Doula

Doulas and Education Ideas

Written by Katie Nyberg I remember attending my doula training as a brand-new doula eager to learn “all the things”. My instructor shared the names of her favorite birth books and I eagerly made a list of titles I wanted to purchase. My goal was to have a library full of books I could loan […]

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Black History Month – Birth Artist Ashley January

Black History Month 2024 has the theme of African Americans and the Arts. Black artist Ashley January uses her art to bring attention to the black maternal disparity crisis in our country. “I address the Black maternal mortality and morbidity crisis in America through painting and multimedia. Influenced by my own traumatic pregnancy and survival,

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A Doula’s Best Tool: Effective Communication

Effective communication is a doula’s most meaningful tool when navigating client relationships. We must adjust to each family before us to attune to their needs. Attuning requires us to not only communicate effectively but also to listen. Attuned listening is different than the everyday conversation you might have with friends and family. It requires understanding

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Is a Doula Collective Right for You?

After you complete your doula training you may be considering different business models and exploring options, such as: building your own doula practice, working in partnership with another doula, or joining an established doula collective. As you embark on this new journey, there are a few considerations to bear in mind. To begin, research the

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CAPPA Introduces the Labor Doula Training in SPANISH!

In our commitment to improving birth and postpartum outcomes for at-risk populations, we are now offering the labor doula training in Spanish. We are proud to educate community members and family support workers to provide labor support when language is a barrier to quality healthcare. With help from CAPPA Latinoamerica* (shoutout Jenny Bertha!) we have

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Prenatal Psychological Support Can Positively Impact Baby’s Emotional Well-being

Prenatal mental health can significantly affect the unborn child and its future development. According to research, women experiencing depression or anxiety before or during pregnancy may be at greater risk of having a baby with cognitive, social, and behavioural problems later in life. It highlights the importance of perinatal mental health support for both parents

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Labor Induction: Could it have any psychological effects on the baby?                

Labor induction is such a common maternal care practice that it is almost considered to be a normal way of giving birth in the United States. And of course, there are benefits to moms and babies when reasons for induction are medically indicated, such as low amniotic fluid, IUGR and concerning pre-eclampsia symptoms. But with

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Videos for Members to Share with Clients!

CAPPA faculty and owner of Chicago Family Doulas, Annamarie Rodney has created materials for doulas and educators who are just starting out to use! For Labor Doulas Share this video with clients so they know what you can provide and offer! You can edit this on Canva and add your own logo! Edit the Labor/Birth

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Six Things IBCLCs Wish All Doulas Knew About Lactation Support

1. Your presence in the early hours and days postpartum places you in a key position to support nursing. By learning all you can about lactation and infant feeding, you can help parents and babies get off to a good start. “Doulas should understand they can help clients reach their breastfeeding goals by ensuring babies

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Timing Arrival to the Hospital During Labor 

Many clients hire doulas because they want to avoid unnecessary intervention, and we all know the best way to do this is to arrive at the hospital at the “right” time. A doula’s job is to balance the ever-evolving needs of the birthing family, their care provider, and our scope of practice. This includes taking

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Why is Anti-racism work important for doulas and educators?

Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy and postpartum-related causes than white women. Multiple factors contribute to these disparities, such as quality of healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias. As CAPPA educators and doulas, we are committed to improving birth and postpartum for all people. Therefore, it is

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The Doula Evolution

The progression in this business has some very similar and familiar characteristics and you may find them in yourself as you travel through the journey of being a professional Doula.  How will you change your business practices or your opinions on clients and the interactions with other professionals within the community?  Will the things you

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Helping Clients Process Emotions After Birth

As postpartum doulas, one of our major roles is that of communicator/coach/counselor. The skills we develop to successfully fill this role can greatly enhance our support as we become enmeshed in the family’s life. This role of communicator/coach/counselor enables us to be one of the best lines of defense against some of the emotional and

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Vicarious Trauma and Birth Work

The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. However, a person may experience trauma as a response to any event they find physically or emotionally threatening or harmful. Our minds are so powerful, powerful enough to work, study, engage, and manage the

