Monitrice services

[raspberrymoondoula]

does anyone here offer monitrice services for their clients? i feel like after my apprenticeship i'd be qualified (at least for my moms planning hospital births who want to labor at home, its a no no here for UC's), to provide these services if moms wanted them but have no clue what to charge, or if i should offer packages like JUST doula services and then one with doula + monitrice services? what do you think?

[Tiffany]

I actually have no idea how monatrice services work. One, you'd think you'd have to be somewhat legally certified somewhere to do what monatrice's do. I don't think you can be a monatrice in Ontario. To be a midwife here you have to go through a 4 year university program, seperate from a nursing degree. I haven't heard of monatrice training or apprentice midwives either--just students here.

I know that didn't help you, sorry.

[raspberrymoondoula]

i've been looking for info and i dont think there is any legal certification for monatrice services. basically all a monatrice does outsie of the scope of a doula is check heart tones, possibly a vag. exam if the mother wants it, to help her decide best when to leavee for the hospital. sometimes they're a doula who's also an RN, a student miwife who's gained appropriate training, or a doula who's studied with a nurse or midwife to learn the skills. the difference is unlike a midwife you wouldnt be catching the baby, administering medicine, or acting as primary care provider. its a big grey area. and legal requirements for what makes you becoema midwife dont get me started lol its soooo different from state to state. some states its 100% illegal, others such as oregon, licensing is optional, which is a little scary since anyone could just say "huh i want to be a midwife today". and everything in between.

[raspberrymoondoula]

http://www.birtharts.com/monitrice.htm here i fonud one site with some info i guess a few places offer certification processes but i asked around a couple midwives here and its a grey area along with scope of doulas and midwives around here. stupid south carolina lol

[Kachina]

Here are some websites with some info regarding training.

http://www.birtharts.com/monitrice.htm
http://www.geocities.com/titus2birthing/CCM.html

I think that a package with monitrice services should cost more than just a doula package. At least $100 more IMO.

[raspberrymoondoula]

thanks for the info, i found an interesting discussion here too- http://www.midwiferytoday.com/forums...?TOPIC_ID=3902

[1stimestar]

Just make sure that if you are offering monitrice services, you are not calling yourself a doula. That is where you will run into trouble, from what I've heard (from doulas and monitrices). Most monitrices I know are also RNs.

[~Tranquility~Doula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1stimestar Just make sure that if you are offering monitrice services, you are not calling yourself a doula. That is where you will run into trouble, from what I've heard (from doulas and monitrices). Most monitrices I know are also RNs.

Ditto that.

[fearlessbirth]

What's a 'monitrice'?

[1stimestar]

A monitrice is a person who offers labor support but also performs clinical tasks (like doulas do not).

Lynne,

This is all a little new to me too but let me give a shot at this one. I would definetely charge at least 100 dollars more due to the fact that your liability just went up by performing clinical skills
Also~ something to consider ~ a mom that is going to a hospital and has an OB. The OB is LEGALLY responsible for everything that happens to that mom, everything that you do will fall under the OB's license. Unless you have a great repore with this doc, they may not take kindly to you stepping on their turf.
It is a risk. I have the clinical skills to be a monotrice and have weighed this one a hundred times but I'm not sure. I am more at risk then you are because I go against the main stream RN. I'm the Lone RN
Now, if you work with a midwife who is willing to take you on and sees your skills then that's different. You'd probably get a lot further on that end.
I could be way off base but from the research I've done so far it seems that you eventually have to make a choice. Do you go medical~hospital and go crazy trying to get around all the legal junk and politics or do you go crunchy~homebirth and spread your wings a bit where it's a little safer to fly?
Just my thoughts for now

[raspberrymoondoula]

yeah its hard to find the middle line, all of the women here who offer monitrice services are licensed midwives. no one knows what the middle line is for doulas.

What about a class for becoming a labor assistant? Doesn't ALACE or CAPPA offer something like that. You could probably e-mail them to see exactly what they would require and see how you match up. I bet you would be fine working under a midwife at home births and birthing centers.

[raspberrymoondoula]

i'm already an alace trained labor assistant, tis the same thing as a doula lol
unforutnately SC doesnt have any birth centers

hummm..... Well I dunno then lol. SC doesn't have any birthing centers??? wow...that stinks. I'll ponder some more and get back to you... Of course you could always be a midwife yourself.
I'm in a different spot because of that RN thing again. I have to go to college again and get my Masters. Oh what fun it is....and then I probably would end up in the hospital again, right back where I started. Massachusetts doesn't have any birthing centers that I'm aware of either but just over the border is crunchy land NH. Awesome birthing centers, awesome hospitals. I delivered my last son at Cheshire medical in Keene by Sarah Ellsworth CNM. She is talked about in the latest addition of Gentle Birth Choices. That hospital has the first volunteer Doula program and they are Oh so Natural. Waterbirth, Lamaze only, no IV's unless necessary. Sweet group of people.
I need to start something like that down here in Mass.
ok all done brain storming~~~~~~