She said: “The course prepares you but once you are in the delivery room, a lot of things are intuitive.” Since her course, she has already assisted at two births, which she said went “fantastically well”. Tracey Anne said her relationship with midwives is generally extremely good. She said: “I think they’ve realised that Doulas are not there to take their jobs. In a lot of hospitals they totally get what a Doula is there for. We are definitely not there to be involved with the medical side.” The Doula can keep supporting the couple or woman for up to a year after a birth, or may stop the support soon after the baby is born, depending on the client’s wishes. The Cricklewood mother of two said she often recommends to friends that they should take the course, as it is something that has improved her job satisfaction immensely.
Marcia Blackstock, of Doula Consultancy Services UK, the non profit company which runs the courses accredited by Middlesex, said: “Becoming a Doula can be incredibly rewarding, regardless of whether it is in an antenatal, birth or a postnatal capacity. All three roles provide opportunities for being with new mothers and their babies. “Our principle aim is to train Doulas to a level where they act as competent, safe practitioners, delivering high quality psychosocial interventions at all times.” She added: “We are of the firm belief that Doulas are not a substitute for Midwives but instead complement that role. Mother, partners and significant others are benefiting from quality non-clinical interventions that a Doula can bring.”
Kamala Muniandy, Senior Midwifery Lecturer at Middlesex University agreed. She said: “Doulas are an ever growing presence in the childbirth experience and while they will never be a substitute for Midwives, whose role is absolutely essential, they are a welcome additional support for an increasing number of women.”
The Antenatal, Birth and Postnatal Doula Course provides
- Value for money, university professional Antenatal, Birth and Postnatal Doula Training
- Course Materials
- All the Doula stationery templates you need to start your Doula business.
- Access to Doula Forum and Doula Support Groups.
- Support to find births.
- Support to complete coursework (We have a 100 percent pass rate!)
- Middlesex University Antenatal, Birth and Postnatal acceditation on successful completion.
Find out more about the role of the Antenatal, Birth and Postnatal Doula
