Would you advertise in a local childbirth professionals directory?

[mama2annabelle]

I went to see Business of Being Born the past 2 Saturdays. AWESOME film!!
I work part-time in the childbirth profession as a midwife's assistant, childbirth educator and breastfeeding counselor. At both of these film showings I was amazed at the number of doulas, childbirth educators and others involved in the same area of work. We all live in the same general vicinity but are not connected and many of us don't know about each other. There are a couple of small networking groups, but everyone seems too busy for those. Many moms I know have wanted to hire a doula, but I've only known of a couple to recommend. I had no idea there were so many!

So here is my idea....I'd like to create a directory of local childbirth professionals to distribute to the public that expecting moms can look through to find services. Like a Yellow Pages of sorts. I'm thinking it could be put up outside stores where the other free magazines are distributed and also made available to women at doctor offices, midwife offices, anywhere mpms would see it.

So if a woman wants to find a doula, for exapmle, she can flip through and have a list of doulas to choose from. Same for lactation consultant, homebirth midwives, birth centers, VBAC friendly doctors (there are very few around here), childbirth educators, birth photographers, and any other related professionals.

Before I even begin thinking seriously about this, I want to ask as many women as I know if this would be something of interest. It would be FREE to consumers...just like the yellow pages it would be paid for by the professionals who advertise in it. But if people are going to shell out money to place an ad in a directory they are going to want to know that women would actually look through it to find services.

As a professional, would you advertise in something brand new like this?

Thanks for any input!

[Rockies5]

yes, and I already do.

The local Birth Network has a resource guide they print and distribute locally.

[Midwife Kris]

MyBirthTeam.com is doing something like this. They are based in Orange County, CA but are adding providers across the nation slowly but surely. It's free for the consumer and paid for by the practitioner who lists their services.

[1stimestar]

Yes as long as the creator doesn't use the funds to promote their business more then the other contributors such as what happened here.

[courtenay_e]

Yes, the Birth Network in our area puts one of these out. I think, though, that when I was starting out there was no way I could afford to put my name in one...they charge a significant sum, I think...but I DO know that people get referrals from them...so now that I can afford it?...I get a ton of word of mouth referrals, so I haven't gotten in on one now, either. I think it would NOT be a bad idea, though. and really DO plan to do so in their next printing.

[mama2annabelle]

Thanks so much for the input ladies! I'm surprised that our area doesn't have anything like this yet. I have tons of research to do to figure out all that this project would entail and if I could actually do it. One of my goals is to make that advertising as low cost as possible since I know that none of us are into birth work for the money, that's for sure!
Thanks for the link Kris. I am going to check that out now...

[Jyotsna]

Just a thought here; one way for it to be more affordable for doulas and other birth workers who don't have a hugh advertising budget, would be for local doulas to go in together to advertise for their doula group. Each doula that helped paid for the add could be mentioned on a website the doulas group put together, and that would be linked to the directory. Just an idea.

[midoulamom]

I was going to mention BirthNetwork doing a provider guide. We are just getting BirthNetwork up and going here but I think the provider guide will be an excellent asset to our community.