Register FAQ Mark Forums Read
Members
Go Back   AllDoulas.com > Discussions for Doulas > Doula Activism & Politics

Doula Activism & Politics This forum is for activism efforts, networking and discussing political and social issues, such as circumcision, that impact doulas and their work.


» Advertisement
» Connect on EmpowHER



Give your insights on Doulas and Pregnancy in the EmpowHER Community


Doulas & Childbirth Resource Page

Doulas Discussion Group
» Advertisement


» Like us on Facebook!
» Latest Groups
4 Members | 1 Photos

39 Members | 0 Photos

101 Members | 5 Photos

110 Members | 0 Photos

26 Members | 0 Photos



View All Groups
Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools

Old 01-05-2008, 03:41 PM   #1
Junior Member
Last Seen Online:
05-19-2010 10:21 PM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 29
Thanks: 14
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Tips for being a doula in a tough area?

(Some of this is copied from my intro post, but I thought this would be a better place to pose a question).

I am a certified Bradley Instructor and doula living in North Texas. I am looking for ways to stay current and encouraged in a location where unnecessary interventions during pregnancy, labor and birth are the norm. There are no midwives in my local area and the local hospital is not extremely supportive of doula assisted births.

Has anyone out there ever worked in a similar environment? I would love to know how to make a bigger impact in the local area. I want to be able to encourage parents to seek education and support so that they can have a safe birth, but a birth with memories to treasure, a birth that empowers the Mom because she made choices that were right for her, not the doctor and with the knowledge of what her body can do when the natural process is allowed to work unhindered.

Martha
Martha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2008, 12:10 AM   #2
Member
cathy's Avatar
Last Seen Online:
05-20-2008 11:42 PM
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: midwest
Posts: 215
Thanks: 83
Thanked 49 Times in 47 Posts
Martha,
I don't know how long you've been teaching but I presume you have already made a difference in your student's lives. I have many hospitals around me, some are accepting of doulas, some not. The ones that are not usually are also worse with interventions... I try to make inroads with one person at a time, a nurse or one doctor. I am overly friendly and as helpful with staff as I can be. It is possible if the right person really sees the difference you make that they may spread the word. I know it is a long shot. I also know from teaching my own Bradley classes for years you will only get a small percentage of students that will make the leap to homebirth which is the only way to get away from these sorts of birthing environments. Good luck.
__________________
cathy
CD(DONA), childbirth instructor
homeschooling Mom of three
cathy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2008, 12:38 AM   #3
~PAM~ Proud Army Mom!
My Mood:
Last Seen Online:
01-21-2011 01:08 AM
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: U.S.A.~Somewhere Out There Beneath The Pale Moon Light...
Posts: 8,511
Thanks: 4,168
Thanked 3,076 Times in 1,733 Posts
What worked for me to begin with was becoming friends with a couple of local midwives. They would refer me to their clients, and then when I would attend births at the hospital, the nurses soon learned that I was nice, truly helpful, and did not step into their nursing skills territory. It helped a lot that the CNM would introduce me to the nurses; I think the nurses felt less threatened knowing that the CNM was vouching for me. Now, they are glad to see me come in.


I don't know if this will work for you, but I've seen several nurses turn from anti-doula (from either misconceptions stemming from having no doula experiences or from having a past bad doula experience) to pro-doula (or at least willing to give a doula a shot before making a judgment on her work). It's been fun watching the transformation in my local hospital.
DL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2008, 10:01 AM   #4
Senior Member
My Mood:
MothertheMother's Avatar
Last Seen Online:
08-10-2011 10:36 AM
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,470
Thanks: 907
Thanked 1,971 Times in 1,112 Posts
Have you thought about offering to do an in-service (with lunch for brownie points) for the L&D floor? This was one of the tips in the Marketing Manual I bought and it seems like a great one especially since you obviously have no fears about teaching etc (like some of us do ). Are there other doulas in your area that might be interested in joining you so you can all have a chance to introduce yourselves, talk about what doulas do/don't do and answer any questions they have?
A fellow doula and I had the opportunity to "chat" with the head nurse of L&D, the head nurse of Family Practice, head nurse of the hospital plus a few other people at our local military hospital and it was really facinating watching their eyes light up when I answered the questions they had with the "right" answers. They obviously had heard rumors about renagade doulas and were delighted to hear from us that we believed in our scope and followed it.
Val and I (her fantastic idea!) took donuts to the 3 hospitals during Nurses week as well. This went over quite well. They were well received at the first two hospitals but at the third the nurses weren't busy and actually chatted with us and asked about our training, certification, scope etc. It was nice to actually engage them and give them the opportunity to ask questions they might not ask otherwise.
Somehow you've got to just get in there and win them over!
MothertheMother is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2008, 02:10 PM   #5
Junior Member
Last Seen Online:
05-19-2010 10:21 PM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 29
Thanks: 14
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Thanks for the great encouragement!

