Lisa76 - starting your own doula business means registering a business name (in most cases, probably.lol), and getting the word out there, by advertising in magazines, on the net, in bith centres/hospitals/family health clinics/libraries/wherever, really! You have to have all business stuff set up for tax purposes, etc, of course, and you must abide by the regulations of being a doula (I'm a bit scattered...just found out my sister is expecting her first child, and I'm all excited!! You find your own clients, and arrange for them to interview you, and then arrange pre-natal catch-ups, where you help them organise a birth plan and get to know them, as well as offer any informational support they may want (such as if they want a water birth, you could loan them books/D.V.D's on that). (ah, all jittery with excitement!!) where was I?..... A doula does not perform anything medical (it is completely against the law, as a doula has no medical training....also, even if she is otherwise trained asa midwife or other health-care-professional, she is only allowed to act as a doula if hired as such). So, yes, a doula is an extra support person, there to help the mother in any physical/emotional and informational way, without doing anything medical, and without offering personal opinion. It doesn't matter what the doulas beliefs are, she is there to help you achieve the birth YOU want, and to offe nothing but kind-hearted support. A doula is also there to help any other support people through the birth. Husbands/sisters/mothers/friend may fear the fact that their loved-one is in pain, and sway them into intervention they may not really want or need. A doula, understanding the reasons behind the pain of childbirth, and having whitnessed/and understanding the normal physiology of labour can help keep the room a calm, peaceful and happy place...and therefore aid the natural progression of labour, as the mother has that space to just "go within" and "go with the flow", and endorphins can do their thing, etc. Doulas are not employed by the hospitals, they are currently hired privetly by the individual. Any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! Oh, and insurance is not a worry, as doulas do not perform any medical task - they are purely there to assist the mother in natural ways, and as long as they don't cross the boundaries of their roll, all is good. To date, no doula has been taken to court.
Trish - lol! Is there a need - Yes! Just as much need as there is for independent midwives and home births....if we want to cut the terrible intervention rate (the casarean rate is 50% in some hospitals!!), women need access to people like doulas, who drop intervention rates dramatically....I could get the numbers for you, if you like...don't have them at hand. Having recently birthed in Sydney, I found doulas to be VERY popular there, but far less known of here in Melbourne (where the word is really beginning to get out there, though). As far as work goes, one must be extremely passionate about the work of the doula to become one, as one can't make a bucket-load from it, and most women just have 1-2 clients a month at most (or less if they are busy with a young family themselves). Due to the nature of the job, there is always the risk of women going into labour at the same time, or women needing you at their three-day birth journey (which, no doubt would leave anyone feeling drained). If you have the passion though, becoming a doula and having the honor to assist a woman during this time, must be one of the most rewarding roles there is!
Last edited by Lil_Pearl; June 28th, 2006 at 03:48 PM.
You find your own clients, and arrange for them to interview you, and then arrange pre-natal catch-ups, where you help them organise a birth plan and get to know them, as well as offer any informational support they may want (such as if they want a water birth, you could loan them books/D.V.D's on that). (ah, all jittery with excitement!!) where was I?..... A doula does not perform anything medical (it is completely against the law, as a doula has no medical training....also, even if she is otherwise trained asa midwife or other health-care-professional, she is only allowed to act as a doula if hired as such). So, yes, a doula is an extra support person, there to help the mother in any physical/emotional and informational way, without doing anything medical, and without offering personal opinion. It doesn't matter what the doulas beliefs are, she is there to help you achieve the birth YOU want, and to offe nothing but kind-hearted support. A doula is also there to help any other support people through the birth. Husbands/sisters/mothers/friend may fear the fact that their loved-one is in pain, and sway them into intervention they may not really want or need. A doula, understanding the reasons behind the pain of childbirth, and having whitnessed/and understanding the normal physiology of labour can help keep the room a calm, peaceful and happy place...and therefore aid the natural progression of labour, as the mother has that space to just "go within" and "go with the flow", and endorphins can do their thing, etc. Doulas are not employed by the hospitals, they are currently hired privetly by the individual. Any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! Oh, and insurance is not a worry, as doulas do not perform any medical task - they are purely there to assist the mother in natural ways, and as long as they don't cross the boundaries of their roll, all is good. To date, no doula has been taken to court.
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