How do I get started?
That depends on who you are:
If you’re a family member, community support person, or professional working with growing families, continue within this ”learn” section of my website. You’ll find a comprehensive list of free videos to click on, a list of professionals and organizations that are leaders in the field, podcasts, and articles—a pretty thorough launching point. And of course you should read my book, Nurturing the Family.
If you’re considering a career as a professional doula, I'd suggest choosing an organization to certify through. It may surprise you that I'm not going to direct you toward any particular organization, but actually this is a doula tradition. You need to find your match, which may be based on any number of factors: finances, time and travel restraints, philosophy, desiring to affiliate with certain names or a non-profit rather than a for-profit business (yes, some certifiers are for profits--something to keep in mind.)
Just as I encourage new parents to choose doulas and healthcare providers who are their best matches, I encourage you to do your research. Explore your options. Learn about their founders, their contributions to the birthing world, their reputations, their advocacy and affiliations, and how long they've been around. Since certification isn't legally required (doulas aren't presently required to be licensed in the US where I live), your certifying organization says a great deal about who you are and the standards you hold yourself to, so make sure you're a match. There's a great blog on this that you can read here.
If you’re a family member, community support person, or professional working with growing families, continue within this ”learn” section of my website. You’ll find a comprehensive list of free videos to click on, a list of professionals and organizations that are leaders in the field, podcasts, and articles—a pretty thorough launching point. And of course you should read my book, Nurturing the Family.
If you’re considering a career as a professional doula, I'd suggest choosing an organization to certify through. It may surprise you that I'm not going to direct you toward any particular organization, but actually this is a doula tradition. You need to find your match, which may be based on any number of factors: finances, time and travel restraints, philosophy, desiring to affiliate with certain names or a non-profit rather than a for-profit business (yes, some certifiers are for profits--something to keep in mind.)
Just as I encourage new parents to choose doulas and healthcare providers who are their best matches, I encourage you to do your research. Explore your options. Learn about their founders, their contributions to the birthing world, their reputations, their advocacy and affiliations, and how long they've been around. Since certification isn't legally required (doulas aren't presently required to be licensed in the US where I live), your certifying organization says a great deal about who you are and the standards you hold yourself to, so make sure you're a match. There's a great blog on this that you can read here.
Next
That was long, I know, but it's really important. Once you've chosen an organization, you're ready to choose a trainer. Again, there are all sorts of factors here. You should like your trainer—their communication style, their responsiveness, their objectives as an educator and mentor. The price has to work. Location. Dates. There's a lot to work out, I understand.
Why aren't there more trainings, and closer to me?
Kind of stinks, doesn't it? I'm in PA and I had to travel to Ohio for my initial doula training as well as my lactation counseling training. All I can say is this: while the profession is now established, it is still new-ish. Trainers are and should be held to high standards both before and after approval. It might feel easier if there were trainings all around us with frequency, but is easier always better? (stand by for my likening this scenario to quick fixes in labor).
Ok, I'm in. Now what?
Ok, you've found an organization, chosen a trainer, and registered for your workshop--but it's a couple months away. You're chomping at the bit. What can you do now? Plenty.
Take another read through your certification process. Whether it's birth or postpartum, you can work on many of your requirements prior to taking the workshop. These include:
Take another read through your certification process. Whether it's birth or postpartum, you can work on many of your requirements prior to taking the workshop. These include:
- Work on your resource list! This list is pivotal in two ways. First, it is the beginning of your networking. In addition, a kick-a** resource list will distinguish you as a top-notch doula. No one can know or do everything. But you CAN know who will. So start finding out.
- Work on your breastfeeding education requirement. Sure, you can do an online class and it's fine, but look into the public health department in communities around you and see if you can find a more in-depth class. Travel to a conference for a weekend. There's also my breastfeeding and the doula class that counts toward DONA certification.
- Begin lining up clients who are due AFTER (I'd estimate best as being a month after) you attend your workshop. This is the hard part, so start networking and getting the word out.
- Not enough? I thought you might feel that way. So I created this free list of youtube videos for you to watch, as well as this list of big names to follow on Facebook. That should keep you busy for a while.