Blog / Doula Business
Becoming a professional doula means taking care of business. We are focused exclusively on the doula profession and have been for over 25 years.
DONA International doulas build successful doula businesses based on integrity, commitment and respect. Every doula’s goals and dreams for her practice are different. Read on to gain tips, insight and resources to take your practice to the next level.
A Guide to Getting Great Doula Testimonials
By Emily Fontes Did you know 95% of people looking to buy a product or hire a professional look for customer reviews first and 70% of potential clients on mobile devices say they are more likely to buy if they can read through reviews before purchasing. The...
Six Ways The DONA Blog Can Help You Grow Your Business
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE The DONA Doula Chronicles blog has been published for over three years and this post is #151. That’s a lot of useful information that has been put out on the “interwebs” by DONA International over time. This...
So You Want to Be a Midwife?
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Many reasons for becoming a doula As a birth doula trainer for many years, I have learned that there are a variety of reasons that people take a birth doula workshop. Some people want to support a friend or...
Modern “Mary Poppins” – A Guide to The Professional Postpartum Doula Bag
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE What do postpartum doulas carry in their bag? New birth doulas are often very concerned about what to pack in their "birth bag" - the bag that they bring with them to every birth that is usually filled with all...
Natural Childbirth – Are The Times A Changin’?
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, CLE Language Evolves I know that contemporary phrases and popular terms change over time. My teen children and their interesting vocabulary are a constant reminder of that for me. Frequently, I seem to hear words...
Growing Well: Evaluating Ideas to Expand Your Doula Practice
By Chama Woydak,LCCE, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA) Are you an ideas person? Do amazing ideas for your doula practice come to you while driving, enjoying your morning coffee, or supporting a client? Does it sometimes feel like a curse to have so many thoughts on how you can...
Best of the ID: Penny Reflects on 12 Hour Contract Clauses
There has been much conversation in the doula community about contract language which outlines a specific number of hours of labor support included in the base fee and how to address support beyond that period of time. In the most recent International Doula magazine,...
Ten Reasons I Love Being a Doula
Is it your time to become a birth or postpartum doula? It's an incredible calling! Recently, DONA International asked me to reflect on what doula life has meant to me. We spend so much time thinking about our clients' needs-- as it should be; but this is a sweet...
The 8 Best Steps To Take After Your Doula Workshop
Your doula workshop (also called doula training) is an important first step in your journey to become a birth or postpartum support professional. Once you’ve attended your training, there are several steps to undertake before completing certification. We asked DONA International approved birth doula trainer Penny Stansfield…
Certification Still Matters: DONA Certified Doulas Earn Higher Fees & Attract More Clients
Editor's note: Last July, Kim James provided an article with information from DoulaMatch.net on which doulas received the most referrals and charged the highest fees. Her article, Certification Matters: CDs and PCDs Get Higher Fees and More Clients, was based on six...
Best of the International Doula: What Women Want … in a Doula
Do you ever wonder what clients are really looking for in a doula? In this essay titled “What Women Want…In a Doula,” Anna Merrill shares her observations from her busy career. As the owner of a successful birth business in New York City, she’s seen a lot of...
Nine Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Doula Workshop
Your doula workshop (also called doula training) is an important first step in your journey to become a birth or postpartum support professional. We asked DONA International approved birth doula trainer Penny Stansfield, who has trained over 1,000 doulas, to give us...
Choosing the Right Website Designer: Keys to Success for Doulas
Choosing a website designer is challenging! How do you know if someone is right for you? How do you know what questions to ask? How do you know if the designer understands your vision and will be able to translate it into a beautiful, functional website that will help...
Writer’s Block: Getting Past “I don’t have anything to say.”
“Oh, I don’t have anything interesting to share with other doulas.” “I couldn’t do that. I’m not a great writer.” “I don’t have any earthly idea of what I would write about.” Have you said any of these things in the last week, month or year? Thought them? Would...
Igniting Your Vision to Expand Your Doula Practice
I have a hunch that if you’re looking for information to help you expand your doula practice, you probably aren’t a new doula. You probably have knowledge, experience and even a certain level of success, but now you’re stuck, stalled or in some other way feeling lost....
Best of International Doula: Showing up online: doula keywords 101
Editor's Note: We’re featuring another great article from DONA International’s quarterly magazine, International Doula. Website designer and retired doula Sarah Juliusson shares important information on how to position your website (and your doula practice!) so that...
Best of The DONA Doula Chronicles 2015
As 2015 comes to a close, we thought we’d share the most popular posts from The DONA Doula Chronicles this year. If you’ve missed any of these articles, here’s your chance to catch up! Thank you for making 2015 the best year yet for DONA International’s blog. Top 5...
Referring to another Doula – Collaboration At Its Best
Recently we shared information on practice types and how collaboration comes into play in every doula practice whether solo, co-op, or agency. No matter how your doula practice is set-up, having a good referral network and making appropriate referrals to other doulas...