dai

A dai is a traditional Indigenous birth attendant from Punjab, the land of the five rivers, a region in South Asia where I descend from. Pronounced similarly to the English word "dye," I choose to identify myself as a dai because as a Punjabi person, my culture is deeply integrated into the kind of birthwork care that I provide. I am rooted firmly in the traditional Ayurvedic, Unani, and familial customs of my people that have provided deep nourishment during times of pregnancy and transformation of community. While I do also identify myself as a full spectrum doula and a birthworker, I feel most comfortable and connected with a term that recognizes my heritage and ethos that I integrate into my practice as a birthworker.