[bluedaaria]

I was wondering what type of work you did (if anything else) before you became a doula...and then what inspired you to become a doula.

Also wondering if their are any doulas out there who also have another job, and how does that fit into your work as a doula. If you are on call for your mothers, then how do you arrange to be away from your other job for long periods of time.

I'm a nurse, and considering becoming a doula, but wondering how it will fit into my life

I would love to hear other's experiences in transitioning to becoming a doula.

 

[BrooklynDoula]

I am a doula and have worked some other jobs along the way, although being a doula is my full time job now. I worked in a women's center in college, I have worked in rape crisis (on-call hopistal and police station support) and with survivors of domestic violence, I was an assistant to a forensic psychologist in grad school, and I worked in a women's center for a few years and I taught college classes on sex, gender, sexuality, and social anthropology for about 7 yeears (some of these jobs overlap - I am 31).

Now I work full time as a doula (amd mom of 2). I teach some classes on cloth diapering and babywearing but it is all really doula work to me. I take 5 clients a month, so it keeps me busy enough.

 

[rebirth]

I'm 21, so I haven't had many jobs before. I've worked in a infant day care, been a nanny and also a waitress. I have also done acting, but usually that was for a low pay, if any.

I don't have any other job- but my doula work doesn't pay full time either... yet. I'm expecting that soon it will though- I'm expanding what I do. I think for the most part to make the amount you can make for other full time (decent paying) jobs you need to do lots of births (at a minimum 4-6 a month) or do other work- like PPdoula care, classes, etc.

If you are a doula with more t\hen 1-3 births a month eventually you'll need a backup, so that is important. Some doulas also split call or co-doula to fit their schedules/other jobs.

 

[gemasita]

I was an engineer before becoming a doula.

I was inspired by being at my sibling's births when I was little and also by the fact that my mom was an LLL leader. But I never really put 2 and 2 together until a friend suggested it. I was trying to hide the fact that I wanted to read every childbirth book in existence for the longest time. When my friend suggested the doula thing, it was like the flood gates opened and I could finally indulge in my passion.

I had another job for a while and it was tough. I would just miss work from time to time. It really wasn't ideal. But my ultimate goal was to quit and I finally did so now I am a doula full time.

I don't have kids yet but after doing this for 3 years, I still have NO IDEA how I will make it work when I have kids. But...people do it all the time so I know SOMEHOW it'll work out!

 

[Hallielynn01]

I'm a dog groomer!

I've been working PT since my little one is still small, and working doula work in. I make to much as a grooming to give it up completely. My boss likes what I do in birth, as long as it doesn't interfere. My other grooming is often flexible with switching days, and honestly, I've relied on faith thus far, in that, I felt very called to this field, so I just prayed that if this is truly what I'm mean to be doing, that God will open the doors, and there have been some births I've gone straight from to work as a grooming, and made it in the door with only 5 min to spare, but worked out. Boy was I tired , but it did work out

 

[dewi]

Nurses do well getting booked as labor support doulas.
It depends on the flexibility at your nursing job. It is the perfect transition into being a labor doula!

There are a handful of nurses on our local doula support list serve that also teach childbirth classes and take labor doula bookings.

 

[DoomaYula]

I agree that my friend who is also a nurse (and a LC) gets tons of clients!

Being a sahm is my other "job," so it's not a huge deal to leave the kids with dh or a sitter for a day. They know that I go to work just like daddy does -- although not as frequently.

I realized I wanted to be a doula at the first birth I attended. I remember being fascinated by the placenta. Nobody else in the room seemed to care! I asked the Ob a ton of questions!

 

[lillysweets]

I was chiropractic assistant before I became a full-time doula. Since a young age, I always knew that I wanted to go into the medical field but when I had my first childbirth experience, it narrowed down my path to pregnant women and babies. You can read a brief version of my story at http://www.westsidebirthconnection.com/aboutme.html .

I no longer have another job, but when I did, I just made sure that my boss understood that if I get called to a birth that I gotta go. I was fortunate that when I decided to take my doula training, I was working for a female boss who liked to support small biz owners.

The midwife that I assist used to wait tables during her midwifery training and would just tell her boss that she was sick when she got called to a birth. They liked her enough or thought she was a hard enough worker for it not to be too much of a problem.

 

[tlcdoula]

I was originally a teacher and found doula work when I was pregnant with my 7th baby. At that time my doctor suggested I hire a doula when we were talking about how difficult birth is on my dh. Unfortunately I didn't get a doula because we had this discussion and then my dd was born 2 weeks later, but it planted the seed. When I was working on my masters degree in education I realized I didn't want to be a teacher anymore and so the wheels started turning and I started training while I finished my degree. Things snowballed from there and I am now a childbirth educator (working privately and for a hospital), doula (privately and for another hospital), and a massage therapist.

I will admit that with all I have going at times it is hard taking private clients, but the hospital work is easy to work around everything else. For private clients I always make sure I have a good back up in place and hope and pray it all works out just as it should

So far things have gone pretty good!!

 

[iemaja]

Interesting question. I've enjoyed reading everyone's posts about how they came to this wonderful work.

