Many doulas believe every family that desires a doula should have access to one. Experienced doulas also know that there are plenty of clients for every doula. Birth work does not need to be a competitive field. However, can you be the right doula for everyone?
Ultimately, it will depend on who you ask. Some doulas feel if you are a truly professional doula, you can work with every family. Other doulas feel different families benefit from different doulas.
Even the most experienced doula is unlikely to have a 100% booking rate following consultations. Why is that? Is it possible to be the right doula for everyone?
Here are things to consider:
Different Families Have Different Birthing Plans, Preferences, etc.
When we think about birth in modern medicalized systems, many families simply choose a provider based on convenience, insurance, or word of mouth. They might also take a similar approach to finding doula support.
Any truly professional doula should be able to provide evidenced-based doula support to any client. In that sense, it is possible to be the right doula for everyone.
However, other families take a very intentional approach to finding a maternity care provider. They might interview several midwives and obstetricians to find one they feel comfortable with. Beyond just providing adequate care, they might be looking for a deeper connection.
In that situation, any professional doula can provide adequate doula care. However, that might not be the only care they are looking for. Some families are looking for very specific aspects in their doula care.
Can You Be The Right Doula For Everyone? Looking For Representation in Support
Birth is an intimate experience. It can also be life altering. Perhaps the most concerning for some, it comes with the risk of trauma, disparities in care, etc.
Some families are seeking representation in their doula care. It is not uncommon for someone to feel comfortable with someone from their own community. It can bring comfort and familiarity when someone is familiar with your culture, religion, etc.
This can be especially true of clients from a marginalized community. Rather than having to explain their life experiences or concerns about their birth, someone within their own community is likely to already understand.
As a professional doula, it can be helpful to network with many area doulas. If you are not the right fit for a potential client or inquiry, you can refer them to another person who might meet their needs.
Niche Doula Care
There are some doulas who become niche doulas. This is sometimes intentional, and sometimes it just sort of happens. A niche doula might specialize in:
- Home birth
- Pregnancy and birth after infertility
- Queer family support
- Additional certifications and services
- Hospital only births
- High risk births
- Birth photography included.
If a client has a unique need, it is not that you can’t be a great doula for them. It simply means you are not the best fit for them.
Can You Be The Right Doula For Everyone? Yes and No – Don’t Take It Personally
The above sections provided scenarios where you may not actually be the right doula for everyone. However, as a professional doula you do possess the skills to potentially be the right doula for everyone.
As a professional, it is important to be able to provide everyone with evidenced-based care. It is very possible to provide the role of a professional doula to everyone.
However, for some parents, there are specific things they are looking for in hiring a doula. If they are looking for representative care, a perfect personality meshing like a friend, or a niche service, they might not feel you are right for them.
It is important that you not take it personally when a potential client chooses not to move forward. It is also okay to choose not to move forward with a potential client if you do not think you’re the best fit for them.
Also, never feel obligated to move forward with a potential client. If you feel there is a safety concern, boundaries are not respected and it becomes stressful, or you have any concerns. It is okay to decline a client and provide a referral elsewhere.
So yes, you can be the right doula for everyone in many ways. However, there will also be times where even if you can be the right doula, you may not be the best and that’s perfectly normal.
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...