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Episode 41: Hospital Policies, Doulas & COVID-19
As hospitals begin to relax their visitor guidelines to include doulas, the requirements surrounding the standards that doulas must meet to gain access to hospitals is changing. Hospitals that previously welcomed any doula with open arms have instituted doula policies requiring proof of training and/or certification. Some are providing PPE for doulas to utilize as they support clients. While others are requiring an extensive list of PPE that the doula must provide at their own expense. Some doulas believe that it is not within the hospital’s right to create doula policies surrounding doula certification and training and encourage doulas to make their own certificates of training or certification. However, hospitals…
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Episode 40: Free Doula Services
A doula walks into a Facebook group and asks about providing free doula services, suddenly a rigorous debate ensues. Some doulas are encouraged as a part of their training to provide free services in order to get certified. Other doulas have felt the financial blow that those offering free doula services have on their community. Specifically their ability to charge a living wage. Then you have the doulas who come into this profession from a place of financial privilege that just wants to help families and doesn’t need to earn a wage. For many years the discussion centered on the scenarios above and how they impact other doulas. More recently…
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Episode 39: Birth Plan vs. Birth Preferences
As birth professionals, we are often mindful of the power of the language we use. Words have power, and at times the language used surrounding pregnancy and birth can have an unintended impact. As experienced doulas, we have developed our own approach to helping clients explore their options and preferences for birth. The language we use in our approach to this process is birth preferences. For some clients, having a plan shapes their experience into one that they will pass or fail. When the birth goes according to plan, they feel that they have succeeded. Yet when the experience doesn’t play out as they had hoped or intended, they can…
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Episode 38: Developing Your Doula Voice – Part Two
Welcome to Part 2 of our Developing Your Doula Voice series. In part one we discussed the common fears and anxieties that those new to doula work commonly experience. In this episode, we discuss strategies to overcome all the fears and anxieties that we discussed in episode one. Building your foundation of informational resources takes time. But there are shortcuts that you can utilize to build a database of information. This will allow you to find the answers to your client’s questions. Yet at the same time, it’s ok to not have all the answers. Emotional support may not be intuitive for everyone. Yet at the same time being able…
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Episode 37: Developing Your Doula Voice | Part One | Doula Fears
Becoming a doula is an exciting and rewarding journey. However, this journey comes with some fears and anxieties for many people. When starting out as a doula fears and worries are common. But letting these fears hold you back can be even more common. Common concerns often include: What if: I don’t remember what to do I can’t remember the medical terms What I see or smell makes me nauseous or sick I pass out I don’t have the answer to a client’s question Here’s the truth, you are not alone! These fears are common. They are also valid. Better yet? There are ways to address all of these common…
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Episode 36: Empathy & Compassion in Birth Work
Empathy and compassion are two common foundational elements of birth work. While not a required trait, many birth professionals will readily admit that they have a strong empathetic nature. Their ability to empathize with growing families and the struggles they may face is often what prompts them to explore a career in birth work. Their compassion for the struggles of growing families is what motivates them to take the next step. Yet many birth workers often use the terms interchangeably. But empathy and compassion are two distinct personality traits. One is passive, and the other is active. Empathy is inherently passive. Our connection with others allows us to come to…
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Episode 35: UPDATE – Doulas Supporting Clients & Each Other Through COVID-19
It’s been almost four months since doulas and other birth workers have felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In its wake has come a host of changes to the way we operate our businesses. How has the virus has changed how we interact with clients and our communities? In this follow-up episode, we explore how the landscape of our work has changed. We explore what services are working. The changes we and other birth workers have made to adapt to social distancing and self-isolation. Safety practices we have implemented to protect our clients and ourselves. We also explore what happens when businesses do not pivot to meet the changing…
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Episode 34: Why Does One Become A Doula?
As doula trainers, it is our privilege to hear the stories of why those we train were drawn to doula work. The desire to nature, care for, and support others is the foundation of what brings most individuals to doula work. However, there are two other common themes: Those who want to help families have positive experiences in birth and postpartum. As a result, they actively work towards helping the family achieve the client’s own goals Those who often, unconsciously, seek healing from their own birth or postpartum experiences through serving others. Often with the intent to protect the client from repeating the doula’s own experience. In this episode, we…
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Episode 33: The Myth of the Doula Sisterhood
Hang around doulas long enough and you’ll hear it. Those two words that seem so innocent and inviting, doula sisters (or doula sisterhood). But take a closer look and you’re likely to find that the notion of the doula sisterhood has a darker meaning and intent. How can a sisterhood exist when doulas are actively being excluded? Can a sisterhood exist when in 2020 doula forums and organizations exist that are rampant with white privilege, racism, and white tears? Is it acceptable for “doula sisters” to silence Black and BIPoC people’s voices? To delete posts, to shut off comments, to archive entire groups to shut down the conversation surrounding…
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Episode 32: Postpartum Support
Postpartum support. When many people think about doulas, labor doulas are what immediately come to mind. However, postpartum support is just as invaluable to growing families. The word postpartum is often associated with postpartum depression. This can be an obstacle that many postpartum doulas face when trying to market their services. Families who could benefit from postpartum doula services often assume that postpartum care is not something they’d need since they are not experiencing postpartum depression. Postpartum doulas provide so much more than baby care and household assistance through light housekeeping duties. For many families, it’s a listening ear. The ability to talk to someone about who the client used…
