Question 1

What is a doula?

Accepted Answer

There are many types of doulas available today.  The word "doula" comes from ancient Greek, meaning "a woman who serves." Today, "doula" refers to a professional trained to provide emotional, physical and informational support to women throughout their pregnancy, birth and the early postpartum period.
 
Source Site: https://www.npr.org/sections/babyproject/2011/07/14/137827923/doulas-exploring-a-tradition-of-support#:~:text=The%20word%20%22doula%22%20comes%20from,and%20the%20early%20postpartum%20period.
 
There are many different types of doulas too. 
 
Birth doula, labor doula - sometimes also called a labor assistant
Labor/birth doulas can join a family at any time during the pregnany.  The earlier you hire your doula, the more access and support you will have along the way.  A birth doula provides guidance to the mother and her support person(s) during pregnancy, throughout labor and delivery and into the first few weeks postpartum.  
 
This guidance comes in the form of emotional, informational and physical support.  It may be something as simple as getting a glass of water or guiding a family to postpartum depression resources.  During labor and delivery, the doula provides positive support to the birthing person and their support team regardless of their birth location, medication choices or delviery method.  
 
Postpartum Doula -  
A postpartum doula cares for the family after the birth of their child.  Some postpartum doulas meet the famiyl they are caring for at the hospital and help with the transition home. Other begin their journey once the family has settled in.  
 
A postpartum doulas goal is to work themselves out of a job. We care for the family unit
by supports and encouraging the family as they navigate the challenges of new parenthood.  Adjusting to parenthood can be difficult and postpartum doulas can help make it easier for new moms to navigate the stresses of a having a newborn and all that comes along with infant feeding (breast or bottle), sleepl, and hormonal fluctuations.  
 
Antepartum Doula (High Risk Pregnancy Doula)
An antepartum doula takes care of the mother and family during time that she is still pregnant.  The doula can give the mother a sense of what to expect and help create a joyful pregnancy.  Some antepartum doulas take part in stressful pregnancies due to complications with the mother or unborn baby. 
 
Other terms you may want to be familiar with: 
Abortion doula - specializes in helping during the tumultuous process of abortion.  Sensitivity and open-mindedness are very important in the practice of an abortion doula.
Miscarriage doula (loss doula or bereavement doula) - losing a pregnancy is a heartbreaking event for moms.  It is a gift to be able to partner with women during this time.
 
Adoption doula - helping women through the rocky journey through motherhood - wherever the journey takes us.
 
Full spectrum doula - This is what I practice
A full spectrum doula is a non-medically trained community care worker who offers support to people during the full spectrum of pregnancy – from preconception, to birth, to abortion, to miscarriage, to adoption, to postpartum.
 
Full spectrum birth workers actively practice being open and aware of the diverse reproductive needs and experiences people have, in light of their identity, background, preferences, lived experiences, and so on. While this doesn’t mean full spectrum doulas will say “yes” to every client, it does mean that they prioritize being accessible, inclusive, and culturally appropriate. When (not if) there’s a client that is not a good fit or the doula doesn’t have the capacity or skills to serve the client, they do their best to make an appropriate and vetted referral.*
 
*Site source: 
https://www.badoulatrainings.org/blog/everything-you-want-to-know-about-full-spectrum-doula-work

Question 2

How can I find a doula near me?

Accepted Answer

Finding a doula near you is important, and equally important is find the right fit for you.  Doula serches can take place via Google, DoulaMatch.net, DONA.org and others sites.  Finding the right fit you is best.  
 
I want our working relationship to be the best it can be, but if you find that it's not working out, please let me know so that I can help identify other support for you.  There's a doula out there for everyone.

Question 3

How much does a doula cost?

Accepted Answer

This is a difficult question to answer.  Doulas charge a varying range of fees foe their services.  An important thing to consider is that of their dedication to the profession.  Just like many other careers, doulas invest significant time, money and education to serving their clients.  
 
You are paying for me than the actualy time you are phyiscally together.  Lots of our support comes from building a trust system.  We are available via call, text and email and must arrange our lives to be available to our families 24/7 from the agreed "on-call" date until after your birth.  This requires making arrangements for childcare, and may mean missing important family events.  Additionally, doulas are constantly improving their craft through continuing education.

Question 4

What's the difference between a doula and a midwife?

Accepted Answer

This is a great question, becasue they are not the same.  Very simply, doulas do not perform medical tasks.  They provide informational, emotional and physical support.  Midwives obtain years of medical training to care for the mother baby unit and perform clinical tasks as needed.  Additional information on the midwifery model of care can be found here https://mana.org/about-midwives/midwifery-model and here https://www.midwife.org/our-philosophy-of-care.

Question 5

Is certification important?

Accepted Answer

My personal opinion is yes, but that it doesn't mean that someone who isn't certifiied cannot be a great birth or postpartum doula.  
 
There are many certifying organizations and many paths to certification.  Some organizations give certification after attending a class and some require completing many other requirements before being fully certified.  
 
Certification brings a certain credibility to the doula, but depending on their path, i would automatically discount someone not being certified.  My advice is to interview a number of doulas and speak with the doula directly to learn their background and experience.

Question 6

When should I hire a doula?

Accepted Answer

The best answer to this question is anytime.
 
Some people hire their doula the moment they have a confirmed pregnancy.  Some wait until their are in labor.  There isn't a right answer, but the ealier you hire your doula, the better you will be able to form a bond and trusting relationship during one of the most vulnerable and impactful times of your life.  
 
If you still aren't sure when is a good time, starting your research in the 2nd trimester and interviewing a few doulas is a good idea. Securing your doula at the beginning of your 3rd should leavec enough time for meetings before your doula goes on call for your birth.  
 
The last thing to remember is that some doulas get busy in their practice and so, hiring earlier, will get you time on their calendar.

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