Brand New Doula, I’d Pick You!

Posted on: June 26, 2019 | Become a doula, Doula training

An idea has been created in the birth world that the person you should hire as your doula should be “experienced.” But the person I would hire would be a brand new doula. And I’ll tell you why!

But first, I want to myth bust the experience thing…

We all agree that birth is unique to the person experiencing it, right? And by that I mean each and every birth is unique. Every baby and every person who navigate the journey of birth does it in a unique and unexampled way.

That being said, all the experience in the world cannot prepare a doula to support someone through birth. I mean, even if they had supported that person through a previous birth, it does not equip them to provide support through the next one. 

Every birth is a journey that has not previously been traveled.

And because of that, no doula has the experience that the client seeks. No one. The previous experience the doula has gathered, simply doesn’t apply.

In fact, a new doula who has been properly trained let’s say by ProDoula, for example, is equipped with the most current information for providing education based support as well as physical and emotional support. Being new in a field does not negate one’s ability. In fact, it often makes them a better candidate for the job.

We must encourage clients to seek out the 3C’s of Doula Support. 

Oh, have you not heard of The 3C’s of Doula Support? Let me break them down for you and show you why a brand new doula is as perfect or even more perfect than a seasoned one.

C #1 – Confidence  

“A feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities”

• When someone conveys the message of confidence, others are often attracted to it. When a new doula confidently approaches a client consult or interview, the client becomes comfortable in knowing that the doula is not nervous or anxious about attending to their support needs.
• That the doula is prepared and believes in their own ability to meet the client where they are. That they have the systems and tools in place in order to be fully present to address the client’s physical, emotional and educational needs. Confidence is what enables the doula to instill strength and reduce fear for the client. A brand new doula can do this as well as a seasoned one.

C #2 – Connection

“a relationship in which a person, thing, or idea is linked or associated with something else”

• In this case, the “something else” is another human being. It is the doula. The doula/client connection is what enables trust. It is what puts the client at ease and allows them to imagine the birth unfolding. Connection is grounding. It feels safe and where there is safety, anxiety melts away. A brand new doula is quite capable of connecting.

C #3 – Commitment

“the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.”

• There is no one more committed to supporting a birthing family than a brand new doula. The doula who is brand new is committed to being on call, the same as a seasoned doula. The newly trained doula is deliberate about phone settings. That phone is next to that doula every second. It sits on their night table while they sleep and it is checked 47 times an hour to make sure it’s on and the volume is all the way up.
• They are ready to go to the client the moment they are invited.  They do not think about where the client is in the process or how long their labor will take. They are not jaded by other labors that slowed down when they arrived… They do not compare what the client is experiencing to what previous clients have. They come and they serve. They are committed and they support. They are ready and they are valuable.

If I were seeking the support of a doula for the birth of my baby, I would choose a doula who was confident, connected and committed.

I would experience birth with them as part of my team and their support would contribute to the reduction of my fear and the instilling of my strength.

Their previous experience would not apply to me. So, I’d put my money on a brand new doula.

Authored by: The Rock n’ Roll Doula