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DONA International offers opportunities to become a doula by attending one of the many doula workshops offered around the world by a DONA-Approved Trainer. A doula workshop is the first step on the path to becoming a certified birth or postpartum doula. You will receive world-class training and become a member of the largest and most recognized and respected doula organization in the world.

May is International Doula Month, and 2019 is the 21st year that DONA International, perinatal organizations and consumers around the globe all take time during the month of May to recognize the contributions that birth and postpartum doulas make to support families during the childbearing year. DONA International is an outstanding doula organization, maintaining a […]

May 6th through 12th is National Nurses Week in the USA. As birth doulas know and research shows, nurses can make or break a client experience during their client’s labor and birth. While doulas and nurses have clear and distinct roles when there is a collaboration between them, everyone, especially the family benefits.

Long before birth moved into the hospital, in communities all across the globe, there have been women serving women in the role of midwife, traditional birth attendant and crone to care for people through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. The role of the midwife once celebrated and deeply respected, declined as birth moved into […]

Cesarean Awareness Month April is Cesarean Awareness Month (CAM) and this month, many perinatal organizations are focusing on the impact cesarean birth has on parents and babies. In the USA, the current cesarean rate is just under 32%. While this rate has been slowly declining, many professionals support the belief that nearly half of all […]

Introduction to March for Moms March for Moms (MfM) is gearing up for their third annual event on the National Mall in Washington DC, to rally and raise awareness of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States in the childbearing year. On Saturday, May 11th, from 1-3 PM, perinatal organizations including DONA International will […]

Cesarean Awareness Month April is Cesarean Awareness Month (CAM) and this month, many perinatal organizations are focusing on the impact cesarean birth has on parents and babies. In the USA, the current cesarean rate is just under 32%. While this rate has been slowly declining, many professionals support the belief that nearly half of all […]

By Sharon Muza, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Introduction to Black Maternal Health Week April is Minority Health Month in the United States. Minority Health Month is a “month-long initiative to advance health equity across the country on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities.” Within Minority Health Week, April 11th through 17th is the second […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, CLE March 22nd-28th is World Doula Week, originally designated in 2011 as “Doula Day” by Ruti Karni Horowitz. Since then, the celebration has expanded to a full week and is recognized by doula organizations all around the world. As you recognize World Doula Week, now is the time to […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, LCE Introduction Just about two years ago, the DONA Doula Chronicles blog shared about the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion released in 2017 regarding recommendations to reduce interventions and improve birth outcomes. This opinion was endorsed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Today is the sixth 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) requires some synthesis of the situation and at times […]

Amy Gilliland, Ph.D., Adv/BDT(DONA), CSE (AASECT) believes that doulas have the potential to change the world through connection and caring for another person, and this book is one way that she seeks to help doulas do exactly that. Dr. Gilliland has conducted qualitative research with more than 60 doulas since 2002, and her new book, […]

By Ann Grauer, AdvCD/BDT(DONA), AdvPCD/PDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, IBCLC Meghan Markle hired a doula for her upcoming birth (and, hopefully, postpartum). We are delighted that she is making DOULA the word heard round the world. The Duchess is just the latest expectant royal to set the pace for other birthing families around the globe. Princess Diana […]

By Sarah Hodin, MPH, CD(DONA), LCCE Introducing DONA International online data collection forms As the largest doula training, certification, and membership organization in the world, DONA International is uniquely positioned to contribute knowledge about doulas and their impact on birthing families; and I would argue that it is our responsibility to do so. We humbly […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Doulas know the importance of oxytocin in labor. Oxytocin is often called the “love hormone” but in labor and during feeding, it is also the “squeeze hormone” helping the uterus to contract in order to change the cervix and birth a baby, and pushes milk to […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Many doulas have a practice of gifting their clients something as they end their time together. Others don’t do this at all. Over the years as a practicing doula, I have oscillated from providing a little parting gift for my clients to not gifting anything at […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE It has become clear to me in the past few years that there has been a shift in the meaning of some birth terminology that consumers use to talk about their births. Personally, I cannot pinpoint when the shift happened, but from my doula practice, my […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE I recently read a great article in The New York Times: “You Should Actually Send That Thank You Note You’ve Been Meaning to Write” and immediately thought about how this information is relevant to doulas and can help a doula grow their business. When I was growing […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE The end of the year and the start of a fresh one is a great time to assess what has worked for your business and what services and products need to be tweaked, changed or discontinued for 2019. Here are some suggestions about things to think about as […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE In the United States, there is some very good news with lots of reasons to celebrate as 2018 comes to a close. After an incredible effort by many maternal-infant health organizations in the USA, including tireless lobbying by organizations and individuals, H.R. 1318 Preventing Maternal Deaths […]

By Ana Paula Markel, CD/BDT(DONA), ICCE, IAT As the year comes to an end and my term as DONA International President comes to a close, I find myself reflecting, as one normally does this time of the year. I am reflecting on all that has been accomplished, and my goals, hopes, and dreams for our […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Where have I been the past two years? Under a rock? How did I just discover Romper’s The Doula Diaries video series? Somehow, these short (typically less than ten minutes) vignettes profiling a doula as they serve a client family have not come across my radar before. […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE It is time for another post in the occasional series called “There’s an App for That!” This series allows me to share an app that helps us run our birth and postpartum businesses and make our lives easier. Today I tackle timing contractions on your phone using […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE I have been a birth doula for 15 years. Like many of you, I jumped right in after training and soon found myself fairly busy. At my prime, I would regularly attend as many as 45 plus births a year for my own clients and another […]

By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE There are many reasons that I am proud to be a DONA certified doula. DONA’s history, the vision of the five founders, our organization’s mission and vision, and the longevity and adaptability of the organization are just a few of the many reasons that I am […]