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A doula is a woman who helps other women during
pregnancy. They are birth professionals with experience and knowledge to offer,
providing continual support before, during, and after birth. A doula is there to
educate a family on choices, helping the mother to find her own voice, but not
speaking for her. Doulas can be trained and certified or self-taught, or
both.
Any woman who has had a baby and wants to help other women get through their birth, and the
first few weeks of a newborn’s life, could become a doula.
This is a great way of
making use of your experience as a mother. Women of any age can do this job so
long as they are strong enough. Some doulas are over 70 and still going
strong.
What’s
involved?
When a doula finds a family to work with, she will meet several
times during the pre-natal period to get to know the family and listen to the
mum-to-be's needs, wants, fears, and skills. She will make sure the mother
understands the labor and birth process and go over some non-pharmacological
pain relief measures, relaxation skills, and things to affect optimal fetal
positioning for birth, as well as some practical advice in preparing for
breastfeeding and the postpartum period.
A doula is available around the clock for questions and
concerns, and will be 'on call' for the two weeks before and following the
mother's due date. She is there to help consistently and calmly as a familiar
face and voice, encouraging, suggesting, and reminding of labor positions and
comfort measures.
After the birth the doula will meet again with the mother and
discuss the experience and memories, to offer help with breastfeeding and
becoming closer to the newborn, and providing referrals for concerns beyond her
scope of practice.
Doulas do not 'take over' the job of husbands/partners but
enhance their role by modeling behaviour, drawing them closer and making them
feel a welcome part of the birth process. Sometimes they will look after the
children while the father is supporting his wife, and vice-versa.
A doula is also unlike doctors, nurses and mid-wives, who cannot
provide the time and support a new mother needs. Doulas care for the mother, and
leave them knowing they were cared for, doing whatever seems to be needed at the
moment to allow the mother to give birth.
How do you do it?
Step 1: Is it
for you?
Doula work is exciting, honourable and beautiful, but
it doesn't come without its challenges. You need to be a compassionate person,
able to read people's feelings, and highly motivated to pursue the education and
constant learning. Doula work is not for those who are squeamish around blood or
bodily fluids, and doesn't pay a lot. The average doula makes avout £5000 a year
after costs. There are certain questions to ask yourself before committing to
doula work.
Doula work has crazy hours, and birth isn't predictable. Do your regular work
and family understand the committment you will need to make?
Making sure you've dealt with and made peace with your past is essential.
Don't bring any of your own fears or expectations to their births. If you had a
traumatic birth or infertility issues and haven't made peace with the situation
it can be to the client's detriment.
You need to be able to speak on your client's behalf to other members of the
birth team, and with respect.
Doulas require a great deal of stamina, as the hours can be long and
stressful, with only short naps between being needed again.
Doulas need to be willing to provide physical support, hugs and touch are
mandatory. From holding the mother in her birthing position, to letting her rest
on you during contractions, giving massage, even just holding the mother's hand
and being a shoulder to cry on.
Step 2: Education and
training.
Doulas come from all walks of life. Some have their
own children, some do not. An open heart, a willingness to serve women and their
families, and quite a bit of flexibility and patience are characteristics that
are important for doulas to possess.
Doulas are learners, their training
never ends. Academic qualifications or medical experience is not needed,
although some doulas have been nurses, midwives or nannies. Mothers (and
grandmothers) often have most of the relevant life experience.
The only
agency that offers a doula qualification ratified by an outside body is British
Doulas which runs four-day courses through the year. You can find out about
their next courses on their website here.
Step 3: Official British Doula
recognition.
Completing a British
Doulas approved course is a requirement. It is the only course in the
country that is approved by City and Guilds. It costs £400 for a full four-day
course which is certified and leads to a City and Guilds
qualification.
You can specialise as a birth doula, and be there to
support the mother when she goes into labour and throughout the birth. Or you
may want to work part-time or full-time as a post-birth doula.
Step 4: Finding work on your own or with
British Doulas.
Join a dedicated
agency like British Doulas and you will be placed in jobs around the
country.
You can also get jobs on your own. Keep in mind that organising
your own work will cost you time and effort, and requires you to attract
customers, negotiate hours and pay and deal with any problems yourself. If you
do go it alone, consider building a website advertising your service.
In 2005 at least 1000 women across the UK had doulas,
and the numbers increase as doulas are becoming far more mainstream and
accepted.
How much can you make?
Doulas in Britain
make, on average, about £10-12 per hour for post-birth work and between £200-400
for a birth.
Doulas usually base their fees on several factors,
including education and training, experience and number of births attended, and
the region she is practicing in. Any doula can set her own fees as she desires,
but most doulas charge an all-inclusive fee that includes a certain number of
prenatal and postpartum visits, and continuous attendance at the mother's labor
and birth, regardless of length of labor.
Getting
started
If you think you've got what it takes to be a
doula, get in touch with one of these agencies:
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