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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Doula course- which course??! Any recommendations??

70 replies

twolittleducks · 04/06/2007 14:09

Hi all,
I'm looking to do some training to become a doula but I'm not sure which course to do.. Can anyone recommend to me one they have done, I am able to attend workshops over 2 weekends or 3 day courses but I'm confused as to which one to go for ..

Would be grateful for any advice

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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lulumama · 04/06/2007 14:15

Hi twolittleducks

I did the Nurturing birth course, which was over 3 days, and was for birth & post natal doula - ing...i found it to be excellent, really informative , intensive and very positive !

the website is here www.nuturingbirth.co.uk and it is recognised by Doula UK, so you can join DUK after you have completed the course....

I think you are half way there if you want to follow this path

hertsnessex · 04/06/2007 15:33

i done the nb one aswell.

PeckaRolloverAgain · 04/06/2007 15:41

me too

yogimum · 04/06/2007 16:13

this question is for the doulas. Do you do both birth and post-natal or have a preference? Is there much work for post-natal doulas? sorry to hijack

hertsnessex · 04/06/2007 17:44

i do both - i done my course in october and so far ive had 6 birth clients - and another 5 booked and ive worked with 6 postnatal clients so far and another 2 booked.

yogimum · 04/06/2007 18:08

hertsenessex, are most of these positions in your area? I trained as a maternity nurse but most positions are in London and now I have a baby I want to stay in my area.

lulumama · 04/06/2007 20:19

I'm up north and post natal doula ing is less well know, although 2 out of 4 of my birth clients have booked me for PN work, now they know about it !

definitely work down south, I'm sure Herts and Mars can back me up on that !

jofeb04 · 04/06/2007 20:40

I did mine with NB as well, completed mine over three days, and as it was a distance away, me and dh stayed in a hotel, so had a few days away as well lol

yogimum · 04/06/2007 20:44

just another quick question, are the births you attend at home or can you attend at hospital aswell? What is the hospital policy on having a doula present? Thanks

pupuce · 04/06/2007 20:50

You can attend hospital births no problem... very rarely do some hopsital have a policy of one birth partner only. As far as I know doulas were still welcomed in those cases, they just had to prepare the hospital that they would be coming.
In 2004 I did a survey for DUK, doulas attended 70% of hospital and 30% home births.

lulumama · 04/06/2007 21:00

realised i spelt my link wrong, 2littleducks!

www.nurturingbirth.co.uk

I was invited to join the Maternity Services Liasion Committee at the local maternity hospital, any members of the public who have an interest in the maternity services can join..a friend from the NCT works at the hospital and is on the committee, so asked me to go along....

the head of midwifery is certainly very positive about doulas, and the midwives i have met thus far are also really positive....

i am glad to have had the opportunity to meet relevant people before i go in as a doula...

helps to forge good relationships i think !!

Original poster

twolittleducks · 04/06/2007 22:39

Thanks for all the responses.. I have been slightly delayed logging back on here as been tending to babies and home ...

Lulumama, how do you find managing the work with also having children of your own?? Are they more independent of you (Sorry I don't know how old your child/ren are

I am really look forward to doing this course, and I also want to do some training as a breastfeeding counsellor as well?? Anyone does this type of training??

With the maternity commitee you joined, are these commitees set up in most hospitals?? I am based in North London, I would love to be on the ward, voluntary and all...

Sorry for all the questions , it's just I feel I am getting limited knowledge back from some websites, as in I want to here it from the ladies who have done the courses themselves

OP posts:

Original poster

twolittleducks · 04/06/2007 23:32

bump

OP posts:

MarsLady · 04/06/2007 23:53

hey twolittle... I'm also based in N London. Lots of work, birth and postnatal here.

I did the Paramana course but I know lots of doulas who did Nurturing Birth and have nothing but praise for it. I think you get to take away more info with NB and that would make it very valuable as you'd always have something in your hand to look over.

