Yes!  

And nope. Not at all. Not even a little bit. 

Sure, my bags are mostly packed with vacuum-sealed pouches of donations bestowed upon me by my lovely friends, colleagues, clients and neighbors. My clothes have been sprayed with bug-stuff that would make the FDA cringe, but it will prevent me from getting bit by malaria-carrying insects so hell, I'd bathe in it if it was allowed. I have my training schedule done, my outlines printed and my activities planned. My kindle is charged and loaded and I have a certifiable pharmacy in my travel bag in the event that I get any possible malady known to human kind. I have a small travel purse loaded with my passport, flight information, visa documents, travel insurance and the letter from Shanti Uganda saying "please let this nice lady bring a shit ton of needles and syringes into the country, I promise she's not a junkie." 

But am I ready? Nope. 

How can you be prepared to teach an 8 day training in a country you've never been to, with people you've never met? 

What I do have is confidence. Confidence that even though I'm literally flying into unknown territory to do a Really Big Thing, I will rock it and I will rock it hard. I will come out of this experience with a deeper understanding of myself and the world we live in. I will learn from these women taking my training and they will learn from me. 

KC and I also have two clients who have crept passed their due dates this week. They are sitting on the verge of doing something that is new and unknown and life-changing in ways they won't understand until they walk through it. There are so many connections between the self-discovery of birth and life itself. 

Like the birthing parents I serve, I will walk into this experience with the advice of the ones that have gone before me, I will prepare for the unknown and trust my own inner power. In client interviews, we are often asked what we find to be the best coping tool during labor and my answer is usually "confidence".  If you believe your body can handle the pain of birth, and you trust the process that nature designed, you are more likely to achieve your goal of an unmedicated birth.  

Confidence is vital in birth work and it's what separates the amazing doulas from the mediocre ones. Regardless of experience. If a brand new doula can walk into the birth room with confidence that they can provide support for this person who is suffering, they WILL do it. Laboring people need to know that someone in the room isn't scared, isn't nervous and trusts that their body can handle whatever the labor dishes out. Our job is to carry that confidence for them when they've lost their own.

"I believe in you. I know this is unbelievably hard. You will find strength you don't know you have, and you will push this baby out!" 

My colleagues and friends who have taken this trip before me (as students) tell me it will be a life-changing experience. While I have deeply appreciated the advice and words of KC, Natasha, Melinda, Kristina and Jane, this experience will be my own. Just as pregnant people listen to birth story after birth story preparing for their own labor, I will hear the words given to me and lovingly accept the tips of what (not) to wear, what to pack, how to properly dismount a camel, and what conversations to avoid (it's still illegal to be gay in Uganda so I have to conduct the portion of my training geared towards supporting Queer families in the comfort of our hotel). I will have a better experience because of their support. They might not be with me in Uganda, but they are my doulas and midwives for this experience regardless of distance! 

Stay tuned... I leave in 36 hours and I'll hopefully be able to post some while I'm there! 

So Kate, now that I've enrolled, what can I expect to learn at this training workshop?

This weekend workshop will fully equip you to begin your work as a doula. You will not leave the weekend with a certification in hand, but you will have the skills to support mothers in birth. We cover the following: 

• What is Birth Arts international and what the heck was in that koolaid you just drank?(kidding... sort of)
• The physiology, stage and phases of pregnancy, labor and birth.
• History of birth support. What it means and doesn't mean to be a doula. What is your scope of practice?
• Attending a birth- labor positions and coping skills, holding space and counseling families
• Hippo Socks- What are they? When do you wear them? (not kidding in the least)
• Building and growing your practice. How will YOU succeed?
• So. Much. More.  This is an exhaustive weekend with long days and lots of breaks. You will bond with your fellow students and leave inspired and ready to walk this path!

Is there anything I can do while I wait for my training to begin? I'm eager to get going!

YES! With your registration confirmation email from Kate, you will get the book list for certification and that is an excellent place to begin!  You will need to read 9 of the books on the list and having that base knowledge before you take your training will give you a deeper understanding of what this work can mean as we explore it. 

You can also find a childbirth education course to audit before your training and contact your trainer for documentation forms if you do!  This is especially helpful if you have never taken a childbirth education course before or haven't given birth yourself. 

What else is required for certification?
​
The requirements for Birth Doula certification break down into three basic categories: Experience, Business Success, Study & Grow. 

Experience:

• Attend a training or enroll in the online classroom. 
• Observe Childbirth Education class(es) in your area
• Tour two hospital birthing units (one can be a midwifery birthing center)
• Attend and document five births.

Business Success:

• Create your intake forms and client contract
• Put together your birth bag of supplies
• Create Client handouts and a resource list
• Submit a business plan and create your marketing materials.

Study and grow:

• Write the essays and assignments listed in the BAI manual (you will get this at your training)
• Complete the introspective assignments (surprise! We do a few at the training!)
• Interview mothers about their birth experiences (we do some of these too!)
• Read and report on 9 books from the list. 

