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Episode 140: Doula Availability
Doula availability is a topic that can cause some anxiety. Being on-call 24/7 is a significant challenge, and adapting to this lifestyle requires careful planning and boundary-setting. Your phone is an essential lifeline to both your family and your clients. Feeling overwhelmed by the need to be available at a moment’s notice is common, but there are effective ways to leverage technology to help you manage this demand. From smart scheduling apps to automated responses, we’ll discuss tools that can help you set and maintain healthy boundaries. We also explore the availability needs of labor doulas versus postpartum doulas, recognizing that each role demands a unique approach. Whether you’re…
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Episode 139: Managing Money
Managing money is an essential skill for doulas, yet many need time, patience, and effort to develop this skill. Doulas must practice setting aside money for taxes to avoid being caught off guard during tax season. When that tax bill hits, it can hit hard. The unpredictable nature of birth work also requires budgeting your income. Without a budget and knowing where your money goes, it’s hard to make doula work sustainable. Join us as we share our approach to keeping finances in check, aiming for peace of mind and financial stability. Whether you’re just starting out or have been a doula for years, this episode offers valuable insights on…
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Episode 138: Working With Independent Contractors
Navigating the challenges of working with independent contractors as an agency owner is no small feat. Your agency’s reputation, especially your own, hinges on contractors doing their jobs well. Many owners feel compelled to control contractor performance to ensure the work meets their high standards. However, regulations for independent contractors clearly state that contractors must have control over how they perform their roles. If an agency owner restricts this, it can blur the lines into an employer/employee relationship. Misclassification, as determined by the state or IRS, can lead to fines, back taxes, and potential business loss. Join us as we delve into the intricacies of utilizing contractors for agency work,…
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Episode 137 Doula Musings
In this episode, we discuss recent events that have come to our attention and give our thoughts and feedback. A recent case that has gained national traction involves the passing of a mother and baby. What can we do as doulas if we are in a situation where we don’t see a provider meeting the standards of care? Speaking up can be difficult, yet helping clients advocate for themselves is an essential part of our role. Some doulas have recently learned that their malpractice insurance will no longer cover homebirth. Coverage that was previously available has now been walked back. Doulas are understandably asking why and where to find coverage.…
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Episode 136: Navigating the Unexpected
As a doula, navigating unexpected situations will become a part of our work. Perhaps a client who has a premature baby. Or those whose labors begin and progress too quickly to get to their chosen birth location. Thinking on our feet and embracing the unexpected will inevitably become a part of our work. When navigating these unexpected situations, judgment calls need to be made. However, it is important always to consider safety. Yet, these situations don’t often give the time to think through the situation completely. The location and the situation will play a big role in the resources available. Join us as we discuss some unexpected situations and…
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Episode 135: Transitions in Birth Work
For many birth workers, where they enter this work is not the same place where they wind up. For example, some may enter this work providing labor support. Yet they may find once they have their own children, that postpartum work is a better fit. Others may enter into the field via postpartum support. Then, life leads them into childbirth or newborn care education. Unlike many other professions, birth work allows the individual to step deeper into the work by providing other related services. Or, it can allow one to step back from birthwork entirely and re-enter at a later date. All with minimal barriers to the work. Join us…
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Episode 134: Fear of Birth
As doulas, it’s not uncommon to encounter individuals with a fear of birth. This fear can be rooted in many sources. First, the way in which TV represents birth. Second, the stories our friends and family share; and third, an individual’s lived experiences. The media often portrays birth as a dramatic process. The water breaks and the camera cuts to immediate transition-style contractions. Birth in the media is often presented in an unrealistic and dramatic light. We rarely see a birth that has little to no drama and is a straightforward process. Well-meaning family and friends often share the traumatic aspects of their own personal experiences. Or they share the…
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Episode 133: Doula Mistakes
Doula mistakes come in all shapes and sizes. We’re human, so its understandable that mistakes will happen. Some mistakes will be unavoidable and only discovered through trial and error. Others can be avoided. Common mistakes include a lack of effective communication, such as being slow or failing to follow up on inquiries or client communications. For labor doulas, there can be a sharp learning curve in incorporating the on call life into daily life. This includes making sure that we are available to our clients via our preferred communication methods. From a phone that dies to forgetting that we put our phone on silent, these doula mistakes can cause a…
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Episode 132: Doula Beginnings
One of the most common questions we hear is, “How do we navigate the question of how many clients we have supported when we first start out?” The question “How many births have you attended?” Or “How many families have you supported postpartum?” is not uncommon. Certain personality types are more inclined to ask these types of questions. For them, the answer will be part of their decision-making process. Yet, for some, the actual number will matter far less than the actual answer provided. Honesty is always the best policy, so being truthful with the number is essential. However, the additional information you can provide regarding how many hours of…
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Episode 131: Supporting Single Parents
Supporting single parents through pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period looks different than supporting those who are partnered. How we approach labor or postpartum support with an unpartnered parent will look different. Many factors will be different when planning for labor. For example, will they get to their birth location? Or who will make medical decisions about the laboring person’s care if no other family support is available and the pregnant person is not able to make a decision? For most, creating a medical directive isn’t on the list of preparations for labor. Support during the postpartum period is equally important. Will the client have friends or family to help…
