HI
I qualified last year as a doula but, of course, with covid things are not as I'd hoped they would be.
I always intended to offer my services on a voluntary basis and had the opportunity in my previous job to be able to take time off at short notice to attend a birth.
Following redundancy my new role can not accommodate short notice time off.
What , if anything , would MW / Mums find useful that I could offer ?
I already volunteer at my local hospital so have passed any necessary "checks" as it were.
I could offer zoom calls for parents to be to discuss any concerns / birth plans etc .
On the weekend I could attend a birth ( but babies are rarely that accommodating !)
If you were a pregnant woman what would be the best way to offer my services ? Leaflet in the antenatal clinic ? Referral from a MW ?
I would ideally like to support women ( and their partners) who are in need of additional support. But how to "get us together" ?
Once covid is "over", If, for instance, a woman in labor at the weekend needed extra support I could come and help , I only live 5 minutes from the hospital.
But , MW, how could that , in reality , actually work, would I ever get called , MW are, obv, very busy ?
I am insured but obvs the ins a and outs of hospital policy can be difficult to traverse.
Who is the best person / team to approach ?
Head of MW ? referrals via SS for vulnerable women ???
Many thanks