Everyone knows being a mother means that you have to be caring, nurturing, and patient with your newborn baby.  These are the same qualities which embody a doula's job.  For those of you who don't know, a doula is a healthcare professional that looks after pregnant women during their labor and postpartum period.  Doulas provide physical and emotional support as well as evidence-based information about the labor process and beyond.  I feel that all soon-to-be moms should be given the options of having the support of a doula during the stressful time of childbirth.  

My journey to become a doula began after I gave birth to my first child.  During my pregnancy and labor, the OBGYN and nurses were professional, but they were not suited to provide me with any type of additional support.  I was scared and nervous right before my labor, so having someone by my side that could answer questions or provide companionship would have been a boon.  I found that a doula could address all of these issues and make the birthing process more satisfactory, so I made up my mind that I will become a doula in order to make someone else's pregnancy and birth a more positive one.

With my vision of being a doula in place, I started to do some research to see exactly what it takes to become one.  Most doulas enroll in certification programs, such as DONA, in order to receive proper training.  I found more about certification and job information on this birth doula training site.  Doulas receive hands on training by attending childbirths as well as workshops and seminars which teach practical information about the entire labor process and how to provide support to both the new mother and baby.  After completing the curriculum, a certified doula is now ready to start serving her clients. This whole process took around half a year for me and it was well worth it because I am now a certified doula who can ease the emotional burdens of labor for soon-to-be moms.  I can now fix everything that was missing from my own pregnancy and childbirth for someone else and that is incredibly fulfilling as both a woman and mother.