Question for Doulas and mw's who work with them.

[sea_joy]

Hello,
I am very interested in becoming a midwife, and have decided to become a Doula first, to get my feet wet, so to speak.

My question for Doula's is, What was your certification? Did you get certified through a hospital or through DONA? Or another organization?

Do you like where you got certified from (you feel you learned enough, and they helped you line up your clients to get certified?)

What is the average payscale for Doula's, and does this very depending on their certification? (As well as reputation)

And for MW's, do you choose certain Doula's whom you have worked with to suggest to your clients? Do you find Doula's abilities vary at all based in thier certifictaion, or just experience.

I'm curious because DONA certification is what I would really like, I find it more rigorous than hospital Cert. and I feel there is an air of responsibility to the organization, but if they teach me and drop me at the gates, I may go fot the Hospital Cert. because they make it very easy for you to get your clients required for Certification.

Also, any additional thoughts would help. Although income does have a (very minor) role to play here (I need to recoup my expenses from certification and make a small supplemental income for my husband and I) I am really interested in becoming a Doula because I think I would be great at it, so any responses are welcome.
Thank You,
Crystal

[tlcdoula]

I certified through DONA first and I felt my trainers were excellent!!! I truly enjoyed my training and the information that I was given while there. As far as helping to find clients - I do not know any certifying body that will "find" clients for you. Unless you work for a hospital program or another such program then finding doulas is primarily on your own.

Doulas fees vary greatly by area, but it is important to remember that in many ways your income in limited because when a client hires you they want you to be the one at their birth. One can take on more clients if they have reliable back up, but again those mamas really want the doula they hired.

[sea_joy]

Hmmm.....

I wouldn't expect a training institution to direct you towords clients AFTER you are certified, but do they help you in any way find clients to GET certified? Because I'd like to get my certification completed in a few months....

-Crystal

[tlcdoula]

Nope, I do not know any who help you find clients. This work is primarily private practice so you need to find your own clients - meaning advertise for them yourself.

[time4another]

OT...

Ahhh...I miss Santa Fe so much....:

[SublimeBirthGirl]

Originally Posted by sea_joy

Hello,
My question for Doula's is, What was your certification? Did you get certified through a hospital or through DONA? Or another organization?

I trained with both DONA and ALACE (certified with neither, though I may certify with ALACE someday).

Do you like where you got certified from (you feel you learned enough, and they helped you line up your clients to get certified?)

I definitely preferred ALACE, by a lot. DONA was good too, but I thought the ALACE workshop was more intensive. There was also an emotional element to the ALACE workshop that I didn't feel at the DONA one, and ALACE is more about advocacy which matches well with my own philosophies.

What is the average payscale for Doula's, and does this very depending on their certification? (As well as reputation)

This varies a lot, by geographical area, experience, etc. Some people will pay more for a certified doula, some just want someone trained and/or experienced with whom they click. If I get back into attending births I plan to only attend my students' births, and I have never found certification mattered to them after 9-12 weeks of getting to know me.

And for MW's, do you choose certain Doula's whom you have worked with to suggest to your clients? Do you find Doula's abilities vary at all based in thier certifictaion, or just experience.

Not a midwife but just wanted to say that doulas will vary a lot based on personality, too

[darlingclementine]

I have been certified with DONA for 5 years. There is very little they can do to get you your first clients, so you will have to take the initiative there by contacting doulas in your area and letting them know what you are doing and how they might be willing to help. As a DONA certified doula AND midwife, I get all kinds of requests from people. I always let them know that although I charge $700 for doula services, I can also recommend many people who are less money or even free because they are in the certification process. The last girl that I helped with her certification ended up attending all three of her certifying births in one week! That is very unusual, but just an example of how those things usually work.
DONA is the best marketed doula organization, so once you are certified with them, your advertising is covered, pretty much. I get so many calls from the website that even though I charge more than many doulas in the area, my practice is steadily from 3-5 doula births a month. That's why I recommend them.

[tlcdoula]

Originally Posted by darlingclementine

DONA is the best marketed doula organization, so once you are certified with them, your advertising is covered, pretty much. I get so many calls from the website that even though I charge more than many doulas in the area, my practice is steadily from 3-5 doula births a month. That's why I recommend them.

You are very lucky because I have been certified with them for several years and hardly ever get calls from clients. I think it really depends on the geographical area that you live in as to whether clients will find you there or not.

[Chic_Mama]

:

[Jane]

I know DONA has a time limit, so I recommend ALACE to women asking about doula training.
Then again, I recommend considering no cert to everyone, and for people to charge a nominal fee for certifying births (enough for parking at the hospital and a babysitter). Those don't seem to be very common opinions, though.

[sea_joy]

Thanks!

Thank you for the information everyone! The Woman who does the DONA certification in my area says that if we have a class at my house I can get a price break, also registering early cuts down on the price as well.

I'm very excited about the process. I wouldn't feel comfortable attanding births without any certification, I think there is a lot I can learn through a class, as well as the recommended reading. I also think it is indespensable to have a community to learn in and bounce ideas off of.

I will definetely give a call to all the doulas and midwives who practice in my area (as soon as I am finished with the class) to line up some clients for free.

Does DONA recquire that one of your births be a C-Section? I suppose I can take the little test at the hospital and be allowed to work there as well. ( I believe they kind of "assign" you people there).

I want to be a Doula for the experience, but if I am going to be out of the house I have to pay for babysitting myself, and we could definetely do with a supplementing income. I would like to be living off of salaries next year and not student loans. Because of that I am going to need to charge more, although I will definetely test out what I think to be a fair arangement.

Hopefully this is a step in the direction to Midwifery, and when I get Licensed for that I will work in a state who's health insurance covers MW's (like Wa or CA) so that I will be able to be with more women who are of lower income.

Thank You everyone!
Crystal

[SublimeBirthGirl]

You can take a workshop (or 2 or 10) and choose not to certify. That's what I did. It never affected my ability to find clients. I am just as qualified, even if I don't have an organization pronouncing me so. The difference between a certified doula and a trained but uncertified doula is just paperwork. JMO. Nothing wrong with certifying, of course. I don't think it's a big deal not to though.