Inside scoop on being a doula (in Israel)?

Hi. I am interested in becoming a doula but before I persue it I wanted to know if anyone can give me some insight as to what it's really like being a doula. How compatible is it with having a couple of young needy children at home? What does the training entail and cost? How much can you make? Is it a good parnassa? Do you find that you start to feel burnt out at some point? What attributes do you think contribute to the making of a good doula?
Any insight it welcome. Thanks!

Best person to speak to is Sarah Goldstein (I think in Neve Yaakov). She is the author or Special Deliveries and More Special Deliveries.
She also trains doulas. I think her course is pretty reasonably priced. It meets once a week for a few months. After three births, you can gain certification for the international doula organization....

One of my friends took her course. She has young children and about practicing. (Especially after my birth!)

A doula needs to be available at all hours of the day. Women don't go into labor on schedule.
With young children, you have to worry about babysitting, Shabbos (even if you decide to tell your clients you can't go with them on Shabbos as my doula did, what happens when the labour starts Thursday night and ends 3 hours before Shabbos and you have nothing made??)

Money all depends on how good you are Wink

. It can be a good extra income if you do one birth a month. But it only amounts to a few hundred dollars...

One woman I know, gave classes as long as she had young children and only started actually coaching once the kids were bigger. This is probably a better option since the timing is more predictable.

If you would like more information, feel free to PM me Smile

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Gold Member Joined: Jan 01 2007 Posts: 2430

I took Sarah's course a few years ago. Its a great thorough course and I would highly reccomend it. To correct the above poster, you dont get certification after 3 births - you have to do some essay writing, do a lot of reading, fill the requirements of being in certain situations (miniman 3 births, but might be about 5-7 in the end) and a few other tests etc before you can apply for certification. Its not automatically granted after 3 births. She teaches the DONA course - google it.

I can't imagine doing it with small children - either your ladies or children will feel compromised at some point, - its hard enough with older children.

Parnosa - its not about the parnosa its about the cause. The amount of hours I put itnto my ladies doesnt come close to what I charge - but if I charged by hour, noone could afford it! If you do it for parnosa you will be left feeling dissatsisfied. If you help a woman thru a birth that leaves her on a huge high - THAT is what should be important to you. The parnosa is secondary.

Burnt out? Depends on why you are doing it in the first place. Sometimes after a couple of not so "high" births I can feel a bit weary, but after a couple of weeks roll around I am missing the sounds smell and sights of the cheder leida!

Executive Member Joined: Jul 13 2009 Posts: 328

I have "doulad" with small children, but I was only able to do it because of an amazing support system (husband AND neighbor) and I only accepted one client at a time, so they were very spread out. Go for Sarah's course if you really want to do it - it's great!