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 …
Early in my doula career, I remember working with a family who knew they wanted a doula to support them through their pregnancy and birth. This particular mother had a previous birth that she felt didn’t go well and felt like she was pressured into unnecessary interventions. She was nervous about going back to the …
When a person gets pregnant, they unconsciously develop an internal vision about how they expect their birth will unfold. Their personal history and beliefs, their birth team, their coworkers, friends and family, and the media all influence this expectation—which causes the birthing person to make assumptions about what is true. This is especially so with …
Reframing Cesarean Birth ( Submitted by CAPPA Member Colleen Goidel ) Continue reading »
Presentation Developed by Katie Nyberg, Senior Program Advisor – Labor Doula Program. Download these slides as a PDF!
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). …
Applying the Foundational Attitudes of Mindfulness to Your Doula Practice Continue reading »
Your CAPPA Labor Doula Faculty team would like to share some ideas for supporting your clients if hospitals are not allowing doulas to provide support during labor. Please remember that it is your professional responsibility to follow CDC recommendations including staying home if you have any type of illness symptoms, following proper hand washing protocols, …
Supporting Labor Clients During COVID-19 Pandemic Continue reading »
How many births have you attended? Your badge of honor. The one piece of information that proves to your clients that you know what you are doing as a birth doula. I have been reflecting on this maxim, do the number of births a doula has attended equal her value as a professional? And how …
As labor doulas, we often say that our favorite and essential things we bring to births are our heads, our hearts, and our hands. We bring our heads which are full of wisdom, information, and knowledge pertaining to birth to help in each unique birth setting. We bring our hearts as caring advocates for our …
Our Heads, Our Hearts, and Our Hands Need Support Too Continue reading »
I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with hundreds of nurses during my career as a labor doula. Whenever we have a blend of professions like Labor & Delivery Nurses and Labor Doulas, it can be a tricky situation to navigate. I truly believe everyone has the client’s best interests in mind, however sometimes …
25 Tips for Labor Doulas from Hospital Nurses Continue reading »
The number of people who run is continuing to climb, so more and more we find our clients are asking if it is ok to continue to run during pregnancy. The answer to that is twofold. As a pregnancy fitness educator, personal trainer, running coach and birth professional the basic answer is yes; however… In …