OK, all you DONA people out there. How stringent is DONA about arriving at the birth before 4cm.
ie: My first birth I joined mamma at the hospital the day before the birth during early labor and she was at 2/2.5 but they sent her home and I rejoined her the next day, by the time I got there she was 5, but when she called she was 4. Can this still be a certification birth for me?
I also have a mom now who's been at 3 for a few days...clearly I can't just wander around with her for days on end with on and off contractions just so I can say I'm there before 4cm...
Any thoughts?
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~Megz~
Last edited by DoulaMegz; 03-24-2008 at 02:40 PM.
Reason: added a detail
I try to be fair and look at the big picture, how long you were with them, what was happening, etc. That is why I chat with all the candidates.
The point is that you are arriving before or at the onset of active labour. Yes you are right that you cannot wander around with your clients for days. As long as it it continuous support from when they need you and that you are there during those major milestones, active labour, transition.
Dorothy?
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OK, all you DONA people out there. How stringent is DONA about arriving at the birth before 4cm.
ie: My first birth I joined mamma at the hospital the day before the birth during early labor and she was at 2/2.5 but they sent her home and I rejoined her the next day, by the time I got there she was 5, but when she called she was 4. Can this still be a certification birth for me?
I also have a mom now who's been at 3 for a few days...clearly I can't just wander around with her for days on end with on and off contractions just so I can say I'm there before 4cm...Any thoughts?
The purpose is not so much that you are there by 4 cm, but that the doula has to continuously be there BEFORE or AT the onset of active labor, which for the purposes of DONA certification is defined as 4 cm. When there is an exam done before the doula gets there that is 4 or more, then it is up to the cert committee to determine if you did arrive before or at the beginning of active labor.
Can you submit that birth? Sure. But show in your essay how mom was acting when you got there that makes you think you got there before or at the very beginning of active labor. The cert committee will make the call as to whether or not you can use it as one of your certifying births, so be prepared that you may need to submit another birth. The good news is -you CAN use your evaluations from that birth, whether or not it is one of your three births for certification.
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As far as your 3cm client - of course you aren't expected to move in with her!
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The thing is - there are some births where it is impossible (short of living with the client) to be there at the beginning of active labor. That does NOT mean you did not provide incredible support to that mom, or that you did anything wrong. For most doulas, it takes them many more births than three to get three births that meet all of the qualifications for a certifying birth. The purpose of having three births at or before active labor is so that you have some experience with moms as they transition from early to active labor, not for the doula to get three births under her belt.
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Yes, you will have moms who dilate quickly, and no matter how fast you leave your house, you get there well into active labor. You have some moms who don't want extra labor support before active labor, and they don't call you until they are already in active labor. You may have more than one birth end in a cesarean. With all of these cases, you may have births that you can't use for certification - not because you did anything wrong, but just due to the circumstances of that particular birth.
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I would suggest with the 5 cm birth, and with your upcoming 3 cm mom, that you honestly look at the births, and how the moms were acting when you arrived, and do you truly think she was in active labor before you arrived. I know that you want the births to "count" for certification, but I can't promise you that they will.
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I am sure that your help and support to both of those moms is something they will remember forever, and it is going to give you that much more experience in the long run. I know it is frustrating when a birth that you invested your time, resources, etc. into, a birth where you got there as fast as you could, isn't accepted for certification, but it is not a reflection on you, or your level of support to that mom.
I think I had a notion that as long as I got to the births they were going to count. At least until I went to my first birth and realized that I would probably end up doing several that wouldn't qualify. I wanted to be the fastest certified doula ever! But now i don't care, but I do want to make sure I understand the criteria fully before submitting. Thanks for the info ladies, I really appreciate the clarity.
I knew Dorothy would have a better answer than I!
She is right you know about the 3 births, I want all those certifying with DONA to realize that. It is not a race or a challenge to get all your births done in a matter of months or weeks for some. It is about taking the time, valuing the process. You can break up the evals and have 9 births to submit. It honestly took me 15 births and 1.5yrs to become certified. Was it hard, darn straight! Was it frustrating? Absolutely! But I would not change anyone of those experiences for the world.
I think the missed birth thread has some valuable information about charging looooong before you are certified. It is about valuing yourself and the profession. If I had waited to charge before I became certified I would probably not be a Doula today. So chin up, write rocking stories and be prepared to answer the evaluators questions. Best of luck Megz!
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Thanks for this info, DONA leaders! I guess my mom who's water broke and 30 min later when we all arrived at the hosp was 8cm won't count.
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"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals". ~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Well, it's going to be 0 for 2 now. My 3cm mom called today to report that she's still only having once in a while contractions and she's now 4cm. WTH is that all about!! She should be panting by now! The doc I think is a little flabbergasted too! Sent her home to walk some more and try to get to 5 so doc can rupture. Then we'll just that she goes into labor spontaneously without augmentation! She's a multip! What's the deal with her body!
How about when mom refuse all VE's (usally homebirths)? Would this count as a birth for certification?
Hmmm, good question!
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"If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals". ~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Well, it's going to be 0 for 2 now. My 3cm mom called today to report that she's still only having once in a while contractions and she's now 4cm. WTH is that all about!! She should be panting by now! The doc I think is a little flabbergasted too! Sent her home to walk some more and try to get to 5 so doc can rupture. Then we'll just that she goes into labor spontaneously without augmentation! She's a multip! What's the deal with her body!
FWIW, I was 5 cm at 40w4, not in labor & had AROM. Then a persistent posterior baby. Then a c/s.
Well, it's going to be 0 for 2 now. My 3cm mom called today to report that she's still only having once in a while contractions and she's now 4cm. WTH is that all about!! She should be panting by now! The doc I think is a little flabbergasted too! Sent her home to walk some more and try to get to 5 so doc can rupture. Then we'll just that she goes into labor spontaneously without augmentation! She's a multip! What's the deal with her body!
Well.... I walked around at 4cm with Keith for.... wait for it.... 14 weeks. It appears to be my trend - walk around about ready for a baby to drop out and then have a short & sweet labor. She doesn't have to agree to AROM just b/c she's at 5cm, either. Baby will come out sooner or later
Well.... I walked around at 4cm with Keith for.... wait for it.... 14 weeks. It appears to be my trend - walk around about ready for a baby to drop out and then have a short & sweet labor. She doesn't have to agree to AROM just b/c she's at 5cm, either. Baby will come out sooner or later
I was 4cm, 100% effaced for 4 weeks w/ my first. He was at +1 station for the last 2 weeks of that. I felt like I was dilated to 14 and sitting on a bowling ball all the time. When I finally went into labor, it was nice and fast.
w/ my second, I wasn't in "active" labor (didn't need support, could talk and laugh through all contractions) until I hit 8 cms. I walked around at 4cms and 90% effaced for 3 weeks with her. Some moms just don't follow the normal phases.
Thank you Dorthy and Amanda for the clarification! I've been wondering about this too.
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that she goes into labor spontaneously without augmentation! She's a multip! What's the deal with her body!
question
BEATRIZ
12/5/1998
24/9/2004
and Zee 
and baby Charlie
I was 4cm, 100% effaced for 4 weeks w/ my first. He was at +1 station for the last 2 weeks of that. I felt like I was dilated to 14 and sitting on a bowling ball all the time. When I finally went into labor, it was nice and fast. 
