How do you get to attend births for certification?

[JamieCatheryn]

If you aren't already a birth professional, but on the road to being say a birth educator, how do you get to attend births within an allotted time? I can understanding being allowed to help or be there for one or two in your lifetime if say a sister or close friend is having a baby, but how do you have any business being there otherwise? I want to be a birth educator, I'm thinking ICEA or possibly ALACE, but how on earth would I do the birth attending? I'm confidant I could help out in a doula role, but I have no experience to back me up in that. If I contact my local midwives could they help to hook me up? I have issues with this because I don't think anyone not close to the mom should really be there but if I got to know her and she was happy with it then great.

[DoomaYula]

I put it out there to all my acquaintances that I was interested in attending births; I talked to the one other doula in our town and asked if I could shadow her (if her clients were okay with that); I attended the local hospital's birth prep class and offered myself as a doula-in-training for a very very reduced rate. I approached friendly-looking pregnant women as a doula-in-training. etc.

I would not offer to do free births because, to quote pamamidwife, that's just asking to get used and taken advantage of. (I may be paraphrasing.) What we do has real value and as such we deserve compensation more than say, someone who works at the front desk of the local Y (which I also do on the weekends!)

[happyartmama]

I started the CBE and doula training through ALACE almost at the same time. Similar to pp, I apprached other doulas in the area to see if I could shadow them if the mom to be was O.K. with that (never happened, but the doulas--much more experienced and in demand--referred clients to me when their schedule was too full), I offered to talk to childbirth education classes during the class that talks about labor support, and made sure all friends and family knew what I was studying and the requirement for attending births. When I did meet with potential clients (doula work), I was very up front about my limited experience, but assured them of the skills I was confident in (reassurance, physical and emotional support, suggestions for position changes, etc.) and explained that if I were in labir with them and I came across something I was not familiar with, that I would call other CBE's or doulas that I know to get them additional information. I was pleasantly surprised at how many women/couples are grateful to have additional support despite the limited experience, and the births were positive--and great learning--experiences. Good luck!

[JessicaE]

DONA requires doulas to sit in on a childbirth class. I had a doula sit in on my last Bradley series, and asked in return (I didn't charge her) that she volunteer to attend one of my couples' birth if they invited her. One couple did, and she's planning to attend. I've also passed on her name to a couple of other people I know, because I know now that she's very familiar with Bradley techniques (having attended a full 12-week series). Good luck to you!