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Episode 68: Understanding SIDS
October is SIDS Awareness Month. Trigger warning: This episode discusses infant loss. As birth workers, one of the most common concerns families face is the health and well-being of their babies. As postpartum doulas, understanding SIDS is a topic of great importance to doulas and parents alike. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS is the sudden death of an infant under one year of age. The death is unexpected and has no known cause. SIDS is the leading cause of death of infants under one year of age. Approximately 90% of SIDS deaths occur before the baby is six months old. It is important to understand that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome…
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Episode 67: The Rainbow Experience
October is Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. Trigger warning: This episode discusses pregnancy & infant loss. The term Rainbow Baby is to define a pregnancy that happens after a miscarriage or infant loss. It signifies the hope or rainbow that comes after the storm or loss of a child. All too often the communities that surround families who have experienced loss seem to forget or overlook the experience this family has weathered before. Using the term rainbow baby often helps families to remember, identify and acknowledge what came before. The loss of a child. By using this language it gives the family an opportunity to disclose more about their…
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Episode 66: The Backup Doula
When an individual sets out to become a doula, the focus is often on workshops, birth bags, or the “things” that the doula or client may need. However, many individuals often leave out the most essential tool that a doula will ever have. The backup doula. While the thought of having or being a backup doula seems simple, in fact, the process from either side is actually quite complex. We often see individuals who express a willingness to be a backup for other doulas, especially when they may not be able to commit to taking on clients of their own fully. Or perhaps, who have difficulty finding their own clients.…
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Episode 65: Choosing A Doula Training
One of the most common questions we see in doula forum is “Which doula training should I choose?” When it comes to choosing a doula training, there are a lot of factors to consider. Some are more important than others. It’s important to consider the community and the birth climate that you will practice in as a doula. Yet for many, cost will be a primary consideration. From workshop registration fees, to certification packets, required reading books, membership fees, to recertification fees the costs for becoming a doula can add up fast depending on the organization you choose. Other factors to consider may be scope of practice, and code of…
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Episode 64: Postpartum Support of Multiples
Let’s talk about the postpartum support of multiples. Providing postpartum support to two or more babies can pose a bit of a challenge to any doula. But what does it actually look like to provide support to multiples? When it comes to supporting multiples after birth, there are many variables. These variables can direct the course of your care and there are many things that the doula will have to juggle. One variable is when the babies will come home. Just because the babies are born at the same time, does not mean that they will always come home at the same time. Gestational age, health complications and the need…
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Episode 63: Supporting Multiple Births
Understanding the nuances of multiple births is critical to providing support to families expecting more than one baby. There are many factors that influence the management of a pregnancy with multiples. In addition, the birth of multiples is also typically different than that of a single baby. As doulas, we help clients to know what to expect. We also help them to prepare for a birth that may be different than they expected. Some clients may need to deliver at a hospital with an accessible NICU. Others may deliver in one hospital and the babies are transferred to another shortly after birth. This is most common when the babies require…
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Episode 62: Doula Burnout
Let’s talk about doula burnout. The average length of a doula’s career is about 3-5 years. One of the most common reasons that doulas abandon their passion is because of burnout. It is important that doulas protect that passion from the start. We need people who have passion and drive to be in this field for the long term. Doula burnout, fueled by poor boundaries taught as part of doula training. Or burnout fueled by a lack of support or a way to effectively process the things we bear witness to as doulas. Systems that are not sustainable and fail to create a structure for longevity. One of the reasons…
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Episode 61: Understanding Cervical Change
The internal workings of the birthing body are often a mystery to both clients and doulas alike. Often the numbers and percentages surrounding cervical dilation and effacement are thought of as hard and fast. Numbers that will definitively determine the exact measurement of the cervix. However, there is some variation among providers, and this data serves more like a close approximation. While dilation is often the one measurement that receives the most focus, it is not the only factor to be considered. There are 4 ways that the cervix will change in the weeks leading up to and during labor as well. The four aspects of cervical change are: Consistency…
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Episode 60: Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome – doubting one’s abilities and feeling like a fraud. As birth professionals, it is not uncommon to experience self-doubt as we begin working with clients. It is prevalent for birth professionals to feel the weight of imposter syndrome when working with clients we perceive as more educated—for example, doctors, nurses, or lawyers. As individuals, we all have insecurities and self-doubt. Individuals who have always been high achievers may find it hard to accept accolades or admiration for their skills because it’s always been a part of who they are. When viewed as exceptional they may have a hard time accepting what they consider normal. Some birth professionals may…
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Episode 59: Physical Demands of Doula Work
When it comes to supporting clients, there is no doubt that it can take a physical toll on our bodies. From hip squeezes to counterpressure the impact that these common comfort measures can take on our bodies can be extreme. It is essential that we find ways to adapt our care. While providing labor support so that we can reduce the physical toll that it will take on our bodies. One of the best ways to begin to adapt our physical support is to be mindful of our body mechanics. For example, finding ways to create leverage using our body weight vs muscles. Postpartum doulas can also experience the physical…
