I have been researching what organization I want to use to get certified and I have narrowed my search down to two options. DONA and CAPPA. Both programs seems to be very comprehensive. DONA requires 16 or more hours at a DONA approved birth doula workshop, 4 years to complete all requirements once you attend the workshop. 5 books must be read from their reading list and a birth doula packet must be purchased and completed within 2 years of purchase. You must attend a childbirth class and a breastfeeding class. And you must attend 3 births. There are some additional requirements such as write ups from the classes and births that you attended. CAPPA requirements are almost exactly the same except their list of approved books, breastfeeding and birthing classes are different. CAPPA also requires you take an open book test and a essay exam. The total estimated cast for CAPPA is $680 and the total estimated cost for DONA $980. There obviously is a $300 difference in the price. I only know one person who is a doula and have talked to her about it. She recommends CAPPA, but I would like to know is if anyone has any good or bad things to say about the programs. I have put links in below to their websites as well. thanks!
http://www.dona.org/develop/birth_cert.php
http://www.cappa.net/get-certified.php?labor-doula
Monday, November 3, 2014
IT in the Doula Business
One of the biggest trends I have seen in researching how to run a successful doula business is the influx of technology in the business. I see more and more people switching to paperless contracts and information on their services. I even have seen people who never meet their doula face to face until they go into labor. They are using programs like Skype to do interviews and meetings over the internet. If I were the client I would want to meet face to face way before I go into labor. But I do see the benefit of having contracts and all the business and service information available electronically so the client and the doula can easily access that information. If you were looking for a doula would you like the increase of technology within the business or not?
Great infographic on doula assisted births
How It All Started
I was 39 weeks pregnant, it was 6 a.m. Sarah, my mom and I all arrive at the hospital so I can be induced. This is where my journey to become a doula started. Overall I had an amazing birth. I went into that hospital knowing what I did and did not want and thought I had the power to make sure those decisions were upheld. I was way off with that assumption. To be quite frank I guess things got complicated when at 29 weeks I was told I had gestational diabetes which scared me to death. It was at that point I started seeing a perinatologist who informed me that because of my pre-existing hypertension along with my gestational diabetes that my best option to keep my baby and myself safe was to be induced at around 39 weeks. I agreed without hesitation believing that the doctor would only give me advise that was in my best interest. As my appointments went on I received an ultrasound a week for the remainder of my pregnancy. All looked good. B was not too big or too small. My blood pressure and blood sugar was great, but my doctor still suggested I be induced. So July 19th we are all at the hospital. I get hooked up to all the machines and since I am being induced my first wish of being able to walk around is out the door! I had to be constantly monitored and had to lay on my back since anytime I rolled to one side or the other my blood pressure would spike. About 3 hours after being induced I still feel fine. Really no pain yet and in walks my midwife who tells me she is going to break my water and get the anesthesiologist called so I can get an epidural! WHAT.... no way. I told her I want to give birth naturally and I will let my water break on its own. She literally laughed and said good luck!! SERIOUSLY... you are my midwife you should support whatever decision I have made for the birth of my child. I felt totally unsupported by the medical staff with me on such an important day. Thank goodness that Sarah and my mom were there for me. 15 hours later I had only dilated to 4 cm and the nurses and midwife were talking to Sarah about convincing me to get an epidural because the pain was unreal at this point. Sarah knew I did not want it and told them not to ask me about it at all. That if I got to that point I would let them know. I thought I was at that point, really I just wanted to move and get out of that bed. I was even pretending like I had to pee every 10 minutes so I had an excuse to get out of the bed. I called Sarah over to me and said I don't think I can do this and told her to get the nurse to get an epidural for me. I felt so defeated! I got the epidural administered and the nurse comes in right after and ask me how my pain was and it was still very bad. The nurse decided to go ahead and check me. Low and behold I was 9cm dilated and my water had broken! YAY but at the same time I was so nervous about pushing B out. I had been in labor over 18 hours with no food and I was exhausted, and then it happened. I got sick!! All of a sudden I started throwing up and B started crowning. The nurses had left to get the midwife and all the stuff they need for when the baby arrives and she was coming out. Sarah called down to the nurses station and they did not believe us until they got there! The midwife walked in the door I pushed once and Brynleigh was born. It was pretty wild giving birth by throwing up! Although I was given the epidural it was only about 5 to 10 minutes until I gave birth and I felt everything. Kind of a waste of the pain of the huge needle in my back! B was immediately put on my chest and nursed well from the start. Soon after nurses started coming in and wanted to do test on her. Since I had gestational diabetes they needed to check her blood sugar to make sure her levels were good. B was sent to the NICU that night because her blood sugar was off by 1 point and she was then subjected to blood sugar test and pricks after EVERY feeding. We ended up staying in the hospital a total of 4 days. I also hemorrhaged due to part of the placenta attaching to my lining. So how does this make me want to become a doula? From the beginning of my pregnancy being considered high risk I was pressured in to making decision that were not necessary for the well being of my child or me. B was born normal weight and height. I found out that her blood sugar was taken about 30 minutes past when it should have been causing that first reading to be 1 point low which then cause way more issues. The midwife did not let my placenta deliver on its own. She periodically tugged at it to get the process going faster. I am not sure if this has anything to do with me hemorrhaging but I would not doubt it. My biggest regret in all of this was not being educated on my options and not having an advocate with me through this to make sure my wishes were carried out and to inform me of all the options I had, not just the ones that were best for the doctors. That is what led me to want to be that advocate and educator for other expecting mothers. Although the outcome was my wonderful daughter I would have like a better experience along the way and that is what I want to do for other mothers, give them a great experience along with the amazing baby that comes at the end!
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