I am officially a doula in training! Tonight marked the end of a three day workshop to become a birth doula certified with DONA (Doulas of North America). I took the course, taught by the extremely affable and entertaining Tara Poulin of Birthing Gently, along with 14 fascinating women.
Tara has a wealth of experience in the birth world. For starters, she has five children of her own! Prior to founding Birthing Gently in 2001, she worked on the labor and delivery floor at a Boston hospital. Today she is a certified Birth Doula (DONA), Certified Childbirth Educator (CAPPA) and an Approved DONA International Birth Doula trainer. The only, and I mean ONLY negative thing I can say about Tara is that she lives in Massachusetts. Boo! New York City’s loss, big time.
Tara’s course was engaging, contained a wealth of knowledge and left you hungry for more the next day. I have never said that before and believe me, with three degrees and many hobbies, I’ve taken my fair share of courses!
Tara Poulin of Birthing Gently
My journey to become a doula is a result of my own birth experience – one which was 30 hours long from start to finish, and, unmedicated. Although I did not have a doula – my husband and mom were with me – I believe that having someone who’s objective and who’s trained in emotional and physical comfort techniques could have made my long and difficult labor shorter and easier. Still, my birth transformed me. It made me stronger. And it gave me and my husband the most marvelous gift, a beautiful and healthy baby boy.
I would be honored to be a part of something so intimate and life-changing for other expectant moms and dads. Getting started might be slow-going but I definitely look forward to building my doula community and attending my first birth!