Where in N London are you?

lulumama · 05/06/2007 07:26

My children are 7 1/2 and almost 2...I try to arrange antenatal appointments when DH is at home to look after them....I have a childminder who takes the children on an ad hoc basis as well as lots of friends who are all willing and able to help out with school runs and having DD, giving the children dinner etc......

all maternity hospitals have an MSLC, there was an article about them in this quarter's NCT magazine

another good thing about the NB course is the massive handout you get, and a mentor and they have an excellent website with a forum....

pupuce · 05/06/2007 08:18

BF counsellor training is on average 2 years, quite a few doulas do it too but if you "just" want more knowledge on BF to work as a doula then there are BF courses aimed at doulas.
Also in my opnion, volunteering at a BF clinic will give you excellent knowledge.
I am a BF counsellor but I believe I learned far more about helping mums and newborns (especially wth regards to latch - which is crucuial) from attending the BF clinic as a volunteer.

hertsnessex · 05/06/2007 08:27

I have work in herts, essex and london. Most clients came from london up until recently - now they are herts and essex.

re juggling kids and doulaing - i make appts for evenings and weekends when my dh is around. i fit in some pn work when boys are at preschool - especially as they stay for lunch some days. i have a childminder who will do emergency care - i.e if i am called for a birth etc, and she will do prearranged hours in advance.

p.s. mars is right in that with the NB course you get info to take away which has been invaluable at times.

xxxxx

hertsnessex · 05/06/2007 08:29

i have attended hospital and homebirths - including supporting a client who had a c/s, one waterbirth, and birthing centre births as well as standard mat wards.

Original poster

twolittleducks · 05/06/2007 10:01

Thanks everyone-

marslady, I am in enfield, and the nurturing birth course is to be run in London next month, but I don't think i will be able to attend as no one to luck after my two little ones (2.5 and 8 months)
The lady there said the course will be run again at some point this year, I am desperate to go on it!!!

I would like to try the b/f counsellor course, my own personal experience is that lots of women, including family, have very limited knowledge and i myself was told my milk probably wasnt enough to feed my dd2, now 8 months.. Needless to say, I am still feeding her myself, so my milk must be more than efficient!!!

In your experience, are hospitals generally supportive of doulas??? And how would I go about volunteering in regards to the breastfeeding with my local council?? Wouldn't I need some sort of training??

OP posts:

MarsLady · 05/06/2007 10:13

You should approach Enfield council and see if they have an Infant Feeding Advisor. They do in Haringey and I've volunteered with them. If they have one they may send you for some training.

Do you not have any local childminders who would do the childcare for you whilst you do the course?

hertsnessex · 05/06/2007 12:36

twolittleducks,

is there no way someoen could watch your children??........even if they done it in shifts of a few hrs each. im not far (30mins from you) and would be happy to help on one day.

lulumama · 05/06/2007 12:40

try your local authority childcare website...contact sure start ....you might be able to find someone to have the children for you...good place to start looking for ad hoc childcare..

i found my childminder through a mums & tots group i was running !! you just never know..

Original poster

twolittleducks · 05/06/2007 14:23

Thanks everyone for the offers, your all so kind .. Im sure i would be able to work something out betweeen my mum and partner, my partner shift works so is not very reliable but im sure family memebers would be able to help, the hourly shift thing, never thought of that.... Maybe it's just me making excuses, i dont feel that confident although i realllllly want to do this training, how silly do i sound!!!!

Gosh its so silly, I just have got into that mode where I haven't done anything for myself and it feels so weird to leave the kiddly winks whilst I do something for me... Sorry for the rant, having a waffling moment

OP posts:

hertsnessex · 05/06/2007 16:18

just go for it TLD...........it was a great course, and youll get alot from it.

lulumama · 05/06/2007 16:21

oh, things will work out, i got my MIL and DH to have my children the 3 days of the course...it was fine..

i was also desperate to do the course!