When you’re getting doula certification with DTI, we offer birth and postpartum work together because we believe the two experiences are intrinsically linked and should be taught together.
Of course, after certification, whether you decide to focus on birth, postpartum, or both with your clients is ultimately up to you!
What we do know is that while birth work gets a lot of attention, postpartum work is sometimes forgotten or put on the back burner.
And it shouldn’t!
Birth itself is just the very first step in such a transformative period of a family’s life, making the support that a postpartum doula provides invaluable. That support may look like busywork (laundry, fixing meals, etc.) or just being a presence to bounce ideas off of, and it may shift over time as the baby grows and the parent(s) begin reintegrating into their lives.
If this sounds like something even remotely up your alley, our latest Expert Affiliate Video – available to all DTI members – is worth the watch.
DTI Co-Founder and Creative Director Gina Giordano virtually sat down with California-based Postpartum Doula Jackie Davey to talk about providing support for families post-birth.
Jackie, like most doulas, got her start in birth work. Though she didn’t initially think she’d enjoy postpartum work, she now exclusively offers postpartum and overnight services in the North San Francisco Bay Area.
In the hour-length video, Jackie speaks candidly about the logistics of her overnight doula practice, how her schedule has changed after having her own baby after 10 years of being a doula, and the role of a postpartum doula as an unopinionated witness and guide who lets families make their own decisions.
The conversation between Jackie and Gina flows naturally; you’ll feel like you’re watching a conversation between friends that doubles as online education. No boring lectures here!
Here’s a teaser clip: