Pregnancy & Baby Index: Experts and Columnists: Doula Advantage: Finding a doula

Finding a doula

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Rachel Gurevich

Congratulations! By choosing to have a doula help you in your journey toward motherhood, you've made a choice to have a healthier and empowering birth. Finding a doula, especially with the help of the Internet, can be an enjoyable and easy experience.

The search

When I went on my great search, I sent off e-mails to as many local doulas as I could, corresponded with them via email, asked a few questions that were important to me, and from that, decided who I'd like to speak on the phone, and finally, meet in person. I met my doula in a coffee shop, and decided to hire her after I went home and confirmed with my husband that he also felt she was the right one for us. You may decide to interview just one doula, or you may meet with four doulas before you find a good match. I emailed with several doulas, spoke on the phone with four different doulas, met with two, and hired the second doula I interviewed.

Have fun on your search! Several websites have directories of doulas. You can check out websites, get e-mail addresses or phone numbers.

Birth Partners –- Doulas
www.birthpartners.com

Doula Network
www.doulanetwork.com

DoulaWorld.com
www.doulaworld.com

The Labor of Love Pregnancy and Parenting Search Engine
www.thelaboroflove.com/websearch/links/Services/Doulas

Another way to find a doula is to request a list of doulas from the different doula certification organizations. You can give them a quick phone call, or send them an email. On their websites, sometimes there's a special section with lists of doulas.

ALACE -- The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators
PO Box 382724
Cambridge, MA 02238
(617) 441 - 2500
E-mail: alacehq@aol.com
www.alace.org

BBI –- Birth and Bonding International
1126 Solano Ave.
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 527 - 2121
E-mail: bbint@flash.net
www.birthbonding.org

Birthing From Within®
123 Wellesley SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 254 - 4884
E-mail: contact@birthingfromwithin.com
www.birthpower.com

Birth Works
PO Box 2045
Medford, NJ 08055
(888) TO - BIRTH (862 - 4784)
E-mail: info@birthworks.org
www.birthworks.org

CAPPA -- Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association
PO Box 491448
Lawrenceville GA 30043
(888) 548-3672
E-mail: info@cappa.net
www.cappa.net

CEF -- Childbirth Enhancement Foundation
1004 George Ave.
Rockledge, FL 32955
(321) 631 - 9977
E-mail: info@cefcares.org
www.cefcares.org.

DONA -- Doulas of North America
PO Box 626
Jasper, IN 47547
(801) 756 - 7331
E-mail: doula@DONA.org
www.dona.org

ICEA -- The International Childbirth Education Association
PO Box 20048
Minneapolis, MN 55240
(952) 854 - 8660 or (800) 827-ICEA
E-mail: info@icea.org
www.icea.org

Another way to look for a local doula is to search on google.com or some other search engine. Type in "doula" and your state or city name. Local doula organizations or personal doula websites may come up for you to check out.

Free doulas are sometimes provided by hospitals, so be sure to give them a call and ask if they have a doula program. If not, be sure to ask if they have anyone to refer. Don't forget to call birth centers, OB/GYN and midwives, and even the local WIC government office.

Good luck and have fun on your search!