That's it!  It might seem overwhelming at first but these all serve a purpose: To help guide you to be the best doula you can be and to truly find YOUR best business practices. Spoiler alert: they will likely look different than every other student in your class. Just like birth preferences are unique to the mother, so will your doula heart be unique to you. 

What makes Birth Arts different from other organizations?

So here's the thing... Birth Arts International believes firmly that our organizational standards of excellence speak for themselves. We believe that there is a perfect doula organization for every aspiring doula. Birth Arts may be right for you but I encourage you to look at the other organizations to see which one fits your doula style and heart. Here is a brief overview of why *I* feel that Birth Arts should be at the top of the list:

• Birth Arts is one of the oldest and most successful doula training organizations in the world. Born in 2000, it has trained over 20,000 birth workers and is growing rapidly!
• Demetria Clark Honestly, yall... she's the reason Birth Arts is as amazing as it is. Her mission is to offer Doula Trainings at a low cost so it is accessible to more people and to offer a certification pathway with realistic and attainable requirements that prepare you not only for the heart of this work but also to run a successful business. 
• Those realistic certification requirements?  What do I mean by that? I mean that when you complete your required births for certification and are looking at getting your evaluations filled out... who should be completing the evaluation of your work?  The nurse? The doctor or midwife? No. Birth Arts wants the family you served to review your work. Asking a healthcare professional if your work was adequate could be conflict of interest and honestly, while their opinion of you matters in regards to your reputation and success in your community, the opinion of the family you served matters for your certification. The requirements set forth by Demetria and BAI are realistic. 
• I've mentioned before that Birth Arts has the most comprehensive program out there and I can explain that a bit further... our book list is longer, we require more births and we require our doulas to complete about two dozen "introspective assignments" to really challenge themselves intellectually as they journey down this path. 
• Setting up a sustainable business matters to Birth Arts. We don't simply want to fill our trainings and then send you out the door with a pat on the head and a packet to fill out. We want our doulas working in their community and our certification sets them up for success. We require a business plan, marketing materials, client forms and contracts and we help you find your best path towards completing those. 
• Certification never expires. Never. Why don't we require CEUs or recertification?  What is the mission behind that unorthodox move?  It's very simple. The mission of Birth Arts is to have as many certified doulas as possible in rural and low income areas. Often, that means that the doulas themselves are low income and don't have access or funds for multiple trainings and continuing education. We trust that in order for a Birth Arts doula to remain successful in their community, they will take these classes if they have access to them and they will keep up to speed on the latest information in the world of birth. 
• The online classroom. Wow. Seriously... I can't even describe the wealth of knowledge at your fingertips when you log into the classroom. You have access to all of Demetrias lectures and webinars. You can continue to learn and re=learn at your own pace while you complete your certification requirements. This is supported by Facebook groups full of other Birth Arts students as well as all of the trainers... whom you can connect with and reach out to for support as you grow. 

That all sounds great, but $450 is a lot of money... is there any kind of discount?

Is it?  Really?  Sure to some families, $450 is a month of rent or food... but I challenge you to find any other career that can be started and certified for that price. $450 isn't all you might need to spend to launch your full successful business though, so let's break it down:

• $450 for training and certification
• $80 for books (or free if you have access to a library)
• $200 for supplies for your birth bag, marketing materials and printing 
• $150 for website fees and design costs 
• $50-$200 for a childbirth education course if you need to pay for it

This feels like a lot, but consider that a newly trained doula can earn anywhere from $300-$600 on average for their fist few births and you can recoup your ENTIRE investment in the first few months. There is literally no way that you can afford NOT to take this training. Especially when compared to the training costs, fees and annual dues of other certification organizations. 

There are limited scholarships available but they are limited to special scenarios and you do need to consider the full investment into this. You are looking at maybe around $1,000 for a complete start up into a business that can earn you $30-$80k in the future. My first year as a doula, I made $7,000 and that wasn't even full time and I charged way less than new doulas do now. 

Wait, so I can charge money for my certification births?

Hell yeah you can. You should!  Birth Arts does not limit what you charge for your births, nor do they require that you charge. You can be free if you want but consider this: no birth is free. Every birth will cost you gas, parking, supplies and potentially childcare. Charge money for your certification births, even if it simply covers your estimated costs. 

Down the road, you can raise your fees and even set the high enough that you are able to offer your services completely free to those clients who speak to your heart... do you have a passion for serving teens? Single or military mothers? Mothers relinquishing their babies for adoption? Women of color?  Mothers experiencing loss?  Keep your heart work in mind while you grow!

You mentioned childcare... and I feel totally stuck. How do I manage that?

Network. Community. The Village. Childcare options may feel overwhelming but you have so many options:

• Another doula who is in the same boat - swap childcare with them or better yet, start a partnership with shared call and watch each others children while one of you is at a birth.
• A local stay at home mother who is happy to earn some pocket money for random childcare during the week
• Family and friends that are local. Especially if they are free, this is a good way to start your business until you are earning enough to pay someone.
• Hire a nanny. Share a nanny. 
• Drop in childcare centers in your area

I have been a doula as a married mother of two children (one of whom was still nursing), and as a single mother of three children (again, the youngest was nursing) and as a re-married mother of 5 blended children. I have had other doulas on call for me at night for a flat rate, I have had a long list of "potential sitters" that I worked down as the labor call came in and now I have JulieTheSuperNanny who literally steps into my minivan when I step out to a birth and runs my house like the badass she is. The bottom line being: try out options for childcare and don't be afraid to explore every area to find the perfect situation. I found JulieTheSuperNanny through a neighboring Buy Nothing group on facebook!  Be creative!

What about your partner?  Are they supportive? 

Ah. Yes, the partner. If you are a single person looking to be a doula, you face a different set of struggles that I'll address later. If you are partnered, you need to have a serious and open conversation with your partner about what this will mean for you and your family:

• Do we believe that this investment will be worth it? How can we make room in our budget for the startup costs of my business?
• Can we make our lives work around what the on call life will bring? What will happen when I miss a birthday party or holiday? Can you carry our children through that?
  • OR - do I want to start this from a place where I don't take clients during the months of important family obligations and holidays?
• Will you be able to handle our family's needs if I am gone for two days? Bedtime, night feedings, getting the children off to school?
• Will you help me coordinate the childcare and shuttle the children to school or the sitter's house before you go to work?
• How can you help support our children emotionally when I am gone for a long period of time and they miss me?
• What will you do if my work interrupts or intimate times?  Sex? Date nights? Will you eventually get used to a labor being a priority for me?
• This last one doesn't apply to every family, but it can sneak up on many marriages:
  • How can you reframe any jealousy over how much I love my job? Will you be able to support me without bitterness as I find financial success with my passion while you slave away at your steady work that supports our family?
• Well... maybe make this one the last question: What are we going to do in a few years when we have an extra $20-$50k income???  (yeah.... end with that... that's a fun one)

I swear we need to offer a support group for the partners of doulas and midwives... they have many tales of interrupted sex and they know the best pizza places that deliver dinner fast!  They also know that the joy they see in us when we walk in the door with amniotic fluid on our pants and vernix on our elbow.... and the way that our work sets an example for our children about following your passion and being a proud business owner... it is worth it.

Are you ready?  Click HERE to take the next step! 

      Birth Arts International is a rapidly growing doula organization that offers certification programs and continuing education for doulas nationwide. I am thrilled to be joining their ranks as a doula trainer and will be offering trainings throughout Washington state!

       Many parents and doulas have asked me why, after seven years in the field, I have decided to align so strongly with one organization and I am here to tell you my reasons...

1.) It's accessible to more doulas!  A common motto heard is "a doula for every woman" and in order to make that dream possible, doula trainings need to be less expensive than most models out there. Think of it like a CPR training... those are relatively inexpensive because we need people with these skills out in the world. Our communities need doulas and BAI has crafted an extensive training that is more appropriate for the budgets of aspiring doulas. They also offer an excellent distance learning course for those who are not near an in-person training site! Also, you have no time limit to finish your certification... they ask that it take no longer than two years, but there is no fee if you need a bit longer. 

2.) The training is more extensive and realistic. How many births will it take for you to become a certified doula?  BAI requires documentation of 5 births which is actually more than most other organizations... their documentation is more appropriate as well. BAI does not require you to have your work evaluated by the doctor, just the family you served. The book lists, assignments and training really set you up to run a successful business. The homework is focused on business plans and how you plan to market and connect with your clients. 

4.) There is a genuine trust between the organization and the doulas it sends forth. There are no annual dues to keep your name tied to the organizaion.  They do not require re-certification. Your certification never expires... once you have the knowledge, they trust that you won't lose it.  What about continuing education? BAI trusts that if you plan to make yourself successful and maintain a good reputation, you will stay informed and up to date with the developing trends and knowledge within the birth world.

5.) Continuing Education with the same model of professional respect and accessibility. Since a good majority of doulas opt to branch out and become postpartum doulas or childbirth educators, BAI has expanded their organization to include those certifications as well as many others! 

6) Connection. Through their online classrooms, facebook groups and their growing network of local Doula Trainers, BAI strives to hold each doula's hand as they walk this path. We doula the doula in every sense of the word. 


Okay Kate, I'm sold. This sounds like an organization I can really work with and I want to become a BAI doula! What do I do???
       
       Excellent!  You can explore more about their certification programs HERE and if you are looking for an in-person training in Washington, please check my Doula Training Page for updates on what we have coming up!  Following BAI on Facebook is also a great way to begin the connection with doulas in your area.