March 22nd through 28th is World Doula Week and Lamaze International knows how important the role of the birth and postpartum doula is for families during the childbearing year.  In fact, our third Healthy Birth Practice is "Bring a loved one, friend or doula for continuous support" and we have an amazing infographic "Who says three's a crowd? Bring the labor support you need!" on this topic for perinatal professionals to share with families as well.

Many of our Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators (LCCEs) and Lamaze International members are also birth and/or postpartum doulas.  I reached out to our members to learn more about how they find filling both these roles works for them.  Being a doula and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator is a powerful combination to help families transition to parenthood.  A special thank you to all who replied, unfortunately, due to space limitations, I am unable to include everyone who responded even though I wanted to.
 

Rosana Padua, LCCE, CD(DONA)

Philippines

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?

Childbirth education is a key component to achieving the birth you want. Learning about the Six Healthy Birth Practices is the best way to prepare for a birth.  As a doula, I've observed that the families who took childbirth classes cope better with the challenges of labor and come out with a more positive birth experience. 

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?

No. I always encourage my clients to take CBE. 

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

I trained first to be a doula but I consider myself a teacher in my core. Since I strongly believe that education is a key to empowerment, I decided to be an LCCE.

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?

I like both, but I now am starting to favor LCCE as it really inspiring to touch more families.  I am also quite proud to be among a very small number of LCCEs in the Philippines, giving the best information to Filipino families.
 

Diane Nelson CD(DONA), LCCE, SBD

Mequon, Wisconscin

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?

Being a doula at over 90 births in numerous settings (although predominantly Hospital) provides me with a large library of experience with numerous providers, hospitals, birth centers, complications & interventions, including cesarean surgery. The evaluations I’ve received in my classes confirm that the students appreciated the anecdotes and real-life examples.

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?

As a doula, I always provided education, however, the studying required to become LCCE gave much more depth and background to my teaching. Also, as an educator I can give more insight regarding why hiring a doula is so beneficial.

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

I’ve been a doula since 2010, but only started teaching in January of this year.

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?

I love both equally. But I recognize as I get older, the marathon births are taking longer to recover from. I pursued LCCE so I could continue supporting births after I “retire” from active doula work.
 

Robin Douthit, LCCE, CD(DONA), CLC, MA

Manhattan, NY

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?

They compliment each other beautifully. Being a doula means I am sharing important information about my client's labor with them, which requires that I have a strong foundational understanding of the anatomy and physiology of birth, that's the educational aspect.  When I am teaching one of my Lamaze classes, I talk quite a bit about how good support is crucial in order to have a positive labor experience, and I show how doula support (or having a friend or loved one support you the way a doula would) can have a huge positive influence in the way their birth experience will play out and how they will think about and process it in the future.

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?

I used to!  In my earlier years as a doula I spent a lot of time playing "catch up" with my clients while they were in labor, trying to explain what labor was while labor was happening, and that didn't work  because they were too busy doing the work to process the "why" of labor pain and it became clear to me that I had to take off my 'childbirth educator hat" and focus on providing emotional and physical support.  After I'd had too many experiences like that I decided to become a Lamaze educator so that I could reach them sooner and better prepare them for what's ahead! 

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

I was a doula first, and it was that work that inspired me to become a Lamaze educator.

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?

Oh wow, that's difficult to answer... I have times when I do appreciate one more than the other and I am learning to be more thoughtful about when and how much I should take on of both so that I don't burn out from doing way too much of either. Honestly, I think I love both equally, being an educator makes me a better doula, and being a doula makes me a better educator... because I pour out so much of myself doing both, each fulfills me in ways that make me think I will want to do both for many years to come.  It's such good work!
 

Liz Hochman, CD(DONA), CLE, LCCE

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?

When I am actively doulaing, I have my finger on the pulse of current birthing trends and policies at area hospitals/birth centers. I can help my students navigate their choices and options from current knowledge. Plus I've likely been in the birth room with the provider they have chosen and can offer insight on what questions they may want to ask at their next visit or prepare them for the ways in which their birth preferences will be received at their chosen birth location.  

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?

It is challenging when I'm doulaing a family that I have also educated that they do not see me as their educator in the birth room. They often times have grown accustom to asking me questions and getting clear answers. When I'm in the birth room I have to remind them that staying within my doula scope means that I can help them formulate their questions but am not the one with the answers to their medical questions. 

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

I was a doula for 4 years before I became an educator. 

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?

I love them both for different reasons. When I'm burned out being on call for so many years, I prefer the predictability of class times and being 'done' with work when the class is over. When I'm tired of hustling/marketing to get the classes full I appreciate the ease of which my doula clients come to me (repeats, past students, or word of mouth) and I like being able to give them my undivided attention.  
 

Jenn Fontaine, CD/PCD(DONA), BDT(DONA), CLE, LCCE

Winnipeg, Canada

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?

They work perfectly together in my opinion.  Both professions require continuing education, so I am always staying up to date.  Being at births helps me know the culture of the hosptials and that makes me a better instructor and being an instructor helps me better serve my clients with where to gather information.

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?

I make sure that I keep my roles separate.  Many people do hire me to be their doula and their childbirth educator though- but it's easy during the birth to keep to the doula role for me.

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

I was a doula first, for a few years.

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?

At different times in my life, I like one over the other!  I love being able to schedule classes, but supporting clients through the birth process is amazing as well.
 

Andrea Lythgoe, LCCE

Salt Lake City, Utah

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?

They absolutely complement each other. Clients need the evidence-based information from a quality childbirth class, and they also need labor support. Being trained and prepared for both roles can help me provide a broader continuity of care.

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?

Not really. As long as you remember that you don't need to be all things to all people all the time, it becomes easier to set and hold boundaries with your work.

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

Started as an educator in 1997, started doula work 1999, joined Lamaze 2007 - interpret that how you will.

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?

That's like trying to choose which is my favorite child! Both are incredibly rewarding, but the hours are definitely better as an LCCE.
 

Amy Julian, RN, LCCE, PCD(DONA)
Canton/Akron, Ohio

Q1: How do you think being a doula and an LCCE complement each other?  

I think that the educational component of the doula's role is vital.  Being an LCCE keeps me up to date on the latest evidence-based information to share with my doula clients.  Attending births helps me to better relate to my students and to see first-hand what information might be most valuable to them.

Q2: Do you have any challenges in keeping your roles separate?   

I find that many of my childbirth education students want to hire me as their doula though I never actively try to recruit them. Because we discuss the value of labor support in class and because I teach mostly privately and in small groups, we often develop a report and they feel comfortable with me so it feels like a natural extension of my role to them.  I always hand out a list of area doulas even if I am available because I feel it is important for them to find a doula who is the best fit for them.

Q3: Which profession did you do first?

I was a postpartum doula first and found that the client education was my favorite part of the job.  I then did my Lamaze workshop followed by my birth doula training.

Q4.  Do you favor one over the other?  Why?   

While I very much enjoy attending births and I feel it makes me a better educator,  teaching is by far my favorite role.

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