5 Things To Consider Before Becoming A Doula

Do babies and children give you a sense of happiness? Do you love the miracle of giving birth and want to be a part of it, helping other families? If yes, a great life choice for you could be to become a doula.

The decision of becoming a doula is indeed a tough one. While you can expect great rewards, you need to be ready to work long hours and during odd times of the day. Becoming a doula can be a natural extension of something that you are already doing, such as working as a lactation consultant or a childbirth educator.

What Is A Doula?

A doula is an experienced professional who provides support during pregnancy, childbirth and post-pregnancy.

• This support could be in the form of mental, physical and emotional support.
• Also it can be providing all the required information to the would-be mother.
• A doula also attends pre-birth sessions with the pregnant lady.
• She will be present during labor and birth and also for the postpartum period.

5 Things To Consider For How To Become A Doula:

Before you certify yourself as a doula, it will be best to plan your path. Here are five effective tips to help you pave it.

1. Initial Plan:

If you plan to become a doula, you need to determine the certifying organizations and trainings that will be best for you. You can do this by asking the following questions:

• How much time I have to devote for the training?
• Can I travel to the training centers?
• Do I have a mentor nearby?
• Will I get a reading list?
• Will there be any certification exam?
• What are the requirements for re-certification or continuing education?

When you have answers to these questions, you can get a better idea about the best organization for you.

2. Choosing The Right Organization:

You can come across plenty of organizations that offer you certification to become a doula.

• Look for the one that fits in with your philosophy of childbirth.
• You might choose a course with longer training schedule.
• In case you are working as a nurse you will need to develop more skills to offer necessary support during labor.
• Apart from this, you also need to know about the accepted measures for doulas where you live.

3. Get In Touch With Other Doulas:

Talk to people before you finalize your decision.

• You can gain from the valuable insights from those who have already attended classes to become a doula.
• Enquire if they had all necessary supports.
• Check if all their requirements were taken care of after the certification process.
• Ask if they were happy spending on the certification courses.
• Understand if there were any hidden charges that surprised them in the training or in the post training phase.

4. Getting In Touch With The Clients:

Once you are done with the training, you might have to go through another lengthy process. Finding a prospective client can be an easy task as well as a difficult one.

• If you are a member of the leading organizations, you get listed on the listing sections of the references.
• You must let people know that you are ready for business.
• Carrying business cards and handing them out to the clients can be a good way to let your clients know about you.

5. Seek Support:

Once you have embarked on your way, you need emotional as well as mental support from other doulas.

• You can get in touch with the doula groups or may start one yourself.
• You can find information online about doulas and how they obtain their certification.
• You can even participate in public discussion boards to find answers to your questions.
• Read stories written by doulas and the midwives and gather all vital information that will help you become a doula.

 How Much Money You Can Make as a Doula?

In most cases, it may not be possible to rely on this profession solely to run the family.

• Most women become doula to supplement their income.
• Some women are passionate about helping families with necessary information, thus choose to become a doula.
• Some also supplement their income by conducting childbirth classes while some are trained as lactation consultants.

Difference Between Midwives And Doulas:

Doulas and midwives are not the same, even though they may work together.

• Midwives receive medical training and generally focus on delivery of a healthy baby.
• A doula, on the other hand, offers physical, emotional and physical support to the mother and the family, before, in course of labor and during post-delivery support sessions.

Being a doula is a great way to help a family bring home their bundle of joy. It is a very giving profession, one that demands your time and attention, as well as your love and emotional attachment.

We wish you all the very best in your decision to be a doula. If you are already a doula, or know someone who practices as one, do let us know more and share your experiences.

Was this article helpful?

Community Experiences

Join the conversation and become a part of our vibrant community! Share your stories, experiences, and insights to connect with like-minded individuals.