Ashley Skiffer-Thompson is the Program Coordinator for the AAIMM Doula Program and is committed to giving back to her community. She has spent the majority of her career in the non-profit sector within the home visitation field, gaining experiences in breastfeeding, bonding/attachment, and other maternal and child health topics. 

She believes there is empowerment through advocacy and education. By providing empathetic support and encouraging medical advocacy, her hope is that families feel empowered, grounded, and valued throughout their birth journey. Driven by one of her favorite quotes, “Let the beauty we love be what we do,” Ashley Skiffer-Thompson aims to be the change she hopes to see.

What does being a Doula Mean to you?

Entering the space of birthwork has been impactful to both my personal and professional life. If I could describe what being a doula means to me in one word, it would be transformative. As I reflect on my perspective of birthwork, healing and empowerment are at the center. It is my belief that you have to be able to take care of yourself to show up as your full self for others. As I show up as my full self, I am able to reflect, model and encourage families to heal and care for themselves.

One reason a family should consider having a doula:

I value empowerment through advocacy and education. Within my doula work, I provide education to ensure that my families are informed and empowered by centering their voices, wants and needs.  By providing empathetic support and encouraging self/medical advocacy, my hope is that my families feel empowered, grounded and valued throughout their birth journey.

Please share a story of one of your most memorable experiences as a doula.

One of my most memorable experiences as a doula is my first birth. The best way to describe my first experience supporting a family through their birthing journey is: transcendent. After 30+ hours of labor, it was GO time and we were locked in as a team. Inching closer to our goal, it was time to narrow in and support mom as she transitioned. I grounded myself in the ambience of the delivery room that we had reclaimed with aromatherapy, dim lights, and soft music. As I held her left leg and her husband held her right leg, we coached mom through pushes until their sweet baby girl was born. An overwhelming feeling that I can only describe as transcendent fell upon me.