Blog / Doula Resources
Doulas need support too! We’re here for you with information, research, news and more to help you stay up to date and inspired with articles written just for doulas.
Looking for support to grow your practice? Our Doula Business collection of articles has you covered!
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...
Six New Care Recommendations that Every Birth Doula Should Share with Their Clients
By Sharon Muza, BS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE, LCE March 2019 Update ACOG revised their recommendations to include the support of family-centered cesareans and removed the recommendation for laboring down with an epidural. You can find more information about...
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...
ACOG Opinion on Limiting Interventions in Labor
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) issued a new Committee Opinion: Approaches to Limit Intervention During Labor and Birth. This Opinion was endorsed by the The American College of Nurse–Midwives and the Association of Women’s Health,...
Making Birth Safer in the U.S.: Maternal Morbidity & Mortality Resources for Doulas
It’s no secret that the health of women after they give birth in the United States is declining rather than improving. Both rates of death (mortality) and complications (morbidity) are on the rise. In a 2015 Bulletin, the World Health Organization stated the situation...
Hospital Cesarean Rates: What You Should Know
Does the hospital where someone gives birth impact their chances of having a cesarean birth? Consumer Reports has raised this very question following an investigation into the c-section rates at hospitals across the country. We talked with Doris Peter, PhD, Director...
Premature Babies and the Postpartum Doula
Supporting a family with a premature baby bring special considerations, challenges, and opportunities for doulas. We have previously shared tips for birth doulas in When a Premature Birth Seems Likely. Here postpartum doula trainer Kathrin Auger shares her insights to...
ACOG’s Update on Optimizing Postpartum Care Leaves Doulas Out
The contributions of doulas and the value of the support we provide has been recognized in 2014 in a joint statement by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and this year by the California Maternal...
When a Premature Birth Seems Likely
By Adrianne Gordon, MBA, CD(DONA), Blog Manager This month we recognize Prematurity Awareness Month with tips for doulas supporting families at risk for premature birth. Whether you are a new doula or have years of experience, we hope these reminders and resources...
6 Ways Doulas Can Support Families Planning VBACs
By Jen Kamel, Founder/Director VBAC Facts Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) rates have been slowly rising in America the last few years as more and more women become familiar with the option. (1; 2) However, our latest statistics reflect still that only 11% of women...
ACOG Updates: What Doulas Should Know
Effectively serving clients requires doulas to stay informed on changes in maternity care practices and guidelines. While we are not clinicians, we do provide up-to-date, evidence-based information to the families we support. Staying informed of policies and...
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,...
Best of the International Doula: The Pitfalls of Under-Supporting Early Labor: A Complicated Story of Ethics and Client Emotional Well-Being
By Kim James, BDT(DONA), ICCE, LCCE As a childbirth educator, birth doula, birth doula trainer and owner of DoulaMatch.net, I hear a lot of birth stories from parents about how their doula’s support made a world of difference. More infrequently, I hear stories about...
ACOG: OBs Can Prevent Lacerations During Vaginal Births
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has released a new Practice Bulletin “Prevention and Management of Obstetric Lacerations at Vaginal Delivery” providing guidelines and recommendations for care providers. This new Practice Bulletin replaces a...
The Role of Doulas in Reducing the Primary Cesarean
The rise in cesarean birth rates and the effects of cesarean birth on mother and baby have become common themes in articles about birth and medical care. It seems everyone from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to Consumer Reports to...
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…
Conference Sneak Peek: Advanced Peanut Ball Techniques
Photo courtesy of Premier Birth Tools Cheri Grant is known as The Peanut Ball Lady, and her mission is to teach the world about the effectiveness of peanut balls (peanut-shaped exercise balls) in labor. She trains other professionals to become authorized peanut ball...
Is Homebirth Safe?
The safety of homebirth has been much discussed in the birth community over the last few months following the publication of a study in the New England Journal of Medicine at the end of 2015. At the upcoming DONA International Annual Conference, Dr. Michael Klein, a...