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Episode 100: Stripping Membranes
Stripping membranes or membrane sweep is a common intervention performed in the final weeks of pregnancy. While this may seem like a simple intervention, it is important for clients to understand what they may experience. Stripping of the amniotic membranes stimulates the production of oxytocin and prostaglandins. This intervention serves two purposes. The first is to try to hasten the ripening of the cervix. The second is to try and stimulate the onset of labor. While this procedure may be uncomfortable or painful when performed, the goal is to stimulate cervical change and contractions in the time that follows. As a result, pregnant individuals often experience spotting, bleeding, and contractions.…
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Episode 99: Season 4 Wrap Up
Once again, we have come to the end of another fantastic season. We are honored to share yet another year with you, talking about the work we love. We can feel the love and passion that you have for the topics that we talk about. Your feedback and the number of listeners we have show us every day how much you value Doulas of the Roundtable. This past year has brought us many interesting and exciting conversations. We look back at our favorite episodes from Season Four along with your most consumed episodes. Catch a sneak peek into Season 5 as we talk about kicking off a new season and…
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Episode 98: Business Resources
Few birth workers enter the profession thinking that they are starting a business. However, many soon realize that understanding business means finding business resources tailored specifically to our unique work. A wise person once said, “Do not take advice from someone who isn’t where you want to be in your business.” That person is our good friend and business mentor, Randy Patterson. Randy is the founder and CEO of ProDoula, a successful doula agency owner and business mentor to countless doulas and doula agencies. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the resources available to doulas and other birth workers to help guide them on their path to…
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Episode 97: The Well Rounded Doula
In the doula community, there is often a line of demarcation between “new” doulas and “seasoned doulas.” Yet no clear line exists that determines when one is no longer considered new. So the question is, when does one become an experienced doula, and how is that experience defined? Could it be that a well-rounded doula can enter this work right from the start? The simple fact is that someone just beginning their doula journey can support a client just as effectively as a doula with years of experience. Doulas often focus on the number of births to define new vs. experienced. Yet, for expectant families, connection with the doula often…
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Episode 96: Due Date Dilemma
One of the most common questions amongst labor doulas surrounds due dates. Should I take two clients due on the same date? What is the optimal spacing between clients? Is it better to take clients due further apart or closer together? The truth is, there’s no straightforward answer to these common questions. Experience tells us that EDD is just a number on a calendar and that clients may deliver weeks before or after their given date. One thing is for certain, working with a backup doula is essential. Join us as we discuss the many factors to consider surrounding the due date dilemma.
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Episode 95: Doula Business Chat
Becoming a doula means that you are starting a doula business. Many doulas overlook this first step. Or this information is not a big part of their doula training. Understanding the ins and outs of starting a business is important. Creating a legal business structure, setting up business accounts for banking, taking payments, and offering services are critical first steps. These steps not only protect your business but can protect your personal assets as well. Running a business means that you need to manage many aspects of your doula business daily. Working with clients is a part of what you will do as you work in your business. But it…
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Episode 94: How to Know When to Go
Doulas new to labor support have a common question; “How will I Know when it’s time to go?” Doula clients often have a version of the same question; “How will we know when to go?” The answers to these questions may seem relatively simple, but in practice, the answer can be pretty complex. Factors that doulas may consider include: what are the frequency and duration of contractions, how the client copes with the contractions, would the client benefit from the reassurance that moving to their birth location can offer, does the client have any medical risk factors that warrant closer monitoring. Helping clients distinguish between practice labor and progressive labor…
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Episode 93: Doula Consult vs. Interview
On the surface, the difference between a doula consult vs. a doula interview seems virtually nonexistent. However, the intentions behind each can be vastly different. Depending on where a doula trains, an interview may be where a doula decides if they want to work with a particular family. Or an interview is a place where a doula “teases” what they have to offer. But reserves providing information and genuinely engaging in offering a deeper level of information and support until hired. A consultation is where a family can meet with a doula to gather information and advice. It’s an opportunity for the doula to create a vision of what it…
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Episode 92: Exploring Doula Bias
As doulas and humans, it is inherent that we bring bias into our work. Yet, at the same time, providing non-biased, non-judgmental support is a hallmark of the support we provide to the families we work with. The first step to setting aside our bias is identifying the types of bias we are subject to. The three basic types of bias that doulas face are: Implicit bias Explicit bias Confirmation bias There are biases that we hold based on our lived experiences. They influence our subconscious thoughts, attitudes, and stereotypes. These biases are identified as implicit bias. Explicit biases come from our views about a person, thing, or group. Then…
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Episode 91: Supporting Precipitous Labor
Supporting precipitous labor is a skill that, for many doulas, is learned in real-time. Precipitous labor is labor that ends 3-5 hours after the onset of labor. On average, 1 in 3 of every 100 birthing people will experience precipitous labor. While certain factors can make a pregnant person more likely to experience precipitous labor, the exact cause is unknown. As doulas, we often wonder what the “secret sauce” is. What is it that will cause some people to experience this type of labor. While the idea of rapid labor may sound great to clients, this type of labor does present some challenges. The body is doing the same amount…
