there's me. I'm like, oh my gosh, I want to know all the things. So I became like fascinated. So I just became totally fascinated by birth and the entire process, honestly, Like pregnancy and the birth, and postpartum and breastfeeding.

Tammy:

How did this happen? Right, how did all this happen? And it was your body, like you. How old were you? Like nine, ten, mine was I was 12. Yeah, yeah, so.

Misty:

So I mean, that's like I would say where my obsession originated from. But then, you know, fast forward many years. I was 18 when I found out I was pregnant that's right For the first time. So I had my first son when I was 18 and I was like the youngest of all my friends and, right you know, even some of like cousins and things like that. So once I had my babies and then they were having their babies, it was like ask misty for all the things she's your girl Because your peers you hit that way before your peers, Right.

Misty:

Well, and then they felt they could relate to me. Sure, so I was kind of becoming a doula, without even knowing it Right, without even knowing what a doula truly was.

Tammy:

Yeah, I think that's so common. I mean, that was definitely true for me during consultations. People are like, oh, how long have you been a doula? And I always say for like ever, and yet, professionally, or like I know, or actually you know because, um, I was 12, I was at one of my aunt's births and we had just gone through growing and changing in school and I will never forget like and I still do this like well, like flash forward a like textbook in my head, uh-huh, right, um, my undergrad's bio and I it's great for memorizing, um, but I remember being at that birth and just being like, oh my god, my vagina can do that. That's so nuts. Like it was just out of this world and my cousin was there and she's like I am never kissing a boy ever again. But I walked away just being completely infatuated with my body and not afraid. I, I don't, I never had a fear of it and I don't know same, so I was never afraid of it.

Tammy:

And it makes me sad, honestly, when I have consultations with moms that like hire me to support them in birth because they are genuinely afraid of birth. Um, and that makes me sad. I, I, I want that. I. I hope this podcast if you're listening, tune in again um will help you take away some of that fear, because our bodies are freaking magical like they're so cool right women's bodies are incredible.

Tammy:

Love you, love you guys. We need you too. But, like, birth is incredible and I think I've always loved birth for that mainly that's my epicenter of loving. My job is just watching women in that space and just how incredible it is. Right it never is wasted, right? Do you ever feel like you walk away going? Oh, there's another one done, check like never right?

Misty:

no, it's never the same.

Tammy:

And you at least, you know I leave every birth learning something, always every every single time, right, right From everybody, like whether it be the nurse or the midwife or OB, or even about myself. I'm like ooh, I just taught myself something different.

Misty:

Yeah, that worked.

Tammy:

Yeah, that actually worked, that worked.

Misty:

Okay, so if you had to give somebody.

Tammy:

You have one minute to describe what is a doula.

Misty:

Oh my gosh Okay, what? What is a doula? Oh my gosh Okay. What is a doula? Well, I would say a doula, it doesn't have to be textbook. Yeah, I would say a doula is kind of like your birth bestie, your birth best friend, your no TMI, totally.

Tammy:

Best friend. There is no TMI.

Misty:

Surrounding birth. So, literally, you could tell me anything. Yeah, heard it all, seen it. Literally, you could tell me anything Heard it all, seen it all. You're not really going to surprise me, do you?

Tammy:

catch the babies Misty. Are you medical?

Misty:

No, we are not medical Technically not medical so we are not a clinical provider, meaning that we don't do cervical checks, we can't check baby's heart rate Totally, we can't do any of your clinical care type of thing. We are really just there for that emotional support, emotional guidance the educational right and the coaching support.

Tammy:

So I think, yeah, we're going to dive into that. Stay tuned with like birth misconceptions or like what people see we get.

Misty:

Right, you're the same as a midwife right. So yeah, we're gonna get into some of those things.

Tammy:

Yeah, I always like to tell people too that, um, I I love the sport analogy of like honestly, baby's the head coach, mom is the assistant, dad, second assistant assistant dad second assistant I'm third assistant, slash water boy. Yeah, water boy, but we, we, we support you through your entire birth. We, we support you prenatally, during the entire birth, and then we meet with you postpartum. Not all doulas do that. Yeah, I mean, I think that sets us apart as well. Um, to be different, yeah, absolutely, absolutely um what so, tami?

Misty:

what did you do? What did you do before oh?

Tammy:

man like what didn't I do? I'm just kidding. I know, I always joke when people you know when we know mutual people and I'm like oh, you asked tammy for that, so true, ask me for that.

Misty:

I'm like she is your queen, I do a lot.

Tammy:

Yeah, so I nannied for gosh over like 20 years. I was a professional nanny, um, and I worked predominantly, like primarily, with one family, which is actually super rare. But uh, I graduated college in 96. I'm I'm a native, you too. Yeah, like yeah this in common. Um well, you got here no, you could.

