....That's What Doulas Are Made Of.

When Cathy & I first met, we quickly realized that we shared some very similar qualities as doulas.  All doulas are different.  We all have different values, personalities & qualities that helps us to serve our clients.  Let me tell you a little bit about what the doulas at A Joyful Journey are made of.

• Flexible- I'm not talking yoga moves here.  We have to have flexible schedules for our clients.  Which means we're willing to be woken up in the middle of the night, or drop whatever we're doing in the middle of the day, to get to our clients when they need us.  It typically takes us around an hour to get to our clients.

• Balanced- Although we provide 24/7 on-call service to our clients starting at 37 weeks gestation, we can divide our on-call time, so that we can still tend to our families & have time off.  Doula work can be extremely stressful when you don't have a good support team.  There is an exceptionally high burnout rate for doulas, with the average career for a doula lasting about 3-5 years.  We understand the importance of balancing our careers & personal life.

• Professional- As professional doulas, we strive to act in a professional manner, not only with our clients, but with all members of their support team.  We do not overstep our boundaries by doing or saying things that are out of our scope of practice.  Aside from our initial doula training, we continue to further our education to better benefit the families that we serve.  This month alone, Cathy will be training to become a placenta specialist with Placenta Prep and I'll be training to become a bereavement doula with Stillbirthday.

• Non-Judgmental- Cathy & I believe in birth.  We absolutely believe in a woman's ability to birth her baby!  We also trust that our clients will make the decisions that are best for her & her baby.  We do not judge if a mom decides to do the opposite of what her birth plan says, or if she yells, screams or swears, or if she requests an epidural at the onset of labor, etc.  We offer evidence based information and non-judgmental support.  We respect your choices.

• Personality- Although our personality types are pretty different, we share some great characteristics.  We are both caring, thoughtful, calming & have a great sense of humor.  But most importantly, we are passionate about our career and the families the we have the honor of serving!  We absolutely love what we do!

So, tell us what your doula is made of!  If you've just begun your search, tell us what you're looking for in a doula!

Written By: Andrea Myers