About me: Mira Weil, LMT
Personal Statement
Giving birth is as unique and individual a journey as each woman who takes it. With this understanding, I strive to cultivate a creative and open approach with every family I work with. My goal is to help mothers and partners feel empowered in their choices, comfortable in the birthing environment, and to promote joy and ease throughout pregnancy and birth. Some of the resources I draw upon to achieve this are discussing possibilities and options for birthing, offering educational materials, practicing relaxation exercises with both mother and partner, demonstrating and/or describing various positions for laboring and birth and their benefits, loving touch, and the use of aromatherapy and gentle herbs as mother desires. Most importantly, I do my best to be present and receptive and act from that, according to the need of the moment.
I trust that birth is inherently safe and that all women are deeply capable of it. This confidence and objectivity enables me to advocate for and support you throughout your labor and birth, wherever it may take you.
Experience and education
In February of 2007 I attended a birth and postpartum doula training with local midwife, doula, and educator Michelle L’Esperance. A few months afterwards, I began attending births first with her, then on a volunteer basis, and now professionally. I have attended births at Holyoke Hospital, Cooley Dickenson Hospital, at home, with midwives and with obstetricians. In the fall of 2008 I completed a Postpartum Doula training with Michelle, and then went on to assist her in leading that Postpartum training for others. I continue my education by staying connected to the local birth professional community, reading avidly, and learning from my clients.
In addition to studying labor and birth, I am a Doctor of Tibetan medicine; a 2009 graduate of the Shang Shung Institute Tibetan Medical Program. This immersion into Tibetan Medicine creates a framework for me to understand the body and mind in relation to one another and the world around us. Particularly applicable to my work as a doula and massage therapist is knowledge about the medicinal properties and effects of foods and behaviors. This helps me make simple observations and suggestions that can shift people towards greater health while not demanding big change or requiring people to take medicine, which is especially useful during pregnancy and breastfeeding.