We’ve been recruiting and mentoring doulas for over 6 years, and fielding questions from people who are curious about becoming a postpartum doula. If that’s you, start here to make sure you know what to expect and how to set yourself up for success!
Relevant Background
This work is great for someone who has a background in a relevant field such as early childcare, nursing, nannying, childbirth education, or other caretaking professions. If you don’t have much hands-on experience with newborns, we’d encourage you to dive in with that however you can to build confidence – help out some friends or family, volunteer at a hospital/NICU if you can (these opportunities can be hard to come by),… and if you lack in-person opportunities, start to watch some how-to videos on YouTube (regarding bathing, swaddling, soothing, etc…) Perhaps you could even attend a Newborn Care Class meant for new parents, or a breastfeeding support group, if the instructor and group would permit that. And while newborn care is a critical part of the role, we would ask you to think carefully if you’re getting into this work only for your love of babies – you are there to support the whole family, and your role is infinitely more complex than just baby care.
Here are some videos to get you started!
Bathing baby
Swaddling baby
Right Temperament
You need to be able to adapt to each family’s needs, as well as their widely varied styles and preferences. The goal is nonjudgmental support, so you’re going to need to be able to let go of strong feelings you may have about the “best” ways to do certain things. You’ll have to feel out (and ask!) whether they’re wanting input and information, or whether they just want things done a certain way. Families generally want someone who can “read the room,” and know when it’s a good time to engage, vs a good time to quietly find tasks that will help to support the needs at hand. They’re not always going to want to feel like they have “company” and sometimes they don’t want to have to come up with things for you to do, so taking initiative – with their consent – will be important. Some new parents will have a lot on their minds, will be looking for a listening ear… and you’ll form a close and intimate relationship. Others are more private, and you’ll have to figure out how to communicate with them while respecting their space. As you can see, communication skills and an ability to adapt are critical to having the right temperament for this work!
Appropriate Training
We hear from aspiring doulas that they feel an immense pressure to choose the “right” doula training. Here’s some good news about that – we really feel you should not pick just one. Start with one, of course. Then build some traction with your business. Once you have earned some money, and have some paying clients lined up… consider taking another training (perhaps a year later). You’ll gain some insight and learn something new at each one.
A main consideration for training is choosing between in-person, pre-recorded, or live virtual trainings. We tend to lean towards in-person or live virtual trainings because they are more dynamic, provide more opportunities to ask questions and learn from the participation of other attendees. That said, you know your learning style best, so take that into consideration as well. Then, there’s the mission and brand of the training organization you will want to get a feel for. We talk about this more in our workshop, Career 101 for Postpartum Doulas (more information below!)
Realistic Expectations
Too many people get into this work without truly understanding what it takes to make it work, or how to set boundaries to avoid burnout. You need to understand that due dates are unpredictable, so many of your plans will be tentative (What will you do to best accommodate the family if the baby comes early and overlaps with another client or other plans? What will you do if baby comes late and has a NICU stay, delaying your income by a few weeks?) If your availability is very limited and rigid, you may not be a good fit for this work or will need to at least understand that many families will want to select a doula who has more flexibility. At the same time, having some clear boundaries is important.
Questions you will want to consider:
Will you offer day shifts? Night shifts? A combination? What’s your ideal number of hours per week and is there room for that to fluctuate, given that some families want to start with more support and scale back, or vice versa? Will you need backup support? What will your arrangement be with that person? Does joining an agency make more sense for you?
Families’ needs will often shift and change, and you will benefit if you have explained clearly in advance, both in your interview and your contract, what changes you can and can’t accommodate – and what that means for the financial commitment they have made to you. It’s a balance to strike, offering some flexibility to the family while still being able to accurately predict your income over a given period of time.
Once you’ve reflected on these four areas, you’ll be much more prepared to start this career path with your eyes open and your doula feet nimble! We go deeper into these considerations, as well as other issues such as scope and scheduling, in our Career 101 Webinar!