So you want to be a doula? #doula

So, you’ve decided you want to be a doula?  That’s great!  Now what?  You ask.

What is a doula?

A doula is a professional, experienced, and trained non-medical assistant who provides physical, emotional and informed choice support in prenatal care and support, during childbirth and during the postpartum period. A birth doula offers continuous care for labor in many settings, to include homebirth, birth center and hospital birth.

Ask yourself why?

Did you go to your sister’s birth and decided, “Oh this fun… I want to do this!”  Is your friend a doula, and you want to join the cool kids, too?  Did you have a terrible birth experience and decide, “I’m going to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”  Really think about why you want to be a doula.

Is it right for your family?

First and foremost, make sure what you’re about to do is cool with your family!  You’re eventually going to be gone for long periods of time, be attending lots of classes and workshops, and scheduling several client meetings per week.  Is your significant other prepared to be home with the kids all night, several nights a month?  Is your newborn baby ok with you pumping and your husband feeding her from a bottle?  Is your three year old ready for you to be gone so much?  What are they going to do when you’re gone for 42 hours in the middle of the week?

Read.

Read. Read, read, read, read. Read. Read, read. Read. Read, and read some more.

Training.  Get training.

The number one problem we see with new doulas is that they jump into taking on births without training.  Your first step is to get training.  Would you show up to help with brain surgery if you haven’t even started med school?  No!  GET TRAINING.  Don’t even attempt to get clients until you know what your doing.  A weekend class does not a doula make.  EMT training does not a doula make.  Nursing school does not a doula make.  Attending your sister’s, cousin’s, friend’s, baby-mama birth does not a doula make.

Do the work yourself!

Asking advice is one thing, but expecting other doulas to give you the information that they worked hard to learn themselves… well, that’s another thing.  Don’t ask seasoned doulas if you can see their contracts.  Don’t ask seasoned doulas to just hand you their list of doctors and hospitals.  Part of this job is learning the area you want to serve.  Another part of this job is to get connected.  Go out and gather your own info.

Get involved.

The best way to learn is to get involved!  No, I’m not saying sign up for every OTHER doula’s free class so that you can just get the info and run with it.  I’m saying get involved in the community.  You don’t have to go to every event, but take the time to befriend other doulas and birth workers so that they know you’re serious and that you’re not just trying to pick their brains and take advantage of their (already worked for) info!  You never know what info will be volunteered in random conversation.

Training.

Get more training.  Training can come in many shapes, forms, or fashions.  If there is training available, take advantage of it.

Get your business plan together.

Don’t forget about this aspect!  Is this going to work for you financially?  Have you started getting your paperwork together? Have you thought about the direction of your business? Is this going to be a hobby or a career?  Get organized.

If you attend births, do not call yourself a doula!

If you’re not trained as a doula, you’re not a doula.  If you don’t really have the training to know what to do in specific situations, other than tell someone to breathe and that they’re doing good, you’re labor support or a good friend.    Society, and the lack of requirements to officially be a doula, makes it really easy for anyone to just say, “Hey! I’m doula!”  What women who jump into this field without being properly trained do not understand is that they can be a danger to the women they are serving.  Physically and emotionally.  Even “free” clients don’t deserve uneducated and untrained help if they think they’re getting professional labor support.  It’s false.  You’re lying to your clients and yourself.

Wait, what about….

Are you wondering why I haven’t talked about how to get clients, what to charge, or what to do while you’re at a birth?  It’s because you’re not there yet!  Once you do all of the above, you’ll have a better understanding of how to get clients, what to charge, and what to do while you’re at a birth. Then, and only then is it ok for you to go ahead and start taking on clients!