I appreciate all the great ideas, and more importantly, just knowing that there are other folks out there who think as I do. Sometimes it gets lonely when there is not a lot of support in your local area, and very few others who think as I do.

I am going to visit the nurses, nurses week or not, and try to start a dialog. I don't bite!
Martha
Martha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2008, 04:26 PM   #6
Member
My Mood:
apikailaa's Avatar
Last Seen Online:
Yesterday 11:40 AM
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Winnemucca, NV
Posts: 356
Thanks: 149
Thanked 52 Times in 43 Posts
Martha, I totally feel for you! I have almost the EXACT same situation in Northern Nevada. This year we finally got another doula, and progress is slow, but I feel it's improving.
Here are my biggest tips (what I did/still do)
1. ADVERTISE! This doesn't mean spending loads of money. I put up brochures on grocery store bulletin boards. I make the brochures on my computer (they look great! All I have is Microsoft Works and I print on "flyer paper" from Wal-Mart). I put mine at the grocery stores, library, coffee shop, try to think of places moms go and then ask the management for permission.
2. WORD OF MOUTH! Tell people who have big mouths all about what you do! Convince them of the greatness of doulas and they'll convince everyone else! I use my sister. She works at Wal-Mart and asks every pregnant woman she sees if she has a doula. She then explains what doulas are and how to find one! She even told a lady who works for an OB here, and now my brochures go out in his welcome packs and are in his lobby!
3. Write a letter to your hospital's marketing director. Tell them who you are and what you do and propose a presentation. Do it for your CBE classes also if the hospital doesn't have classes. The OB dept and the marketing and/or administration dept are TWO DIFFERENT DEPTS! They probably won't even know that OB doesn't like doulas! I should have done this sooner. Someone suggested it to me and I never did it. Then I met the marketing director by chance- our kids were on the same soccer team. Now she's a HUGE resource for me!
4. Library!!! If they have a meeting room they might let you have it to teach classes. My library has been so good to me. See about donating some birth books, they would probbaly be very grateful! Ask them if you can put some brocures at the counter. Buddy up to a librarian also. Just chit-chat about what you do! That's what I did and now when women come looking for birth books my librarian freind tells them about doulas!
5. Act kind and dress nice. Seriously! As much as you'd like to bite the heads off of medical staff for being rude and not knowing about doulas, etc, keep your cool! Be sweet, but not cheesy. State what you mean, but watch your tone. I've had to learn this. Really hard in a town where in high school I was a rebel and a "wild child"! People who knew me then can't believe how I am now and I still feel I have a less than perfect reputation! I always think before I speak and make sure I respect others while receiving the respect and kindness I deserve. Also, if you dress well, and keep yourself well presented, it does wonders. I know this sounds weird but I am one of these "go to walmart in my pjs w/ my hair tied on top of my head" types and sometimes I get the impression that people are thinking, "THAT'S the doula???" I never dress fancy, but I do brush my hair more!

Hope this helps a little. Great thread! I totally get your situation!
__________________
Abby Lindsey
Mommy to Soren, age 8
Certified Educator of Infant Massage
Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
CPST (Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician) Safe Kids
Soon-to-be Midwife
apikailaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-09-2008, 09:43 AM   #7
Junior Member
Last Seen Online:
05-19-2010 10:21 PM
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 29
Thanks: 14
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Points well taken

Thanks for more great tips! You just don't know how encouraging it is to have like-minded folks to talk to!
Martha
Martha is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Doulas on the Edge 1stimestar Pregnancy & Birth News 110 02-12-2009 02:43 PM
Hello from Seattle area! Doula in training SabbathD New Member Introductions 6 04-11-2007 03:58 PM
Hamilton / Burlington / Grimsby - Everyday Miracles Doula Services everydaymiracles Ontario 0 08-23-2005 08:58 AM
Special delivery Tiffany Pregnancy & Birth News 1 08-03-2005 11:00 AM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.0.1