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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Wanting to become a Doula.

52 replies

jules27 · 11/01/2007 10:49

Hi everybody, not sure if this is the right place to post ,but will give it a go to srart with . I am looking at becoming a Doula, I have looked at the Doula uk site and have sent off for a Application form to atttend a course.
I am a full time mum to my own two, plus my step daughter. my eldest is in college and my sd is in her final year at school , my son who has Special Needs is in high school.
I am also a NNEB nanny with over 25 years od experience of both being a nanny and a maternity nurse. I was wondering if any Doulas out there can give me advice on the right type of couses to take and also if this is the right direction for me to go down. Any advice welcome , i want to be able to share all my experince of both being a mother and a nanny , and hopefully this type of work is right for me.

OP posts:
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lissielou · 11/01/2007 10:50

lulumama is the best person for you to speak to, she should be here in amin

lissielou · 11/01/2007 11:17

.

Original poster
jules27 · 11/01/2007 11:28

Thanks lissielou, have just run through a few of the other post and found some info on Doulas , seems a few of them on here. Im off to work now ,but will be back online later. Cant wait to get started , i just love babies and helping mums with their newborns.
Regards jules

OP posts:
lulumama · 11/01/2007 11:51

hi jules...... i am a trainee, not got RL experience yet! .....but send a lot of time here...whereas marslady , hertsnessex and mrsmalumbas are more experienced doulas , but perhaps not here as much !

i did the nurturing birth course, dates and costs on here , which is recognised by doula uk......

if you think it is the right direction for you, it probably is...it really clicked with me when i was researching VBAC...and i had been wondering what direction to take job wise.....

if you love babies and new borns, then you can look at being a post natal doula, rather than a birth doula..although the majority of doulas i have come across do both

i am in merseyside, where having a doula is not yet that common, so i am finding i am doing a lot of explaining and talking about what a doula it, but have had a number of enquiries...

i have my own website and business cards, in case i come across someone who is interested...although doula uk can add you and some info to their website if you don't want your own ( when you have done your course)

viclb76 · 11/01/2007 18:26

I agree with lulumama,nuturing birth is a fab course.Defo recommend it!!

hertsnessex · 11/01/2007 20:14

Hi Jules27,

I done mine with nurturing birth aswell, can highly recommend.

feel free to contact me if you have any questions, details on my website primalbirth.co.uk

p.s. hiya fellow doulas!

Original poster
jules27 · 12/01/2007 09:01

Hi Hertnessex good to meet u.Other Doulas Hi too.
Recieved my application form today ,so will read through it and look at the start dates for courses. How long have you been a Doula, does it really fit in with your young family.
I was lucky to know so much about prengancy ,childbirth and children , so that i enjoyed both being pregant and giving birth ,(although both my births where difficult for dirrerent reasons) .As time has gone on i realised that women are not being given the same care that prehaps our mother,s and grandmothers where, i feel that i can give some of my experience and knowledge back to other mothers.What made you want to become a Doula rather than ,say a midwife. I'd never heard of a Doula ,not until my nanny angency said that i would be ideal for the work, then i did some research and wow; a whole new career for me. What did you do before ,you had children. Sorry for the long posting . JULES.

OP posts:
hertsnessex · 12/01/2007 11:21

Hi,

well i was a project manager for a bank!

i have 2 boys, 11mths apart! i had spd, gbs, obstetric cholestasis, hypremesis, induction, babies in scbu, jaundice, b/f problems, heamorrage, miscarraige. so feel those were my reasons for looking into becoming a doula! I wanted to be able to help other ppl at such an important time in their life.

my boys are 2 and 3 and go to preschool 3 mornings a weeks - so i do my appts and p/n work then and in the evenings. didnt even think of the midwfie route - for me that was jsut going to work to be employed by someone else agian. i wanted my own flexibility and to work with parents 1-1.

good luck. let us know when your course is!

Cx

zazas · 12/01/2007 21:52

lulumama - what is your website address?

I am looking for a doula but are in Cumbria although if I don't have a home birth will be having the baby in Lancaster.

Thanks

lulumama · 12/01/2007 21:57

my site!

know of a couple of doulas in wales.....

mrsmalumbas · 12/01/2007 22:03

Hi you might want to take a look at Childbirth International - for distance learning training programs as well as some free downloadable stuff, including a free guide to working as a doula. CAT me if you want more info - I have worked as a doula for 4 years, although not in the UK.

MarsLady · 12/01/2007 22:05

I did mine with Paramana Doula.. with Michel Odent. Wonderful!

Good courses. Look forward to seeing you on the forum... and chatting here of course.

lulumama · 12/01/2007 22:10

so the course with michel odent...

MarsLady · 14/01/2007 15:18

The only problem with the Odent course luladoula is that you come out wanting to have another baby! lol And there was no way that I was going to do that!

UCM · 14/01/2007 16:01

Hijack: how do you pronounce Doula. Friend keeps saying doo-ella and I pronounce it doolah. Who is right??

MarsLady · 14/01/2007 16:04

doo-la!

UCM · 14/01/2007 16:10

Thank you dear

viclb76 · 14/01/2007 16:17

Hi I'm a doula and I agree with you about wishing you could have another baby.I would have liked a home birth but wasn't confident enough when I had my children.If I won the lottery I'd do it all over again just to have one.

lulumama · 14/01/2007 18:24

said to DH on teh way out with the kisd today, i would really love another baby..what i mean is,i really want to give birth again as i could do it somuch better this time ! glad it is not just me !

3andnomore · 15/01/2007 19:29

Hi there,
Doula is something I would like to do one day, but don't think it's practical whilest my younger 2 are lil, what with dh not being on a 9-5 Job, etc...childcare would probably be difficult.
Anyway, just looked at the link that lulumama posted, and is that all teh training you need to be a doula...a 2-3 day course?
And, if you give private antenatal classes would you need seperate training? JUst wondering....!
Sadly I couldn't open the childbirth international link

jofeb04 · 15/01/2007 19:37

Hiya,
Just want to say that after reading another thread about using aromatherapy oils for labour, I just want to remind you that you are going into an unknown area and that you need to be qualified to provide it!

I know this is difficult as everyone say lavander is a good all-rounder, but the oils may not react as you expect them to.

Sorry to put a downer on it, but as an aromatherapist, I have seen how oils have reacted.

jofeb04 · 15/01/2007 19:38

BTW, I saw how it reacted through training, not through mistakes!!

If you do want more info about oils etc, then CAT me.

lulumama · 15/01/2007 20:12

the course is the beginning, IFYSWIM, 3and

you have a lot of written work to do before and after, and you have to keep edcating yourself and keep up with trends in parenting and in new research and info re birth . and when you have done 4 birhts you have to be reassesed by doula uk to ensure you meet the right standards

TBH...anyone can be a doula and call themselves a doula, with no training and no assesment, it is not a clinical role. But i feel when you are offering a service, and being with women at their most vulnerable and emotional, you need to have put some thought and some work into it., IMHO

plus, i thought i knew a lot, but i learnt an awful awful lot on the course......and continue to learn all the time

now, if i could just get my first lady.....

3andnomore · 15/01/2007 20:14

Oh right!
Just been looking on the net, and I thoght that you probably would always have to do a course like the following to be recognised:
link

jofeb04 · 15/01/2007 20:17

3and,
I completed mine with Nurturing Birth, and tbh, the amount I learned from it for my own births was amzing!

Lulu, email me if you want on
jopowell1 at yahoo dot co dot uk or CAT me!

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