Gather Interviews Amy Haderer, founder of Motherboard Birth
Amy Haderer of [M]otherboard Birth
Amy Haderer is a doula, artist, mama to six kiddos, and the CEO and founder of [M]otherboard Birth, a web-based application that helps parents research, select, and share their birth preferences with their care team in real-time, on any device. Amy is passionate about reducing disparities in maternal health outcomes by building tools for parents, tools for providers, and a platform to connect the two. Amy's goal may seem daring, but Motherboard's high tech/high touch platform is a timely tool as the US examines the complexities of maternal health.
[M]otherboard Birth: Website | Facebook Page | Facebook Group | Instagram
Tell us about your journey as a birthworker. How did you get started? I became a birth doula 11 years ago after the birth of my second daughter at a freestanding birth center with midwives. I was totally hooked. Since then I've served hundreds of families as they navigate their birth journey. I'm also the CEO of the health tech company [M]otherboard Birth. For the last six years, I've been working to build educational and technology solutions to help families make educated decisions during their birth process and help providers streamline conversations at the bedside.
What are some of the roadblocks you faced prior to getting to this point in your career? Becoming a doula wasn't terribly challenging, but being on call 24-7 with small children definitely was. Right now as I focus on [M]otherboard I'm only doing the births of friends and repeat clients.
Building [M]otherboard was WAY more challenging. I am not a technical founder, so finding tech partners who could craft our platform was extremely difficult. I just didn't know what I should look for, build, etc. even though I had all the content and the idea.
It's also very difficult to launch a startup and justify working 16 hours a day on something that hasn't (yet) been able to pay me any wage. But when you believe something *needs* to exist and you hear the call of that little idea, you have to lean into it, make time for it, and work hard for it.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started as a doula, but doesn't know where to begin? If you're becoming a doula I would recommend joining our Educator Group on Facebook and getting some support from all of us in the field. Make connections in your local community, ask to shadow people for births and go above and beyond to be available and eager to learn. Sadly, I've had doulas ask to shadow me who would flake out when the time comes and it's incredibly embarrassing!
If you're interested in building technology, read "The Lean Startup", join any sort of startup/entrepreneur groups in your area, and attend free events like Denver Startup Week. Get involved and ask questions!
If you're building a business of any kind, I highly recommend Simon Sinek's "Start With Why" and Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic" for inspiration.
What's something you're most proud of professionally? Building and launching [M]otherboard. Legit one of the hardest things I've ever done professionally. I am not a technical person by any stretch, so building technology coming from an art and doula background was challenging to say the least. I am intensely proud of the fact that I was able to lean in, figure things out (necessity is the mother of invention!), and above all else persist when it looks like it's never going to happen. Remarkably, I just set up a CNAME and did some things in HTML recently. If you had told my artist brain I would be doing that (hell, that I'd even know what those things meant) I would have thought you were nuts.
What's the most valuable advice you've ever received, either professionally or personally? Always follow your curiosity. What is the thing that most fascinates you right in this moment?
What's something about this work that shocked you the most, that you wish you'd known before you got started? In building tech, it's disconcerting how male dominated this space can be. Women, LGBTQ+, and people of color receive less than 10% of the venture capital in the startup world, despite the fact that companies perform 63% better when they have at least one female founder. Also, it can be irritating the amount of mansplaining I've had to put up with in some of these tech spaces. Mad props to organizations like Anita B/Grace Hopper Convention and Backstage Capital who support and invest in marginalized communities.
What are your thoughts on life-work balance as a birth worker? Is it achievable? My dream of having [M]otherboard in every perinatal health clinic and hospital floor in the US, where every family is empowered and supported, and where true informed choice happens in every situation. No more misinformation, hurried conversations, or manipulation, just education, relationship, and support.
Is it achievable? Gosh it depends on the day. Some days I'm on top of the world, feeling like we are doing amazing things, taking strides, making progress. Other days it feels like where I am and where I want to be is so far removed. Like a thorny chasm between mountaintops.
The only way out is through, no? And the only answer is to take one more step and do the next right thing.
What is missing in your local birth community? What's a need that isn't being met yet? We had a large birthworker group that imploded a few years back. Everyone broke apart and lots of fragmented groups popped up, but I do miss the camaraderie and resources of the original group (for all its flaws, it still did a lot of good). If I had the bandwidth I'd start something but my focus is more global. Our Educator Group has almost 4,000 birth workers and educators and providers from every corner of the world, which is honestly so cool!
What are your top five tips for someone who wants to have a positive and empowered birth experience?
1) Talk to your provider about what you want early and often
2) Hire a doula
3) Make a [M]otherboard ;) Make several. Make one for different potential scenarios (cesarean, unmedicated, induction, etc)
4) Don't be afraid to switch care if your provider isn't a good fit for what's important to you
5) Know in your heart that whatever your birth journey looks like there is ALWAYS a way through. Allow it to transform you.
What are some of your favorite birth accounts/blogs/podcasts/etc right now? Gosh, I've been off podcasts for a bit, but I'm re-reading/listening to "The Dovekeepers" and I absolutely adore that book. A lot like "The Red Tent" but honestly better written in my humble opinion. And "Big Magic" is a must for all creative humans (aka all humans).
What are three things you can't live without lately?
1) My babies and my husband
2) The internet (unfortunately)
3) My witchy things (tarot deck, Illuminated Earth oracle deck, journal, altar)
What's next for you? We're currently transforming our Partner Program into this beautiful, suave, amazing thing! We're also building a Childbirth Ed Portal launching in the next few months hopefully. We're also getting close to piloting and launching iDecide, our clickthrough informed choice tool that providers can use at the bedside. on-traditional midwife and support birthing people even more.
