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.
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A New Policy Statement on the APGAR Score from ACOG and AAP
The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Fetus and Newborn and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice published jointly a policy statement on the use of Apgar scores recently in the journal Pediatrics. The policy...
Nurses and Doulas Playing Nice For Optimal Birth
By Barbara A. Hotelling, MSN, WHNP, LCCE, CD(DONA), IBCLC I was recently speaking with a fellow doula about her experience with nurses at births, and she shared this with me: “My general experience with nurses varies widely. Sometimes I am greeted right off the bat...
Certification Requirements for Birth Doulas Revised
Last week, DONA International announced revised requirements and documentation for birth doula certification. “As we see changes in the maternity care environment and hear from our members on what they need to succeed as professional birth support providers, it is...
ACOG to OBs: Consider Operative Vaginal Delivery to Reduce Cesareans
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) issued an updated practice bulletin to their members supporting the use of operative vaginal delivery, which is birth using forceps or vacuum extraction, to reduce cesareans and improve outcomes. The full...
Updated Standards of Practice from DONA International
At their August meeting, the Board of Directors for DONA International approved revisions to the Standards of Practice for both birth and postpartum doulas. These documents, which all DONA International certified and member doulas agree to abide by, include the...
Celebrating Attachment Parenting Month: Parental Presence: Birthing Families, Strengthening Society
By Lysa Parker, CEIM How Doulas Can Support Parental Presence When I think about my own birth experiences over 30 years ago, I had no clue as to what a doula was or how important a doula could be in the trajectory of a family until I began reading the work of Marshall...
Breastsleeping – New word, Old concept
Changing the Conversation On Infant Sleep to Keep Babies Safe For many in the birth community, the name James J. McKenna is well recognized. An anthropologist, Dr. McKenna has served as the Director of the Notre Dame Mother-Baby Behavioral Sleep Laboratory since 1994....
10 Ways Doulas Support Baby Safety
September is Baby Safety Month, an opportunity to raise awareness and resources for safety of newborns and infants. What role do doulas play in baby safety? We are support professionals, of course, and not medical or emotional health professionals, safety inspectors...
Returning to our Roots: Early Doula Research from Dr. John Kennell
While women have been supporting each other through pregnancy, birth, bonding and breastfeeding long before the term “doula” was used, awareness of the importance such support in recent years has allowed for a great deal of recognition for the role doulas play in the...
Back to School is for Doulas Too!
In North America, Europe and other northern hemisphere countries, it is the time of new backpacks, school buses and new routines. While we generally think of kids and college students at back to school time, it’s a great time for doulas to continue their education as...
Breastfeeding Resources for Doulas
As National Breastfeeding Awareness Month wraps up with Black Breastfeeding Week, we wanted to share some Internet-based resources on breastfeeding for doulas and the families we serve. We know that breastfeeding provides important bonding for mother and baby, key...
Best of International Doula: A doula acts as an important conduit – An interview with Sherry Payne
Note: This article is the first in a new series here at The DONA Doula Chronicles to feature some of the wonderful content in DONA International's quarterly magazine, International Doula. "A doula acts as an important conduit: An interview with Sherry Payne, RN, MSN,...
Doula Support for Early Breastfeeding
Happy Breastfeeding Awareness Month! This month, The DONA Doula Chronicles will provide doulas with a series of articles dedicated to breastfeeding so that we can better inform and support nursing mothers. Look for online resources for doulas and much more in the...
World Breastfeeding Week 2015: Breastfeeding & Work
Happy World Breastfeeding Week! August 1- 7 is dedicated to promoting international breastfeeding. Organized by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), World Breastfeeding Week began in 1991 as “one unique unifying social mobilisation event that can build...
Delayed Cord Clamping – Evidence & Resources for Doulas
The clamping and cutting of the cord is “one of the oldest interventions in the birth process” according to the American College of Nurse-Midwives Position Statement on Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping. Early cord clamping was thought to prevent maternal postpartum...
Keeping Up With News, Research & Trends in Birth and Postpartum
There seems to be more information every day, but we certainly don’t seem to have more time to take it all in! Here are a few tips on how to stay up-to-date on information and articles related to birth and the postpartum period. Google Alerts You don’t have to search...
Paternal Postpartum Depression
As we think about dads this month, in particular how we as doulas can support fathers during the childbearing year, we wanted to re-share important information about paternal postpartum depression. If you have any additional articles or resources on this topics,...
Dads & Doulas: Myths & Resources
Happy Father’s Day! In the United States, we celebrate dads this Sunday and so it seems like a great time to discuss how doulas support fathers before, during, and after the birth of a baby and share resources for new and expectant fathers. “There was a time when...