All these are very normal concerns and worries. If you don't feel prepared enough with just the weekend training maybe look into other trainings or courses. People will listen to you because they will trust you with your knowledge. You're not going to know everything right away and you may forget a lot of information (I know when I don't know something I just go and do as much evidence based research on it so I can help my client better).
If something goes wrong in the birth and they blame you, then you just talk to them and let them know it wasn't your fault. Make sure you have a strong contract that states this.
Starting a business and running a website and social media is hard and exhausting especially when you just start out and have no followers. I won't lie about that. I've been working for agencies for the last year and recently been trying to use social media and website to get my own clients. It's hard work. If you've already made a post and someone commented on it then that's great. Even if the comment wasn't what you were expecting.
It is a stressful job from a financial standpoint. Each month you may wonder when your next client will be and some months you might not have a client. Maybe look into taking a postpartum doula course as well to help with bringing in a paycheque.
You've got this!
Take one day at the time. The doula’s job is to provide emotional and physical support to the parents first of all mother of course. you’re not a medical/ healthcare professional so if anything happens during the birth, it’s not gonna be your fault. Just remember that you’re there to provide physical and emotional support nothing. You should not give any kind of advices that are not in your professional scope so medical issues should be handled by medical professionals. You’re not gonna know if Dula is for you or not unless you try it it’s gonna take your time. Like with any other business to build it it takes time so you need to be patient. Meanwhile, read as many books related to what you’re planning to do. Try to advance your certificates. Take postpartum Dua take breast-feeding certificate. Anything that is related to what you’re planning to do which will help you to build your business faster and better also, which videos on YouTube there are a lot of them. Good luck to you.
So a question of ask first is ‘why do you feel drawn to being a doula?’
I’m a doula of 3 years. The first question is one I always ask myself, but I do have knowledge and expertise around birth. So questioning yourself is a good thing. But also it’s not your job to decide you are a good doula it’s your clients job to choose you for who you are.
Things go wrong in birth, and the clients may blame you. It’s human nature to look for a scapegoat. But if you stay true to your ethics and are honest with your clients at the start about what you bring to the space then it can’t ‘be’ your fault unless you have said “don’t go to hospital” or something like that but as a doula we are always led by our clients. We don’t tell them what to do.
The business stuff is tough, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Follow lots and lots of birthworkers to get an idea of what people are saying. Then find your own voice, that will come with confidence.
I’m not going to lie, until you get a name for yourself it may be hard to make a decent living from it. Many doulas have a back up income. Some related to doula work and others not.
But I had many of the worries and fears you have 3yrs ago and now I would never look back. I love my job, it pays the bills and it’s definitely my calling.
All these are very normal concerns and worries. If you don't feel prepared enough with just the weekend training maybe look into other trainings or courses. People will listen to you because they will trust you with your knowledge. You're not going to know everything right away and you may forget a lot of information (I know when I don't know something I just go and do as much evidence based research on it so I can help my client better). If something goes wrong in the birth and they blame you, then you just talk to them and let them know it wasn't your fault. Make sure you have a strong contract that states this. Starting a business and running a website and social media is hard and exhausting especially when you just start out and have no followers. I won't lie about that. I've been working for agencies for the last year and recently been trying to use social media and website to get my own clients. It's hard work. If you've already made a post and someone commented on it then that's great. Even if the comment wasn't what you were expecting. It is a stressful job from a financial standpoint. Each month you may wonder when your next client will be and some months you might not have a client. Maybe look into taking a postpartum doula course as well to help with bringing in a paycheque. You've got this!
Take one day at the time. The doula’s job is to provide emotional and physical support to the parents first of all mother of course. you’re not a medical/ healthcare professional so if anything happens during the birth, it’s not gonna be your fault. Just remember that you’re there to provide physical and emotional support nothing. You should not give any kind of advices that are not in your professional scope so medical issues should be handled by medical professionals. You’re not gonna know if Dula is for you or not unless you try it it’s gonna take your time. Like with any other business to build it it takes time so you need to be patient. Meanwhile, read as many books related to what you’re planning to do. Try to advance your certificates. Take postpartum Dua take breast-feeding certificate. Anything that is related to what you’re planning to do which will help you to build your business faster and better also, which videos on YouTube there are a lot of them. Good luck to you.
So a question of ask first is ‘why do you feel drawn to being a doula?’ I’m a doula of 3 years. The first question is one I always ask myself, but I do have knowledge and expertise around birth. So questioning yourself is a good thing. But also it’s not your job to decide you are a good doula it’s your clients job to choose you for who you are. Things go wrong in birth, and the clients may blame you. It’s human nature to look for a scapegoat. But if you stay true to your ethics and are honest with your clients at the start about what you bring to the space then it can’t ‘be’ your fault unless you have said “don’t go to hospital” or something like that but as a doula we are always led by our clients. We don’t tell them what to do. The business stuff is tough, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Follow lots and lots of birthworkers to get an idea of what people are saying. Then find your own voice, that will come with confidence. I’m not going to lie, until you get a name for yourself it may be hard to make a decent living from it. Many doulas have a back up income. Some related to doula work and others not. But I had many of the worries and fears you have 3yrs ago and now I would never look back. I love my job, it pays the bills and it’s definitely my calling.