Misty:

No, my gosh native no I'm like wait a second.

Tammy:

That did not sound right. You're hubby, you're happy. You're happy. No um, which we have to talk about too. That's pretty well you could call me a native.

Misty:

I could, because I've been here for how long? Oh my god, how old were you 1989. Oh wow, so you do the math.

Tammy:

I'm not gonna yeah, well, no, but.

Misty:

I've been here since 89, but no, you know, og, og from South Carolina, from Charleston, shout out.

Tammy:

I grew up here. So I grew up here and then I went to school in California. I got my undergrad, graduated in 96, studied bio, gen, bio, thinking I'd go into a medical field All my peers will be laughing right now, shout out, she could tell, but really thought I'd go into some facet of birth work at that point. And then I always joke that God imported my husband from Scotland and we started. I started my own family and I was like how can I stay with my kids and still work? Um, ended up taking my kids to work with me and nannying and that kind of all happened at the same time. I met, met John, got an amazing job nannying um for family, um, who? I'm still there, they are my family. Um, the kids are, oh my gosh, they're old. Two of them are getting married in the next two years and there's three kids. Yeah, crazy, how long were you with them? 20 plus years. Like I'm still with them technically, yeah, technically never leave moral support, I'm just kidding, take me the nanny.

Tammy:

So, yeah, so I nannied and then, you know, john and I had two kids and hey, ian macy, my kids are 21 and 18 right now um, and loved doing that, but always in the meantime kept helping everybody have their babies and either like help them have their babies and or supported them with their infants or babysitting or nannying, or you know, people joke that I speak toddler, or like we all be out anywhere public and I swear I see little kids and it's like the scene from toy story where the the claw comes down and the aliens are like there, she's one of us, you know, like they're one of us. I just, I love, love kids. I just love kids, I love, I love birth, I love kids, I love infants and dogs. Oh my gosh, my dogs are obsessed. Oh my gosh, we almost can't record this because there's puppies outside the door.

Misty:

So if you hear the occasional, we're doing our best.

Tammy:

We're doing our best yeah, so I did that and I still, I still walk dogs twice a week. I have dog walking clients. Um, that's a whole other origin story. That's cool. Um, I substitute teach at a montessori school locally.

Misty:

Um one world montessori, hey, wow, that's awesome, yeah so we're actually so similar, right, you know I didn't go to college and get my, you know degree in biology, you know. I didn't do all of that because I was 18.

Tammy:

You did it live. Right, yeah, you did live.

Misty:

I did live, but what I did do is, you know, I was a nanny for many years.

Tammy:

And daycare Right With your kids.

Misty:

Yep.

Tammy:

I did in-home licensed child care so you could have your kids at home, yep, so I had all my babies at home.

Misty:

So we have three boys a 25-year-old, almost 22-year-old and a 19-year-old. So Tyler Hayden and Chance Doubtful that they're going to listen.

Tammy:

Just saying hey, my kids follow me on social.

Misty:

That's awesome. My kids follow me. I don't know that they're really gonna listen to the podcast, but that's okay we'll put a.

Tammy:

We'll put links to our insta, um, yeah, so please give a follow if you like it, even if you don't stay curious stay curious, you can be curious.

Misty:

Yes, control, we'll accept it. We might reel you in. Come on, we're to get you so funny. I love it, but yeah, we're very similar in that way, so I think that's probably why we get along so well.

Tammy:

Right, I agree, I love working with you. I think I learned well and Missy trained me technically. You know, I had shadow um shadowing with you and another doula and um shout out to them because I just love the work that we do. I think this conversation will be really helpful. I think, um, we also, um, we'll eventually be interviewing a lot of our clients, having them share their birth stories, um, and I think that just laughing around, a lot of the seriousness is so needed. No, absolutely Right, instead of being like don't do this, do that, and being hard-line and not anything, but just having a conversation. There's so many podcasts that we listen to and, like you said, we're always learning, but I think just adding some humor to it and a lot of heart is really, really, really helpful.

Misty:

It's super important right.

Tammy:

I mean.

Misty:

I feel like we can instill fear in somebody unknowingly, um. So when we can write, unfortunately I think some of us have overshared, um, but you know, hopefully here we can shed some light on the humor, shed some light on the positive things you know and share those real stories. So leads me to the question for you is why is doula support actually good for women? Like, why does it make?

Tammy:

a difference, like in their birth experience, like you go have a baby, like I always.

Misty:

I always joke and tell people like, don't worry, this baby is going to come, you're going to have this baby, whether.

Tammy:

I'm there or not? Whether I'm there or not, your body knows what to do.

Misty:

You know there was birth going on before we had these you know chiropractors pelvic floor, therapists, you know all of those things. There was birth so you can go have this baby, but why does a doula make a difference?

