Introduction

Réka - posted on 11/30/2008

Post partum care is pretty well organized here, the state employs so-called "health visitors" (similar to the system in Britain) who are part health care workers, part social workers. They are assigned to you based on your address, and are available in every district in doctor's offices, so you can just pop in and ask questions, but they are also legally required to make at least 1 or 2 house calls after the baby is born, and if they see that a mother needs it, they make more. Their job is to educate and support mothers through pregnancy and then childcare all the way up to school, but usually the majority of their job has to do with coordinating a pregnant woman's care, answering questions about pregnancy and infant care, keeping track of vaccinations for babies, etc.

So we have a great framework, but the system is far from perfect. These health visitors make ridiculously little money, and their training is outdated, especially with regards to breastfeeding. Many of them take the trouble to educate themselves, but many unfortunately don't, and continue giving bad advice to breastfeeding mothers (you know, the old line, don't feed your baby at night, offer them tea and pacifiers, do not feed more frequently than every 3 hours, start solids at 4 months, etc, etc, etc...)

So there is really not very much of a call for post-partum doulas in this country, because we already have this framework of health visitors who do that job. I specialize in English-speaking (so, foreign) mothers here in Hungary, so I am asked to provide post-partum care, which I do enjoy. Otherwise, I see women with infants in a lactation consultant capacity.

Do a google search for doulas in your community and see if there are already some of them organized into groups that you can join. Otherwise, really all it takes is putting up an attractive website with your services and location clearly spelled out, and people will find you, slowly but surely.

Public nursing: There is not a puritanical attitude about it here, breasts are normal part of everyday life. However, there is an awfully sad attitude that public breastfeeding is lower-class (specifically gypsy, they are our racial minority here), but that is changing as many educated mothers are beginning to reintroduce breastfeeding publicly.

Réka

Regina - posted on 11/29/2008

I love the sound of a post partum doula. I've been reading alot about post partum care for women. My favorite book is Natural Health After Birth, by Aviva Jii Romm. I always thought something was wrong with the post partum care and attitudes in America ( especialy about public nursing). After reading this book I know I was right. I have vowed to change this at least in my community. I'm not sure where to start and I'm not the most organized person but, for the past year I've been brainstorming.

What do you think of the post partum care in Hungary?

How about the attitudes about public nursing?



Regina

Réka - posted on 11/29/2008

Hi Regina!

Becoming a doula really doesn't require much more than a willingness to be there for other women through their birth process! If you want to become a certified doula, there are a number of organizations in the States which offer certification, one of them is DONA (www.dona.org), I think they're the biggest and the most recognized. Getting certified through them means having to attend a workshop and having to gain experience with a number of births before you can use the title of certified doula. Certification helps if you want to then start your own doula practice and get paid for it. But it's really not necessary if you already have access to women who would be interested in having you support them. The workshops are probably useful, though.

I was trained as a doula in Hungary, our process is a bit different here. The workshop was 4 days, and there is no requirement to attend a fixed number of births before they certify you.

If you google certified doula, you get a lot of info about the process.

The thing about being a birth doula, though, is that it's probably tough if not impossible to do if you yourself still have little ones at home, because you have to have a pretty solid support network to be able to drop everything when a client calls and says she's going into labor. And most women, as we know, go into labor in the middle of the night. Could you find someone at the drop of a hat to watch your three kids for you if you have to leave in the middle of the night and attend a 15-hour long labor?

The other option is to become a post-partum doula. As a post-partum doula, you help mothers with babies in their homes, and offer any sort of help they might require taking care of a newborn. DONA offers both birth doula and post-partum doula certification.

Good luck!
Réka

Regina - posted on 11/27/2008

Hello Reka! My yougest born feb 28, 07. My oldest also born in 2005 Jan 1st to be exact. I'm basicaly a stay at home mom I was waiting tables 3-5 nights a week after my husband got home. Unfortunately between a poor economy and an unfair boss I'm barely working enough or making enough to make it worth my time away from my family. I have been thinking about a career and or a new job. I am now pregnant with our third, so this whole situation is confusing. I know I need a long time at home after the birth to maintain nursing. What to do.?!?

Anyway I have been thinking about becoming a peer counsler, doula, or even a midwife.

What is it like as a doula? Do you require schooling?

Thanks for sharing.



Regina