Doula Training in Ireland

by Tracy Donegan - Doula Ireland Sat Aug 04, 2007 18:22 tracydonegan at doulaireland dot com

Why Train with Doula Ireland ?

I have been very fortunate to work with Childbirth International, Dr. Michel Odent and most recently with Penny Simkin (the ‘mother’ of doulas) of DONA in the US. Each training offers something different but DONA really embraces the essence of what a Doula is and the doula 'spirit'.

The DONA philosophy is simple but profound – “how will she remember this”? If all you do as a Doula is keep this at the forefront of your own mind and Doula from the heart instead of the head then you can’t go wrong. What do I mean when I talk about ‘Doulaing from the heart’? It means meeting the mother where she is, accepting that her birth preferences may not be the same as yours and supporting this woman – eye to eye, breath to breath and heart to heart. When you Doula from the heart you don’t speak for the mother but you help her find her voice. Being a Doula is about serving and supporting the mother in this magical time. When you serve a woman in labour you take on her values as your own. Even as an experienced Doula I found the DONA training inspirational. It brings us back to the core of ‘doulaing’ – supporting and serving the mother in a home or hospital environment.

What is Support?

Support is unconditional
It is listening…..not judging, not telling your own story.
Support is not offering advice..it is offering a handkerchief, a touch, a hug…caring
We are here to help women discover what they are feeling….not to make the feelings go away
We are here to help a woman identify her options…not to tell her which options to choose.
We are here to discuss steps with a woman …not to take the steps for her.
We are here to help a woman discover her own strength…not to rescue her and leave her still vulnerable.
We are here to help a women discover she can help herself….not to take that responsibility for her.
We are here to help a woman learn to choose….not to make it unnecessary for her to make difficult choices.

-Anonymous

During the workshop we will explore the following

Emotional Support
Encouragement, reassurance, continuous physical presence

Informational Support
Assistance to families in gathering information about the course of their labour and their options, explanations, non-medical advice

Physical Support
Comfort measures, positioning, massage, breathing, relaxation and other non-pharmacological pain relief options

Advocacy
Helping the mother find her voice and help her be heard

Partner Support
Role modeling, encouragement and reassurance

Building positive and lasting relationships with midwives and hopsitals

After the training you will come away with the confidence to support a mother in a hospital or home birth, be able to support a mother physically and emotionally with an epidural, you will be able to identify the causes of challenging labours and determine which comfort measures work best for different kinds of labours... and much much more. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to talk more about the upcoming workshop. I'm very excited to be part of this new revival of an old tradition in Ireland of women supporting women in labour.

More about our Training for 2007

In June 2007 Doula Ireland offered Doula training, based on the DONA International curriculum and ethics. DONA sets the bar for doula education and professional development. It indicates to families that a doula has achieved a high level of training and professionalism. DONA International has the highest certification standards for doulas worldwide. When a doula proudly adds the letters CD after her name, it demonstrates that she has met all the requirements of our rigorous certification program.

Achieving certification is a process that requires considerable time and effort. Before beginning the certification process, we recommend that you learn about what it means to be a Doula Ireland doula by browsing the website, reading the position papers, Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, and other DONA International literature you will find on the DONA website. Find Doula Ireland certified doulas in your area and talk with them about their experiences as a doula or join in a discussion on Doula Talk to ask what being a certified doula is really like. Then decide for yourself if you have got what it takes to make a commitment to serving mothers, newborns and families as a Doula Ireland/DONA International doula.

When you become a certified birth doula with Doula Ireland, you gain a respected credential. DONA certification means that you have met a high international standard, ensuring expectant parents and their medical team that you will adhere to the highest standards of conduct and ethics. It means you are trained to support a woman emotionally, as well as to help the mother determine the services and information that she needs during labour and childbirth.

Students who successfully complete all requirements will be certified with DONA International.

****Important *****

Please familiarize yourself with the certification requirements, specifically of the requirement of observing a series of antenatal classes before you can attend the certification workshop - http://www.DONA.org

by BirthArts Fri Sep 22, 2006 14:47

Birth Arts is now offering Distance Learning Doula Trainings in Ireland.