Supported Birth believes that handling the pain and intensity of labor without drugs can be made significantly easier when an experienced and nurturing female labor companion is present. Studies show that even the “silent doula” makes a difference.

Trainees attend the eight week Supported Birth childbirth preparation course with four to six pregnant couples and then complete a 5 day workshop (four hours per day), which includes:

• Advanced review of physiology and stages of labor
• Advanced study of medical interventions
• Advanced study of complications in labor
• Issues of REAL WOMEN: personality traits, fears, husbands
• Factors that influence labor
• Yourself as a doula
• Women's birth experiences; doulas' experiences
• Advocacy vs. empowerment; rethinking “labor support”
• Being open to the unpredictable
• Pain-coping techniques and tools
• Prolonged labor, posterior presentation
• Alternative, noninvasive measures for inducing & stimulating labor
• Hospital environments
• Postpartum issues
• Breastfeeding
• Practical issues for the doula: contracts, fees, backup, marketing

*REQUIRED READING INCLUDES:

SPECIAL WOMEN: The Role of the Professional Labor Assistant - Perez & Snedeker

THE NURTURING TOUCH AT BIRTH: A Labor Support Handbook - Perez

THE BIRTH BOOK - Sears

BIRTHING FROM WITHIN - England & Horowitz

HEART & HANDS - Davis

THE THINKING WOMAN'S GUIDE TO A BETTER BIRTH - Goer

BIRTHING NORMALLY - Peterson

*All required reading is available from our Bookstore

Doula trainees can be matched with couples from Supported Birth classes (on a sliding scale basis), and are able to gain initial labor support experience from these referrals, under the supervision and mentoring of the Supported Birth Director. Doulas are also listed in the Supported Birth Directory, in addition to acquiring their own clients..

What Doulas say about Supported Birth Training:

“After having taken your doula training, I am now certain that my decision to change professions was the right one.... The fact that you were so open in your approach to birthing, not stuck on one way, but informing couples of so many options and variations, really changed many of my own views, which I discovered had been restricted and limited... Now, after attending my first four births (as a doula), I can say that the medical information (fetal monitoring, drugs, positioning, etc.) learned in the doula program has been truly 100% applicable to each birth situation I have seen. I feel confident in my knowledge and have definitely grasped the message of your training of continuing my technical education, while supporting women emotionally.”

- Leora Bracamonte, May 1999

“The Labor Support training was a comfortable, personal, and extremely educational experience. We delved much further into the technical topics we had already learned in the childbirth class and continued on to the true nature of what it means to help someone through labor.... to empower the laboring woman, without judgment, and to create an atmosphere where she feels safe enough to find her own inner resources. The importance of being open to each new situation and individual was stressed.

Part of Jana's training is that she is there for us for consulting 24-hours a day during the first 3 births we attend. I personally took advantage of this mentoring, and it was invaluable. Soon after the training I attended my first birth as doula. This birth went so very smoothly, with no interventions or complications, and I would say that I was able to apply everything I learned in the course regarding a normal, uncomplicated labor. I worked very hard, feeling confident that I knew what to do and how to be creative with all the tools I had been given. I was also able to use all the comfort measures we had learned for back labor. Jana had stressed the importance of trusting my own instincts, and I kept on reminding myself of this, whenever I had any doubts. It was so rewarding - the experience and outcome affirmed for me that this woman would not have been able to have the birth she wanted had I not been there.”

-Deborah Lang, February 1998

“I went to my first birth and it was amazing. It was very challenging and I feel blessed to have had the experience that I had because now I definitely know I can and was meant to do this work. Many challenges were placed in front of me and to my delight I feel like I made strong decisions, and the result was my client having a positive birth experience. I am going to my second birth today, and I am delighted. I love this work, and I look forward to a lifetime of it!”

- Kelly Dietzen, October 2003

A word about DONA (Doulas of North America)

DONA is the largest and most well-known organization for certifying doulas. Smaller organizations include Supported Birth, ICEA (Intl. Childbirth Education Assn), Birthing From Within, ALACE (Assn. of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators), CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Assn.).

DONA ‘s "Position Paper" on "the Doulas Contribution to Modern Maternity Care" suggests to pregnant women that they ask a doula "what training have you had?" and states the following: "Generally, training programs require some prior knowledge of childbirth, and consist of an intensive two or three day seminar....Certification is offered by several local, national, and international organizations. For certification, most programs require a background of work and education in the maternity field, or observation of a series of childbirth classes; a doula training course; background reading; and a written exam or essay that demonstrates understanding of the integral concepts of labor support."

Please do not be confused by perceptions that DONA is the only legitimate credentialing organization for doulas. There is no national regulatory body for credentialing, licensing, or certifying doulas (or even Childbirth Educators). There are only different sized organizations, with their own policies, standards, guidelines, and ways of being.