As you likely know, labor and delivery are unpredictable. Nobody can tell you when labor will start or how long it will last. Our clients, for both birth and postpartum support, often ask how we can be sure we will have availability when their baby decides to arrive. Our team-based approach is the key to providing you with a seamless experience.
Back up Doulas
For better or worse the doula industry is unregulated. This means no standard understanding of what constitutes a back up doula. Now I don’t want to discredit the industry as a whole and give off the impression that others do not have adequate back up arrangements. However, before Blissful Birthing became an agency I had a difficult time finding colleagues whose back up arrangements were on par with what I felt my clients deserved. More often than not i saw “having a back up” mean one of two things:
- your name, EDD, and birthing location were mentioned in passing or via email to another doula or two and the client provided with their phone numbers if the hired doula wasn’t available.
- the hired doula would post to a number of local doula boards asking if anyone had back up availability. This was even happening when clients were in early labor!
How can the hired doula ensure an exceptional experience for their clients using either of those models?? That is why Blissful Birthing does not operate with a “traditional” back up.
How does Blissful Birthing operate?
We assign each of our birth clients a team of doulas who share an 0n-call schedule. You meet both doulas at your prenatal birth planning session. You will get to know them and vice versa. A group chat will be started between you, your partner, and your doulas to ensure there is always an open line of communication. This model provides you access to the knowledge and expertise of two doulas, as well as the comfort of knowing your on-call doula will always be well rested.
When labor begins, you will notify the doula who is on-call, someone whom you have met and developed a rapport. There are already enough unknowns when labor begins (which doctor will be attending the birth? who will your nurses be?). ‘Who will be coming to support me?’ should not be one of these uncertainties.
Related Blogs
Don’t Curse in My Delivery Room!
Placenta Encapsulation FAQ
Curb Walking to Induce Labor