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Trauma-informed Approach

What is trauma-informed? Be trauma-informed is to recognize that trauma is very common in people’s lives. Simply put, “There’s a story behind every person. There’s a reason why they are the way they are. They aren’t just like that because they want to be. Something in the past created them, and sometimes it is impossible

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Supporting Labor Doula Clients Expecting Twins

I began my Labor Doula career when my sister-in-law found out she was expecting twins. She was getting frustrated with her doctors sharing various opinions about how she should birth these babies. Some doctors said the safest option was to schedule a Cesarean at 36 weeks. Other doctors in the same practice said she could

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What’s in the Bag?

It’s a question that comes up at every doula training – “What do you carry with you to a birth?” On message boards and doula support forums, there are so many options and ideas and lists of suggestions for things that doulas may want to purchase or may need to carry to support someone in

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The Importance of Sleep in Pregnancy & How We Can Help Clients Optimise Their Sleep

Many pregnant persons say it’s hard to sleep because they can’t get comfortable, need to run to the bathroom constantly, have leg cramps, and are excited and anxious about their baby’s arrival. They often joke that it is to prepare them for things to come…the arrival of their newborn and more sleepless nights and sleep

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How to Teach Meditation for Childbirth Preparation

After teaching childbirth preparation classes and working as a doula for many years, I often ponder the question what do parents really need to know before birth? I’ve had so many clients come through my classes; some with notebooks and pens, some with stories from friends and family and some with such fear and anxiety

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5 Reasons to Still Hire a Labor Doula – Especially During the Pandemic

If there is one thing we have learned since early 2020, it’s that things are ever changing with this pandemic. One thing that has remained the same: people are still going to have babies. At the beginning of 2020, there were so many unknowns with the virus, how it affects a pregnant person and newborn,

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How To Become A Postpartum Doula And Why It Might Be Right For You

If you become a postpartum doula, you will have the opportunity to provide emotional, informational and physical support to a new family during one of the most important, memorable periods of change. Have you ever wondered if becoming a Postpartum Doula might be right for you? If so, then you’ve also wondered how to become

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How To Become A Labor Doula And Why It Might Be Right For You

If you feel a call to help families during pregnancy, labor and birth, you’ve probably also wondered what it takes to become a labor doula. Alternately, perhaps you’ve wanted to be a birth doula for years, but weren’t quite sure how. At CAPPA, we refer to a birth doula as a “Labor Doula” and offer

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The Importance of Building Connections for Success

Have you heard the old saying “We are Better Together?” There is so much truth in this statement when it comes to connecting with other doulas and educators in our arena. After working as a doula for nine years, I truly believe “Building Connections” is the single best thing you can do to set yourself

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Updates to Our Postpartum Doula Scope of Practice

Laura Nance – CPD, CLD, CLE®, CCCE, CPFE, Faculty, Senior Program Advisor CAPPA recently made changes to the Postpartum Doula Scope of Practice.  These changes reflect the needs of postpartum doulas and the work they do with families. First, let’s talk about why a Scope of Practice is even necessary.  It comes down to two

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The Subtle Impact of Interference

As labor doulas and childbirth educators, we prepare our clients with information about routine interventions. We go over the benefits, risks and alternatives to these interventions, equipping parents to make the best decisions for themselves and their babies. But no one has to place a needle in an arm to alter the course of a

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The Defeated Doula: 3 Things You Can Do to Conquer Self-Doubt

It’s a common occurrence that, after Doula training, the energy of the last few days is excitedly stirring. Your mind is racing a mile a minute and all of the tasks you want to achieve are running circles through your thoughts. You set a plan of action and tell yourself, this week I am going to

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Applying the Foundational Attitudes of Mindfulness to Your Doula Practice

Mindfulness meditation is one of the fastest-growing health trends in the United States, according to the CDC. But what is mindfulness, and why might it be helpful for your work as a professional doula? Mindfulness is “The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, in Purser, 2015).

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