Becoming a Doula

Are you ready to start your career as a doula, but don't know where to start?
I'd love to support you on your path to becoming a professional doula! 

If you do a simple google search or ask in a doula forum, for doula trainings, you will come across a myriad of training organizations. Each holding different philosophies, certification processes, and fees.

Things to consider when looking for a training organization

Standardized Training:

Despite there being some highly recognized trainings, there are only a few that offer standardized training; meaning that all the trainers have gone through the same process to train other doulas ensuring that all the doulas trained through that organization have received the same materials and information. 

Training supports all types of births and parenting styles

Certain training organizations only speak and train in supporting the "natural" "unmedicated" "sacred" ways of birth and brush over other realistic births, such as providing support when the birthing person chooses an epidural or requires a cesarean. Likewise in a postpartum training, it may only be geared to supporting the "attachment parenting" style and only cover breastfeeding, and or "traditional parenting" styles. Your training should equip you to provide support to every family's unique dynamics and needs. 

Training covers infant feeding methods

Just like birth may look differently, so can a way a baby eats. While some families may begin breastfeeding, others may have opted to formula feed their baby since birth. It's important to know how to support families in their infant feeding choices, without bias. 

Business support

After your doula training, you should have an understanding of how to get started as a professional doula. The doula training should cover even briefly marketing, contracts, what to do in certain scenarios and how to go out and begin your doula journey. 

Certification Process

Are you required to read 3-5 books or more? Write papers on certain topics? Shadow other births? How many births are required to attend and do only certain births count? Is there a requirement as to by when you should arrive? What about reviews from clients? Do you need them from nurses and providers too? Most training organizations require three births for certification, and some have limits such as arriving at a certain dilation, or only counting vaginal deliveries and one cesarean even if the clients you're supporting have a cesarean. Some organizations require reviews from clients, nurses, and providers, although it is the client who you are providing services for. 

Fees

Attending a training is going to cost you anywhere from $400-$900, this includes books you may need for the training. On top of this some training organizations have a fee for purchasing the certification packet and a fee for processing it as well. There is a also a membership cost for some organizations. This is an investment in your doula career, but make sure your fees get you something in return such as: 

Office Support

Find a training that has office support. Seriously. You never know when you're going to need a little pep talk, or need clarification or have a situation come up that you need additional support in. Your training organization should be available, supportive, and value you as a member of their organization, especially if you are paying a membership fee and are working towards certification or are already certified. 

After your training, you should feel confident and ready to start your business and provide services to families. 

Who I recommend: 

Just like when a  birthing person asks  me for recommendations when it comes to providers, birthing facilities, comfort measures, etc. as their doula, I don't tell my clients who to go to or what to do, but present them with all their options and let them be the deciding factor in their journey. Similarly, as a professional doula, when aspiring doulas contact me, I present them with questions for them to think about and make that decision on who they want to train with. The only recommendation I make is that it's an in-person training, as I strongly believe there is a lot of value in learning the comfort measures hands-on. It makes a difference and you'll be more confident in applying them in the birth setting or in the family's home. 

Call or email me, I am always happy to chat and help you weigh out your options. Like us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on our events as we host a "Let's Talk Doulas!" talk every few months to discuss these points.  

A New Birth in the Rogue Valley!

It’s happening! I’m going to make it happen, I am making it happen! That’s right, I am opening the first Doula Agency in the Rogue Valley!

Earlier this year, I decided it was time to jump back into my life-long dream of being a doula. I had taken a couple years off after realizing that this type of career is a huge investment of not only time and money, but energy, physical, and emotional health, and at the time, I was investing more than what I could justify, especially since I was pregnant and planning my wedding. 

When I made the announcement of my return and the "birth" of Bella Vida Doula Services, I was welcomed back with warm arms. I've served a couple of clients which gave me the opportunity to advance my training with a new doula training organization.
In the short few months of Making the Switch, I have learned an immense amount of new skills to better support my clients and how to support myself in this career; how to make smart investments and build a sustainable business, so that I may continue my life-long dream without the easy burnout as I had experience earlier in my doula career. 

Rogue Valley Doulas: A premier doula agency supporting families during pregnancy, childbirth, and their parenting journey.

Due to the amount of support, encouragement, and education that my current training organization offers, I learned more about the different ways that doulas practice. I began looking at what was available in the Rogue Valley, and it was evident that a doula agency needed to be created. The role of doulas has evolved over time, and in most recent years, people are beginning to take this career serious and are dedicated to elevate the profession. 

In the Rogue Valley there are a variety of practicing doulas. Some give their valuable time at a local hospital or for local families. Others are paid staff at the hospital or work closely with midwives (their role may be more of a birth assistant than a doula, and the scope of practice is completely different than that of a doula). There’s private doulas who work independently or partner with another doula to offer back-up support.  Due to the nature of this work and the investments required, many doulas discontinue this career after a few years, because of the high demands and the lack of proper compensation.

Doula Agency Benefits: There are many benefits to not only the clients, but also the doulas, and medical providers/staff.

Clients: Easier to find and connect with doulas. Doulas work in teams, so the client can rest assure that one of the doula duos will be available to listen, support and encourage. Both will attend the prenatal visits to get acquainted, learn the birthing preferences, discuss comfort measures and any fears that may come with the journey at hand. During labor, one doula will be present (primary doula). In the event that the birth goes longer the primary doula can tag-team with the secondary doula so that the client is still receiving continuous support by a familiar doula.

Doulas: Many doulas in bigger cities love working for an agency, because they get to do what they love without worrying about the logistics and investments of owning a business (marketing, contracts, billing, lawyer fees, etc.), although some doulas still work independently aside from working for an agency. Doulas works in teams, have reliable back-up and more flexibility with their schedules.

Medical Providers/staff: Some concerns that medical providers and staff may have regarding doulas are that doulas work out of scope, or are there with an agenda (avoid all interventions, pain medication, etc.) Doulas working for an agency have greater accountability, if for any reason the doulas working for the agency are out of line, the medical provider or staff have a place to voice their concerns and or feedback. 

My goals are to build a sustainable business for myself and the doulas working for the agency, raise the standards of doula care in the community and pave the way for aspiring doulas.

Have you thought about becoming a doula? Want to know more? Let's chat! 

Martha Rivera, pre-CD Labor