It's Official!

"The most important part of the doula is not her training, but her heart and gentle spirit."
~Experienced Doula Trainer

It's official...I'm a doula! I had my interview yesterday at Woodwinds and later that day was asked to come aboard the doula team there! We are each on call for one day per month, for a 24 hour shift. Every laboring mother who comes to Woodwinds is offered the option of having a doula, free of charge. Then, whoever is on call comes in to support that mother in labor. (Patients can also contract with & arrange their own doulas privately--usually for pay, I believe. But that is separate from this volunteer program.) Many of the volunteer doulas also take on private clients, for pay, but that isn't something I'm looking at yet--at least not until I am fully certified.

I have my orientation next week, and I start Friday October 3rd with patients.

I am way behind in my blogging. I had written a post last week--that I never got around to publishing--about how wonderful my doula workshop was 2 weekends ago. I soaked up every minute, truly feeling like everything we covered was so helpful--and so fascinating, too. We covered everything from comfort measures, laboring positions, listening skills, and how to truly support a mother in pursuing the kind of birth she desires (whether fully medicated, or completely natural, or even cesarean) as well as all the ethical considerations to be mindful of when supporting a mother without being an irritant to the medical staff, etc. We also watched a number of amazing videos covering the history of birth in this country as well as other cultures.

The whole weekend just fueled my passion and excitement for serving God in this way, as a doula. I can't believe how much He has put this on my heart--helping women to have a positive, beautiful birth experience.

Woodwinds is also working on a program to have doulas with grief training be on call for women who come to the ER because they are having a miscarriage. This is something I have a heart for as well.

Oh, this is now a bit anti-climactic, but I might have my first private client/birth lined up, too. Another doula from my workshop who is pregnant & due in October. In fact, she and I are talking about being each other's doulas. It was a God thing that she and I connected, and uncanny how much we have in common.