Tammy:

You know the origin story of doula. I think if you love birth you should definitely go read. Ina May Comes to mind Um, go, you could YouTube all day. Um, the clinically like the bio mind in me, the nerd in me, is like Ooh, you know, they found um that women that were supported in South America, that had basically a community around them during birth, had more positive birth outcome, meaning less um intervention, less cesarean, um, uh, happier mental. You know, and that that tracks that's even you know, in recent articles. We'll, we'll put links um, if we spit data at you, but you know you're looking at, over 50% less likely to have a C-section. You know, 60 per something percent of um more uh, less, uh, postpartum depression. Because you feel supported.

Tammy:

I I always say and maybe I'm cutting to the chase I would say, you know people are like why are you really? Why are you? You know I didn't have horrible trauma, traumatizing births per se, but what I really needed, honestly, missy, which is what I feel like I do at every birth is I really needed somebody just to look me in the eye or even just hold my hand and be like I believe you, I believe you, yeah, whatever is happening right now in your brain and through the hours. Birth can be in five. It can be what's your longest birth. I'm sidetracking 43 hours, yeah, exactly.

Misty:

Well, 43 hours from when I arrived Correct For her, it was like 51.

Tammy:

Exactly, exactly. So. Birth can be all over the map, but ultimately, through that whole process, I genuinely just needed somebody to look me in the eye, hold my hand and just be like I believe you, I trust you. That's all I needed. You know, and we do a lot more than that, but that literally propels me to be a better doula every time.

Misty:

Yeah, yeah, so no, I I have to agree there. Yes.

Tammy:

So if you hire a doula, you are definitely setting yourself up for more positive birth outcome, more positive postpartum outcome. Would you agree?

Misty:

No, absolutely yeah, I agree. I think that there's so many benefits in having a doula which tune in for our next episode.

Tammy:

And we're really fun. We're going to dive into that one.

Misty:

Yeah, we're really fun to have in the birth room. Okay, we bring great snacks yeah.

Tammy:

Just saying. Just saying there's lots of benefits there.

Misty:

Humor is extra. That's right, it's an upcharge, that's right With photography. For sure, for sure. Anyway, wrap it up, just kidding.

Tammy:

Just kidding.

Misty:

Don't, do it, don't do it, there's so much more, I would say you know, gosh, for me like why I love being a doula. I I love the feeling I get when I get text messages from clients, you know, after their birth they're like you know, thank you so much for providing us with this support and we were so happy with our birth. They sent me pictures of the babies. Like you will forever be ingrained in those people's brains, like in their life. You make a difference, like I hear you know often, like you made such a difference in our birth, but honestly I think it's just they made a difference in mine, I know that sounds so like cliche.

Tammy:

It's not cliche.

Misty:

It's why we keep doing it.

Tammy:

It's hard. It is physically hard, right. It's emotionally hard, right. That is what propels us to keep doing it, yeah, even though we will like text each other after some and be like I'm done, right, I'm not gonna.

Misty:

I'm not taking any more. Oh my gosh, but no like seriously.

Tammy:

So we're here in my home office and right across from me is yes I'm looking at it full of.

Misty:

I know all the cards, like all the thank you cards and like I could totally sit and read those and I just I love it. I love seeing their pictures. I love being included. I get text messages from clients inviting me to baby showers and birthday parties oh, my god, I love and I love the birthday parties.

Tammy:

I actually say that now at the postpartum meeting. I'm like there's no end to my contract. Also, I love being invited to birthday parties, like, please, when you make that first trip around the sun at least, yeah, invite miss tammy.

Misty:

Well, I always say my joke is yeah, I'm not a one-night stand customer, I just never been.

Tammy:

Oh, I'm stealing that.

Misty:

I've never been that way like in life, like I don't do anything half-assed Like.

Tammy:

for me it's like I am all in Yep yeah. You know, in my friendships.

Misty:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah.

Tammy:

What I love about being a duo.

Misty:

I just love being a part of so many people's lives and having, you know, 350 plus best friends, oh my God.

Tammy:

Yeah, this year for our holiday cards, John's like who are these people? Who are these people? I was like, oh, that's one of my babies. Oh, that's one of my babies.

Misty:

Those are just one of my babes, yeah, yeah.

Tammy:

So what would you say? Teaser-wise Misty? What can people expect? What is this going to look like?

Misty:

Well, I think that we're just going to have a lot of different people on to talk about, you know, what can help you in pregnancy, what can help you prepare for birth. So we're going to have those you know pros that are going to come on. I really want to bring on some of our doulas in the practice, because we've got some pretty amazing doulas that work at. We're within two to birth, but a lot of great doulas that work there.

