CT Birth Doula: Finding the right fit.
A CT birth or post partum doula is there for you, so when hiring a CT birth and post partum doula, think about it—what do YOU need to feel most supported? Start with the technical stuff: location, pricing, services offered. And then start thinking about values, ways they can support you, skills that are important to you, what others have said.
While I may be a doula I’ve also hired two birth doulas. Both came to me while finishing certifications—and this was really important to me. As I birth a new baby, they birth a new transition in their career.
It feels very reciprocal, and as someone that has always had a lot of knowledge around birth, and babies, having someone super experienced was never something I felt I needed. True curiosity, being able to feel seen, those things mattered to me so much more when finding doulas or midwives.
You can have all the tools in the toolbox, know all the clinical skills, but if you don’t know something, you need to say I don’t know, and I want to figure this out. The inability to have this honest conversation with me as a patient, and as a client has led me to fire a few doctors. No doctor, no midwife, no doula is going to have all the answers—but having a curious mind, and an honest approach will help them be able to answer any question thoughtfully, and honestly.
First step in hiring a CT birth doula would be to sit down, and have this same honest conversation with yourself: what is most important to you? How do you want to feel in their care? What values are important to you that you need to talk about, and see if they align with? Map these out on paper, and use key terms from this map to start Googling, and asking in parenting groups.
While the CT doula community doesn’t have the biggest SEO and website presence, parenting groups, and Google will definitely provide some options. I always consider location first, less than an hour away is ideal. After that go down the list of must have’s you’ve created: values, price points, services offered…
I’m a big fan of continuous services so someone who can offer prenatal, birth, and post partum CT doula services, plus lactation consulting—huge win in my book. When hiring a CT birth doula, what you’ll learn quickly is having someone involved in perinatal care, not just those first 7-8 months, and the birth, means having someone that deeply knows you, and can support you even more.
While the value in birth and prenatal care is so obvious: preparing for birth, having support throughout the pregnancy, and birth that is solely focused on you, post partum care is just as important.
There’s always the obvious concern here: post partum depression, anxiety, and more. I don’t need to focus on that, it’s something so many people are focused on. What I care about is breaking down some facts about post partum doulas and what they can offer you.
A CT post partum doula isn’t just for childcare, and newborn care—overnights to help you sleep, a few hours a day of support so you can shower, take a walk by yourself, what have you. It’s someone who can help with household chores, caring for the pets, buying groceries, and prepping meals, getting laundry taken care of… It’s a support person that is there to support you at this vulnerable time.
So when thinking about a CT birth doula, and post partum doula, think about what do you need to feel on top of the world at this time. Make that list, ignore what your partner(s) or co-parent(s) might need, what the kids need—that is not who this is for. This is about caring for you so that you can be at your best to take care of them. What do you need?