I've been a doula for 1.5 years now. I take a full client load each month (up to 4 clients). I started doula work at the same time as starting a Masters degree as a full-time student and a full time job at a non-profit organization. When I have a birth, I just hope it all works out. I've called in sick to work a few times (which is not that many considering the number of clients I've taken) and my professors LOVE hearing about babies being born, so they work with me if I miss class (which I have done several times). Mostly, with a little faith on my part and the ability to be able to go from a (long) birth to work during the day and then to class at night with no sleep, it all works perfectly.

My masters program is in Higher Education Leadership (to work in collegs and universities) and my undergraduate degree is in Education (with an emphasis on working with English Language Learners). In the past, I've worked as shop assistant in a fabric/crafts store, an academic advisor at a university, a live-in nanny, a teacher's assistant, and an environmental educator (some of these overlapped).

It has definitely been a challenge juggling all of my responsibilities, and also maintaining a healthy relationship with my partner and some (albeit rare) "me" time. But it has been so worth it!!!!!!! The last year and a half have been the most enriching, amazing of my life. Like a typical ENFP (http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFP.html), I have a variety of interests and this is reflected in my formal educational interests and the jobs I've held.

Throughout all of my educational experiences and jobs, I've always been interested in birth and pregnancy related learning - so I've attended plenty of trainings, classes, workshops, and community birth/pregnancy events and meetings to soak in all I can about this incredible time in women's lives. Though it seems odd, there are aspects of each of the (seemingly unrelated) jobs I've held and degrees I've earned that directly positively affect my role as a doula.

I'm graduating next week with my Masters. After a break from school, though I'll continue to take doula clients of course, I intend to begin midwifery school next summer. My ultimate dream goal would be to support women and their families as a midwife...and eventually pursue a Phd in sociology or something similar and teach at the University level and research women's health and midwifery/doula related issues. And take a small number of private clients. Clearly, I'm nuts and I like to have fivemillionbajillion things going on at once.

Thanks for asking! Sorry for writing a book. haha

:

But it's all so worth it, doula work is amazing.

 

[bluedaaria]

Thank you everyone for your responses. It has been really interesting to read about peoples different paths to doula work. I am still uncertain if it is the *right* time to embark on that path myself....but I feel very drawn to it.
Thanks again

 

[Sage.Naissance]

I am hoping to be working primarily as a doula this winter... if I can get my business up and running with good momentum. Right now I am unemployed.
When I lived in Montreal I doula'd 2-4 births per month, but had a great ultra flexible job that paid well as an administrative assistant and bookeeper for a small family owned business. I could sort of work when it was convenient to me, mostly, and my boss was happy to let me off to attend a birth or take a long lunch for a prenatal. I can only hope to find something similar here! It was great.
Before being a doula I was a nanny/mothers helper/post partum support, and did various retail jobs, and was a studio manager/photography apprentice.

 

[beachcitymama]

I've done a little bit of everything before figuring out this was the path to get on. I was a theatre major in college, waited tables, acted some, wrote, was an administrative assistant, a personal assistant to other artists, started a photography business, and after the birth of my daughter realized I can actually work at something I'm passionate about--birth and mothering! I haven't started working as a doula yet, I do my training next month, but am really wondering how I'll make it all happen, schedulewise. I have a one year old at home and would like to continue photography, but will take things one step at a time.

Eventually I'd like to combine my photography and doula services somehow...maybe...

 

[courtenay_e]

My degrees are in Education, Psychology, and Political Science. I worked as a teacher, and then I fell into Political Work. I nannied for 12 years, until I was teaching and then went into politics. I LOVE working in the Political Arena (I think it's a bit the same as a birth high at times...), but realized soon after I got into it that though the health care is AWESOME through the government, politics is no place for ME to grow a family(high stress, low pay, and L-o-n-g hours) ! Then I met my husband, and went back to being a nanny when we were planning our wedding, because I knew that we wanted kids right away. I found birthwork when I was newly post partum with my second child, and have never looked back.

I now work as a doula, an apprentice, and a childbirth educator. I'm a mother, as well, and homeschool my young kids. Good thing they're young and eager to learn, as, of late, we have had less time than I'd like to work on schooling!

 

[azjen43]

I originally became interested in birth work over 20 years ago when my first daughter was born, and I started my higher education career with the plan of going to nursing school and becoming a CNM.

Life happened, and I ended up switching majors and became a teacher. Bachelor's and master's in education.

Forward fifteen years and, after the birth of my youngest, I again found the passion for birth I had long ago set aside...I first became a CBE, which I did part-time while still teaching middle school full time. I started as a doula to many of my CBE students and found I loved it. I've been doing it for just over two years now. My day job is now as a public health educator and I have been only taking occasional doula clients, which works out fine in my job, since I set my own schedule and have an employee who can cover my classes if I need to take a vacation day for a birth.

My job is funded by a grant which is set to expire in a few months and will not be renewed, and I'm trying to decide if I can make a living just doing doula and CBE work. It's a bit scary, as my family does still depend on my income....Also, I'm considering returning to school for that long ago abandoned nursing degree.