The number one rule of being a doula is that your clients come first. IDI’s doula training teaches you to keep your opinions to yourself.
Chances are if you are thinking about doula training, you already have an interest in birth, babies, and mothers. You may have even done some research and formed opinions about the “best” ways to give birth or care for a baby.
If you are a parent, you already established a parenting style and probably feel strongly about the way you raise your children. Perhaps your own birth and postpartum experiences (good or bad) are what inspired you pursue doula training.
All of these things are wonderful, but I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It’s something very important that you’ll learn during your doula training:
Your opinions don’t matter.
Okay, that might sound a bit harsh. But, hear me out!
All laboring women can benefit from having a birth doula. There is a common misconception that only women who want to have a natural birth should use a doula. However, doula training teaches you to help assist women during all types of labor. Emotional support is crucial for women during any birthing experience, from a 100% natural home birth, to a planned cesarean birth.
So, it doesn’t matter if you thought your epidural was the bees knees. If your client wants to have a drug free birth, you will tell her she’s amazing. Then, you will show her all the awesome comfort measures you learned during your birth doula training.
Similarly, whether a family leans toward attachment style parenting, a more scheduled approach, or even slow parenting, all can benefit from having a postpartum doula. For more helpful information on parenting styles, visit this helpful link: https://www.thebabbleout.com/parenting/. The early days with a newborn can be stressful and demanding. Having a caring and knowledgeable person to help you navigate them can make all the difference.
So, it doesn’t matter if you breastfed your baby on demand. If your client decides to formula feed, you will remind her what a fantastic mom she is while you help her properly prepare and sterilize bottles.
To put it more simply, when I say that your opinions don’t matter, what I really mean is that your clients come first.
The International Doula Institute’s doula training programs emphasize a non-judgmental approach. We teach our doulas to be competent in all areas of birth and postpartum care. When you complete your doula training and start working with clients, they can be confident that you will be able assist them no matter what choices they make. If they’re undecided about how they want to birth or parent their newborn, you will have the resources to help them make an informed decision.
Put yourself in your client’s shoes. Having a baby is a vulnerable time. You want someone who is going to support you no matter what, and have your best interests at heart. That’s exactly what IDI’s doulas do.
Author: Aliza Juliette Bancoff
Aliza Juliette Bancoff is a well-known doula and doula trainer who has been providing doula services to families for over a decade. She is the founder of Main Line Doulas, a doula group providing doula support in the great Philadelphia area for the last decade, the International Doula Institute, which provides online doula training and lactation training and certification programs and the International Breastfeeding Institute which provides lactation training and certification. She is the co-founder of United Birth, a company devoted to increasing access to doulas across the country to make the perinatal time safer both physically and emotionally. “Every birthing person deserves access to quality doula support. And we are working to make that a reality across the country. The work we are doing to get doulas to every birthing person will decrease the black infant and maternal mortality rate significantly by 2030.” Says Bancoff. Aliza is known for her compassionate and empowering approach to doula work, and she has been featured in numerous media outlets, including United Nations Maternal Health Report, Parent Magazine, CafeMom, theBump and many more. Aliza's journey into doula work began when she gave birth to her first child and felt a strong calling...