How to Find a Doula Program That’s The Right Fit For You
by Kendra Holman, Vice President and co-Secretary of Tampa Bay Birth Network
Maybe you’re wondering if you too would like to work in the birth community but don’t yet know any birth professionals in your local area to connect with and learn more. I suggest that you reach out to local hospitals and see if they offer pregnant or breastfeeding support groups - the instructor is likely a birth professional. Visit a baby boutique, many times they have names or local peer support groups to join. Look on Facebook for babywearing groups or trainings, often the facilitators are birth professionals or know of folks who are. Or consider supporting (and/or joining) the Tampa Bay Birth Network or a similar professional network in your area.
How to start? Where to start?
A year ago when I decided that I wanted to become a postpartum doula, I knew I was doing it because I have a heart for it! I wanted my training program to fuel and feed me so I could go out there STRONG in order to help others that need encouragement and strength. I didn’t want my studies to become a chore and needed a program that would fit my schedule.
How to start then? Where? Would a simple google search give me ALL the programs out there? How do I know it’s a good program? What makes it a good program? Does this program offer recertification credits? Why do some programs require certifying again and again while others don’t? Why do some cost $1,000 and some are $400, do I get less info or support if I choose the cheaper one? Some programs offer a full intensive weekend course while some are self-paced and prerecorded, which one is better? And about 50 more questions…
In my search for a doula program that would fit my needs, I asked myself the following points. I hope you find them useful on your journey:
Figure out what I can realistically do with my schedule. Is training an intensive weekend somewhere (may include travel and extra $$) or is it self-paced to fit it into my daily life (complex with my kids and a full-time job)?
How much money can I put towards it? Do they accept payment plans? Are there scholarships?
What is the environment of the program? Outside of the basic necessities of physically taking care of a birth giver and a baby, does it get into the gritty emotional and mental aspects of what postpartum can be? Does the program engage in all communities including LGBTQ2s+ and BIPOC or is it focused on mainly the cis white heterosexual narrative society often portrays?
What are my priorities? What can or will I compromise on?
Network with local birth professionals and ask them what they did, which course they chose, and why. What did they like and didn’t like about it?
You don’t have to have it all together when you start.
The more information you know, the better equipped you will be to make a decision based on what fits you, your needs, and your desires for this next journey in life. Read Google reviews on each program! The website may say all the right things to get you thinking it’s going to be a great choice but after reading some reviews, you may find out, it’s a lot of smoke and mirrors.
You don’t have to have it all together when you start. Maybe you think you will own your own business, run a social media account and website (not me) or you know you just want to be face to face with clients and you will struggle with the business aspect (me), or somewhere in between. Just start. All of that can and will be figured out later. The education, resources, and the support you get from the program are important, take your time in the research.
Once you pick the course, make the best of it. There will be struggles along the way, you will learn A LOT, your empathy will grow, and your love for humans will change in a way you didn’t expect. You started this for a reason, ground yourself and get back to what motivated you to begin if you falter. Now, please do yourself a favor, buy a new pen and a new notebook (for excitement) and get to it!
I found my chosen program by reaching out to a local birth doula, asking if she knew any local postpartum doulas, low and behold, she knew a person in the process of getting certified. Perfect timing, fresh like me. I asked for her contact information and reached out to her. She introduced me to a program that was not high up on the results page in my google search and I am FOREVER grateful that I chose to be brave and network like I did. The program is incredible and has been life-changing for me. Not only am I learning the basics of what I think postpartum care should be but it has helped me grow outside of my bubble, out of my comfort zone. It’s been exhausting, exhilarating, healing, eye-opening, expansive, and inclusive. Did I expect this from a postpartum doula training? Never. And now I can’t stop talking about it. I hope you too find one that speaks to you as this one has for me.
Kendra is the Vice President and co-Secretary of TBBN. She is a licensed dietitian with a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and over 10 years of experience in the dietetics and nutrition field. Kendra is a Certified Lactation Counselor and Postpartum Doula and enjoys providing emotional, mental, physical, and nutritional support at Illuminate Postpartum. Using her degree and her love for food, her certifications, and her passion for the birth giver, parents, and their babies, Kendra helps and supports those that want the best for themselves and their loved ones.