Tammy:

So I really want to have that midwives, midwives, acupuncturist, chiropractors, pelvic floor therapists. You name it. So we're gonna team, team that can help you, people that can help you. Also, insight I I love. Can we be the? Can we be what's the? Uh, not your daddy, what's the?

Misty:

podcast not your daddy.

Tammy:

Oh my gosh, you guys are laughing all the right now are just like cringing. Not your daddy, oh my gosh not your daddy podcast come on, come on, no this is on it. No, come on call your daddy, call your daddy, okay, okay. Okay, we're going to be part of that. If you know who it is, email us. Yeah, educate.

Misty:

If you know what Tammy is talking about.

Tammy:

Or if Tammy just had. Who do you listen to? I listen to so many, I had too much coffee. Mel Robbins Down to Birth. Mama, Stay Fit, Like I love these. These are podcasts I love and listen to regularly that make me feel good coming away from it. So I think Evidence work birth, like there's a lot, so I think that it'll be fun to have people on to share, like, educate, share, educate encourage.

Tammy:

Also have clients give birth stories like what they could have done different, what did they love, that they did um and and just in general that kind of. I mean, that's pretty similar. I think that'll be right. Also, we're gonna do some fun segments oh, I can't wait.

Misty:

so tammy and I have several ideas here for like little. You know those like snippet things. You know where it's like jingle, jingle. I hear this tune, I know what's coming up next, what Trash news, or you know just some fun, quirky things. So we've got lots of things in the works but definitely definitely expect some you know great humor and laughter. Probably tears maybe in some of them to be honest. I mean, how could we? That would be me Well, how could we?

Tammy:

seriously like have any conversation about birth without some tears.

Misty:

Because it's emotional in different ways, like it could be sad, sometimes it could be, you know. So Like happy tears, happy, and you know know where we're just crying. So yeah, um, I don't know, there's so much to come, so much, um, I'm super excited about to share. So, yeah, I love it I can't wait.

Tammy:

Yeah, I think, um, yeah, so go hire a doula. Are you pregnant, right?

Misty:

now Me.

Tammy:

Oh God, no, I'm talking to our listener hey, are you driving right now, do you think?

Misty:

you may be pregnant, oh my gosh, go hire a doula. Yeah, go hire a doula Now. Run, don't walk, let me save you. Yeah, run and do not walk.

Tammy:

So, okay, quick, I have to tell you this I had a postpartum meeting yesterday and the dad the dad, his best friend actually is the one who encouraged him to hire me.

Misty:

Okay, really. Yes, so it was like a male best friend to the dad. Yes, so it was like a male best friend to the dad.

Tammy:

Yes, the moms were not involved at all and this is so insightful to me and I was like wait, what? And he goes, I'm serious man. He sat me down. He sat me down and he was like how much is it? And he was like this. And she's like dude, if she would have said 10, I would have said done, I was like 10, what 10 grand he's like there is no amount of money that was worth it Like it was, or that there was no price tag on this.

Tammy:

Do it now, Don't think, just do it.

Misty:

Don't think, just do it oh.

Tammy:

I can't wait. I'm really hoping I don't. You guys have to write a review from the dad perspective.

Misty:

Isn't that so funny and that's another thing we will have. I really want dad because, yes, and that's something we'll get into. So, um, you know, so funny on other episodes of like you know, misconceptions and like how we can support partners and whatever, yeah, but I love when dads like I leave and they're like, oh my gosh, we couldn't have done it without you. It's always and I'm like that's like the sweetest.

Misty:

It is the sweetest when I've had some dads that you know Emotional but like I've had dads in the beginning that are like, well, I'm just going to be honest Like.

Tammy:

I'm not really into this doula thing. They don't know, know, and then at the end they're just like I'm gonna refer you to everybody. You don't know what you don't know? Yeah, you don't exactly what you don't know. Yeah, isn't that what they say yeah, oh man, that's so true, call your daddy.

Misty:

Yeah, that's it, call your daddy okay, I'm gonna, I'm going to listen to Call your Daddy podcast, because now I am really really intrigued. But, yes, friends, super excited, really excited to share a lot of our Me too Expertise, a lot of our stories Same thing and just help you feel more empowered, more supported. Yeah, and just and have fun.

Tammy:

Have fun with it. Have fun with this. Come have more with it. Have fun with us.

Misty:

Come have more birth friends like seriously, we're fun, awesome, yeah, we're birth nerds.

Tammy:

If you're a birth nerd, you're gonna love it. Yes, pass it on. Yes, send it to all your friends. Yes, like and share.

Misty:

Yeah, do all the things, definitely do all the things okay I'll see you next time all right, bye, listeners, bye. Definitely do all the things. Okay, missy, I'll see you next time.

Tammy:

All right Bye listeners, Bye Bye Doulas on Call.

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