Down to Birth #196 | The Toughest Part of Being a Doula with the Dynamic Doulas of London, Ontario
Sarah Hutchison & Lara Martens are the Dynamic Doulas of London, Ontario. Doula work is a delicate balance of keeping a "soft front and hard back", stepping-in and and not overstepping. The fact is, doula burnout is high, the emotional work can be heavy, and the lifestyle is challenging. But as any doula knows, those who are called to the work can't imagine doing anything else and the rewards of supporting mothers in achieving their birth goals are tremendous.
Today's episode is an "off-the-record" kind of conversation between us and this "dynamic" doula team, where we get into the heartfelt anguish of being a doula. In today's discussion we explore: What do women really want from their doulas? What's the hardest part of keeping a client happy? Should doulas take on any client who's willing to hire them, or should doulas be selective about whom they choose to work with? How can doulas avoid burnout? How far should a doula go in advocating for their clients and how do doulas manage a client's unwillingness or inability to speak up for herself when faced with an unwanted intervention? How can doulas support women whose birth values starkly differ from their own, and what should doulas do when they suspect the woman's chosen birth location has firm policies in contrast to physiologic birthing? Should doulas speak up more or less, and to what extent do women expect doulas to go beyond birth support and assume the role of protector and advocate? Whether you're looking to be a doula or hire one, today's episode gives you a behind-the-scenes scope into the demanding lifestyle of providing emotional, mental and physical labor support to birthing women and their families.
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