How to Become a Postpartum Doula
A postpartum doula is someone who helps a new mom adjust to parenthood in the postpartum phase. A postpartum doula's role will vary depending on the client, but usually she will assist the new mom by helping her with breastfeeding issues, taking care of the baby while mom rests or showers, help take care of other siblings while mom bonds with her new baby, cook meals for the family, run errands, and light housekeeping. With so many new parents living far away from other relative a Postpartum Doula can be a life saver.
Training Organizations:
To become certified you will need to choose an organization to go through. There are several organizations which offer certification to become a postpartum doula depending on where you live. Dona and Cappa are the two most well known doula organizations. Cappa even offers a long distance program for those who do not have a training conference in their area. Visit each website to see which organization fits your lifestyle the best.
Training info:
There are several steps you will need to take in order to become certified. You will be given a list of books about breastfeeding and newborn care to read. Depending on the organization you go through, you may need to take a lactation class, become infant CPR certified, submit letters of recommendation, write an essay and take a test. You will also need to attend a Postpartum workshop or take the long distance course through CAPPA. The cost to complete training will vary between $350-$600. The cost covers materials, workshops, exam fee and organization membership.
Income:
Your income as a Postpartum Doula will greatly depend on the area you live, but the average range is between $15-$35 per hour.
Finding Clients:
In the early stages of your business it can be difficult to find clients. Try not to become discouraged, just like any other business it will take time to build. Here a few ways to advertise your business. Put an ad in your local paper, make flyers and business cards and leave them at birthing centers, and OB offices. Put flyers up in your local grocery stores and health food stores. Network with midwives and other doula's in your area. Eventually you will start getting referrals from previous clients so you will not need to advertise as much as you did in the early stages of your business.
Being a postpartum doula can be a very rewarding career and good luck with your training!
Published by Niki
I am your typical stay at home mom. I love spending time with my family, cooking, planning play dates, and finding fun and inexpensive activities to keep my daughter entertained! View profile
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1 Comments
Post a CommentGreat information Niki. Thanks for sharing.