Doulas are truly a wealth of knowledge. So many of us take training after training after training. We typically LOVE all things related to pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, newborns and everything in between. The perinatal period of life is one filled with wonder, mystery (and fact!), questions, lots of information (and intuition!) and so much more.
So why turn to your doula instead of the world wide web? Well, we can not only play the role of your search engine, but we can also be your filter. Falling down that internet rabbit hole is something that I think most of us would admit to doing at some point or another. Instead of going there where you may not know the difference between fear mongering, horror stories, and less than factual information, turn to your birth pro for where to start your search.
I often say that "postpartum doulas know a little about a lot". We learn a wide breadth of information from planning for postpartum, navigating the hospital after birth, coming home with baby, how to maximize sleep, feeding baby all ways, soothing and engaging with baby, postpartum physical and mental health, how to feel supported and on and on. We deep dive into topics that particularly interest us (like baby wearing, cloth diapering, lactation and the like) and themes that we notice again and again that interest our clients (like how to build a parent community, how to get more sleep, how to do tummy time, etc.). PRO TIP: Hire your doula early in your pregnancy. That way you have access to this search engine for as long as possible!
We just can't know it all (though we'd like to believe me) so we make sure we know who DOES know it all in each area. Most doulas keep their own running resource list of trusted local professionals, reputable books and websites, and products they, their clients and their colleagues love and use.
Doulas complete a training to become eligible to work as doulas. Most of these are through well-regarded national or international organizations, like Dona International where I am certified, for example. But we don't stop there. These companies require a LOT more work in order to become certified. And, we have to show proof of continuing education to keep our certification active as we continue our work. The good doulas, though, are keeping up with all of this on their own. So many of us make money in our work just to spend on learning more about our work. Funny, but I suppose that just proves how much we really love our jobs, right?!
So, head over to my services for more info on my offerings so you can start this journey on the right foot!
