Blog
We know doulas. As a leader in the doula field for over 25 years, DONA International is your trusted authority for evidence-based information and resources for the doula profession.
From families considering hiring a doula to the thousands of doulas worldwide who support them, so many people want to learn more about doulas. Here on the blog, we provide evidence-based information specifically for professional doulas and the families we serve. Doulas play a unique role in the lives of the families we support and need specialized resources to grow and thrive as professionals. Stay up to date and informed with the organization that put doulas on the map!
Series: Doula Me This #5 – Clients Are Planning an Unassisted Birth
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Today is the fifth post in the occasional series, “Doula Me This!” Each post in the series provides a common scenario that a birth or postpartum (or both) doula may face. The “correct” answer (if there is one)...
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Expert Tips for a Smooth Recertification Process
By Uta Mattox, AdvCD(DONA), CD(DONA) Today's post is the third and final post in a short series focusing on tips from the experts on birth and postpartum certification and recertification. Today, longtime doula Uta Mattox, former Director of Certification and current...
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California Parents Speak Up About Doulas! Results from Listening to Mothers in California Survey
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, LCE 2018 Listening to Mothers in California survey results were released earlier this month and the information shared is immensely interesting. This is the first Listening to Mothers survey done on a state level...
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Meet The DONA 2019 Board Candidates and Get Ready to Vote!
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, LCE DONA International is the world's premier doula organization and relies on the person power and skills of many, many volunteers to keep it running effectively. Our organization is led by an all volunteer board...
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Launch Your Doula Career by Becoming Involved in Your Community! It’s a Win-Win Situation!
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, LCE Your birth or postpartum workshop has been completed and you are ready to dip your toe in your birth/postpartum community in order to make connections, find backups, locate clients and start to gain experience...
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Let’s Meet DONA International’s 2018 Advanced Doulas
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE This summer, DONA International awarded three doulas the credential of "Advanced Doula." This certification level was initiated in 2015, and the designation honors DONA certified birth and postpartum doulas who...
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The Black Infant Remembrance Memorial – A Valuable Resource for Your Families
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE You cannot live in the United States and be unaware of the health inequities that face Black families here in this country. Every single major news outlet has been covering this tragic situation with increasing...
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Research Review: Bearing witness: United States and Canadian maternity support workers’ observations of disrespectful care in childbirth
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE A new research paper, Bearing witness: United States and Canadian maternity support workers’ observations of disrespectful care in childbirth, was recently published in the journal Birth. Written by Christine...
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Series – Doula Me This #4: Who Gets My Support?
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Today is the fourth post in the occasional series, “Doula Me This!” Each post in the series provides a common scenario that a birth or postpartum (or both) doula may face. The “correct” answer (if there is one)...
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Book Review – Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes
By Susan Young, CD/PCD(DONA), LMT, ICCE I love reading new books on pregnancy, labor, postpartum and parenting from authors with a unique perspective. Like a Mother (Harper Wave, 2018) is a great book that adds a valuable voice to those on the doula’s bookshelf. This...
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Pro Tips for Submitting an Amazing Postpartum Certification Packet
By Tracy McPhillips, CCE(GS), LCCE, PCD/PDT(DONA) Today's post is written by my friend and colleague Tracy McPhillips. Tracy is a postpartum doula and a DONA Approved Postpartum Doula Trainer. Additionally, Tracy reviews and approves postpartum doula certification...
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Do You Have 30 Seconds to Quickly and Easily Speak Up about Maternal Mortality?
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE It has been just about two weeks since the amazing DONA international Summit 2018 wrapped up and the DONA International virtual conference is up and running for the 90-day viewing period. Many of our speakers...
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World Breastfeeding Week 2018 – Doulas Play a Key Role
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE August 1 - 7, 2018 is World Breastfeeding Week and doulas are on the front lines of helping families get breastfeeding off to a good start. Every year, World Breastfeeding Week has a specific theme, and the...
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It Was Big! In-Person DONA Summit 2018 Wrap Up
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE I have just returned from the in-person DONA Summit 2018 and have been thinking and thinking (and thinking) about this Summit follow up post and what I exactly wanted to say. I have so many emotions and...
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Secrets to Summit Success – Tips for Making the Most Out of a DONA Conference
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE The DONA International 2018 Summit is T minus less than 24 hours 'til the start and doulas and other birth professionals are arriving in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from all around the world. The line up of...
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Five Tips for Enjoying Your Summer While Being an On-Call Doula
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Here I sit in the real summer heat of Seattle. In general, Seattle has beautiful summers consisting of blue skies, a lot of sun, no humidity, long periods of daylight and no bugs. Temps run in the mid-70s and...
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What Do We Want? Doulas! When Do We Want Them? Now!
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE A Blueprint for Advancing High-Value Maternity Care Through Physiologic Childbearing, authored by 17 leading maternity experts and released on June 28, 2018, by the National Partnership for Women &...
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A 4th of July Birth to Remember
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Being a doula often requires us to miss fun events or holidays with family and friends. This week, in the USA, we celebrated the 4th of July (United States Independence Day, the country is 244 years old in...
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