Sarah Treleaven

A warning. This story contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault, and there is some strong language. Please take care. It's a Friday night in November 2022. Amy Perry is at home, in a town just west of Toronto, Canada. And she's sick.

A warning. This story contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault, and there is some strong language. Please take care. It's a Friday night in November 2022. Amy Perry is at home, in a town just west of Toronto, Canada. And she's sick.

She was spending most of her time in bed, bored and scrolling on Facebook.

She was spending most of her time in bed, bored and scrolling on Facebook.

I just love that name, Placenta Squad. Amy, along with most of the Placenta Squad, is a doula.

I just love that name, Placenta Squad. Amy, along with most of the Placenta Squad, is a doula.

Doulas work with pregnant people. They're not medical professionals. They assist people through labor and delivery by offering emotional support. The focus is on the woman, not the baby. They will help with massage or position or talk you through the pain or when things start to get too overwhelming. And they're different from midwives. A midwife has medical training.

Doulas work with pregnant people. They're not medical professionals. They assist people through labor and delivery by offering emotional support. The focus is on the woman, not the baby. They will help with massage or position or talk you through the pain or when things start to get too overwhelming. And they're different from midwives. A midwife has medical training.

Often a doula will work alongside midwives or doctors, but unlike someone with medical expertise, they cannot give or prescribe medication.

Often a doula will work alongside midwives or doctors, but unlike someone with medical expertise, they cannot give or prescribe medication.

Doula work can involve helping women through trauma. In fact, many doulas come to this line of work through their own bad experiences, so it's a point of pride that they take on the really hard cases. And that night in November, Amy is scrolling on the Placenta Squad page when she sees a post from her friend and fellow doula, Katie.

Doula work can involve helping women through trauma. In fact, many doulas come to this line of work through their own bad experiences, so it's a point of pride that they take on the really hard cases. And that night in November, Amy is scrolling on the Placenta Squad page when she sees a post from her friend and fellow doula, Katie.

Katie is working with a client in crisis, who says her pregnancy is the result of an assault. Here's Katie.

Katie is working with a client in crisis, who says her pregnancy is the result of an assault. Here's Katie.

This client's name was Caitlin Braun, and she was 24 years old, and she would now have to birth a stillborn baby. Caitlin found Katie through social media. After sending a message and setting things up, Katie and Caitlin connected on the phone. Caitlin said she lived with her mom, but they didn't have the best relationship. Her life had been hard and full of neglect.

This client's name was Caitlin Braun, and she was 24 years old, and she would now have to birth a stillborn baby. Caitlin found Katie through social media. After sending a message and setting things up, Katie and Caitlin connected on the phone. Caitlin said she lived with her mom, but they didn't have the best relationship. Her life had been hard and full of neglect.

This is November 2022. Remember COVID? Much of our world was online or by phone, and that includes doula work. So when labor started, it was Katie on the phone with Caitlin.

This is November 2022. Remember COVID? Much of our world was online or by phone, and that includes doula work. So when labor started, it was Katie on the phone with Caitlin.

It's at this point that Katie has to go to her day job. So she tags in Amy from the placenta squad, who's sick in bed but able to support Caitlin through what is bound to be an emotional and difficult birth of a stillborn baby.

It's at this point that Katie has to go to her day job. So she tags in Amy from the placenta squad, who's sick in bed but able to support Caitlin through what is bound to be an emotional and difficult birth of a stillborn baby.