Work experience troubles. :0((

[doulakelly5]

Is there anyone else out there who has had difficulty finding birth doula experience? I was told marketing is the best way. I have spent weeks marketing. Every spare min of the day I'm advertising and marketing but to no luck. It's quite frustrating because the only thing stopping me from qualifying is I have to support one more mum to be through her labour and birth. I'm offering A free bumper pack containing loads of free organic baby samples and a free nappy cake worth £60 containing brand named nappies, wipes, bottom cream, baby grows ex. I'm also offering 30 hrs free priority postnatal support and breastfeeding support. I used to work as a N.H.S maternity and pediatric care support worker and maternity and pediatric nursery nurse so have new born, multiple new born experience exceeding twin's and also have experience working with babies with special needs. Does anyone have any ideas please or can anyone give me any advice on what else I can do. I'm would hate to fail my course because I'm struggling to meet the work experience requirements especially as I have so much experience already and have worked so hard and have so much to offer. Any advice or help would so appreciated. Thanks Kelly.

I forgot the say I'm also a mum to four children.

Maybe you are offering too much, and so making your services appear as worth less? Could you try advertising as offering just the support, no goodies. Maybe at playgroups for the second time around mums?

Is that how I come across to you hun? I thought offering goodies as you put it lol would be a great way of saying thank you for helping me through my training and a lovely way of well coming baby into the world.

Wow I would have bitten your hand off, offering all that support! Have you posted on the pregnancy section here? where are you based?

I'm not pg at the moment so not really in the market for a doula as it were. I just wonder that by offering all the goodies (which sound great) if it shifts the 'power balance' for lack of a better word, so it makes it look like as if the pg woman would be helping you. Maybe making people less keen than if you just advertised the doula offer on its own merits and people might think 'wow! what a great opportunity for me to have kelly there as a doula.

Yes I see what you mean. I also run a nappy cake business which is where I got the nappy cake idea from. The bumper packs are included in my services. They are very much like the free bounty packs you get from boots ex. I have the N.H.S, pregnancy yoga teachers, N.C.T, midwives ex helping me put them together. They will contain information about local breastfeeding groups, mother and toddler groups, baby massage groups, weaning groups ex, but also very up to date information and support on breastfeeding premature babies, multiples, babies with cleft lips, tongue tie and breast milk jaundice, and expressing milk ex. Information and support on antenatal depression, post natal depression and post natal psychosis, FSID help line, website and information leaflets with up to date information on cot death risks for both healthy full term babies, premature babies and babies on oxygen and much more. I will also include baby product samples from one of my local suppliers who sells organic baby products who I met at the Cornwall baby fair. I aim to give mums a varied choice and as much support from professional bodies such as the N.H.S and N.C.T, so my bumper packs are definitely not goody bags lol. But I can see your point when you say it looks as if the pregnant women would be helping me hun from my above post because I haven't gone into any great detail about my training, experience and services because I was asking advice on work experience not advertising my services as such. I'm a maternity nurse and run a nappy cake business and am helping sky living put together a documentary following 16 women through their pregnancy journeys as well. If any mums to be would like more information on the documentary you can visit my facebook page Nurturing Bumps Doula or contact Sarah direct on [email protected] or call Sarah on 0207 349 600 and Sarah will tell you all about the documentary.

I also have experience in all of the above and when I am qualified my services will be affordable to all. I was a single teenage mum for a while so know how much extra support helps even if its just a chat or putting a wash load in the washing machine, helping out with any other children, taking care of baby so mum can spend good quality time with her other child or children, take a rest or a shoulder to cry on, adult conversation and a joke and laugh. Support through baby blues or more serious postnatal depression. Help with breastfeeding as even second time mums sometimes need support because they have had a previous bad breastfeeding experience leaving them feeling scared or feeling like they can't do it, they cant go through that bad experience again leaving them with their self confidence destroyed, low self esteem and racked with guilt before baby is even born! Some women have sick babies or premature babies, twins and more. The most babies I have ever helped look after at one time is four and my help was more than welcomed lol. No not post on the pregnancy section yet hun but plan to, and thanks chick, I would of bit my hand off as well lol. I had three birth partners at my youngest daughters birth lol and I have say it was fantastic :0) x