Your childbirth educator keeps telling you how wonderful doulas are and your hospital documents mention the use of one. But what the heck is one, and how can you find a doula? Luckily, there are some places you can look for one.
Doulas provided physical, informational and emotional support. She’s there to give you a back massage, answer questions about focal points and give you a big hug if you burst into tears during labor. She’s also there to help your partner if they need it. She’ll come to you when you need her and never leave your side until after you have the baby. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Many birthing facilities have paid or volunteer doulas on staff. Ask your care provider if your birthing facility offers this. Usually these doulas know the birthing facility and are known by the staff, giving them an advantage to other doulas.
Ask your midwife or OB/GYN if they know of any doulas they’ve worked with that they would recommend. They may know some names and contact information. They also may know of some doulas they wouldn’t recommend.
With doulas becoming more and more mainstream, you may have friends or family members who have used a doula in the past. Send out a blanket e-mail or put a message up on Facebook to ask whether anyone’s used a doula and what they thought of her.
There are many places online that list doulas (click here to find a doula on this site!) helping make the hunt to find a doula a little easier. Some websites simply list doulas while others actually certify them. Certification organizations include:
Each organization has its own qualifications and philosophies when it comes to certification so be sure to do some research on your doula. Some organizations tend to emphasize unmedicated birth more than others.
If you know of local breastfeeding or baby store, chances are good they know how to find a doula or have a bulletin board where doulas can put up their contact information. They may also know good or bad thing about local doulas giving you an extra advantage.
Let’s say you found a doula, but she’s not available or she doesn’t work in your area. Ask her whether she knows of any doulas she’d recommend.
The information in this article is not medical advice. This information is not meant to treat, diagnose, prescribe or cure anything during your pregnancy, birth, or postpartum time. Always check with your care provider before following any advice from TheOnlyBabyStop.com.