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 …
I’m a doula and educator, not a social media coach; however, I did want to grow on IG and I wasn’t sure how. Posts, stories, reels…what was I doing? In the last few months, I have seen my account grow to 4 times its size, and I hope to share with my CAPPA friends what …
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 …
Helping Clients Process Emotions After Birth Continue reading »
One of the most popular questions in my Postpartum Doula trainings and on social media is “what should I pack in my postpartum doula bag?”. When discussing this with my students or other new doulas, I often rattle off a list of common items, and then throw a few other ideas at them that they …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Supporting Labor Doula Clients Expecting Twins Continue reading »
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 …
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 …
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 …
How to Teach Meditation for Childbirth Preparation Continue reading »