BirthWorks has sent me a list of discounts that they're offering to people who want to attend the Childbirth Educator training in Syracuse October 8-10th:
Join Now and Receive Discounts!*
BirthWorks Doula & Educator Workshops:
$45 off within three months
$35 off within two months
$15 off within one month
And/Or
Bring a friend and each receive $20 off workshop fee
Dual Doula Certification Discount
Receive 20% off certification fee if currently certified by another national doula certification program.
Must send proof of certification.
BirthWorks Modified Childbirth Educator Certification
Receive 15% discount if currently certified by another national childbirth education certification program.
Must send proof of current certification.
BirthWorks Dual Program Discount
If you are currently in a BirthWorks certification program (childbirth educator/doula) and joining a second BirthWorks program, receive $50 off your certification fee.
*Contact the BirthWorks office 1-888-TO BIRTH(862-4784) to receive discounts. All discounted fees are nonrefundable.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Answering the Call
Eight o'clock Thursday morning, my phone rang. A lady, who had emailed me days prior looking for a doula, was in labor. We hadn't met. I had things to do. I wasn't "on-call," as I didn't have any clients who were due soon, but there was a need.
We talked a little on the phone and I realized that if I didn't go, it was entirely possible that she would be having this baby alone. In a hospital, yes, but without someone who was there to support her. So I chose to literally... answer the call.
I got people to watch my children, called my husband to let him know I was leaving, stopped to put gas in the van and drove the hour from Syracuse to Watertown, to the hospital to sit with her. And sit I did. I stayed from 10am Thursday morning until 4am Friday morning. Thankfully, her husband was able to come Thursday evening, and the two of us supported her through the birth of their baby. Driving home Friday morning, I thought about how I felt called to support women and their families during this life-changing experience.
What I did was something that doulas all over the world do every day. Someone calls, needing support, and they go.
Penny Simkin, who may well be considered the mother of the doula profession, teaches her doulas that how a woman feels during her labor, how she's supported is something that she never forgets. Details of the memory may change over time, but the feelings stay the same. What I do, and what doulas the world over do, is try to protect that memory, to help women and their partners feel nurtured, supported, empowered and loved.
I'm grateful for other doulas. The ones who started years ago when the idea of labor support was unheard of. The ones who are practicing today. Who serve families who can afford to pay and those who can't. Who can make teen moms feel like they're being taken seriously. Who hold the hands of moms who are in the hospital alone. Who serve dads by getting them a drink and suggesting ways to help their partner. Who show hospitals and OBs that quietly supporting laboring women makes a difference in birth outcomes. Who "answer the call."
We talked a little on the phone and I realized that if I didn't go, it was entirely possible that she would be having this baby alone. In a hospital, yes, but without someone who was there to support her. So I chose to literally... answer the call.
I got people to watch my children, called my husband to let him know I was leaving, stopped to put gas in the van and drove the hour from Syracuse to Watertown, to the hospital to sit with her. And sit I did. I stayed from 10am Thursday morning until 4am Friday morning. Thankfully, her husband was able to come Thursday evening, and the two of us supported her through the birth of their baby. Driving home Friday morning, I thought about how I felt called to support women and their families during this life-changing experience.
What I did was something that doulas all over the world do every day. Someone calls, needing support, and they go.
Penny Simkin, who may well be considered the mother of the doula profession, teaches her doulas that how a woman feels during her labor, how she's supported is something that she never forgets. Details of the memory may change over time, but the feelings stay the same. What I do, and what doulas the world over do, is try to protect that memory, to help women and their partners feel nurtured, supported, empowered and loved.
I'm grateful for other doulas. The ones who started years ago when the idea of labor support was unheard of. The ones who are practicing today. Who serve families who can afford to pay and those who can't. Who can make teen moms feel like they're being taken seriously. Who hold the hands of moms who are in the hospital alone. Who serve dads by getting them a drink and suggesting ways to help their partner. Who show hospitals and OBs that quietly supporting laboring women makes a difference in birth outcomes. Who "answer the call."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
We Always Knew Women Were Amazing
This video, from the Mother's Advocate website, shows us ancient images of women giving birth. Throughout history, women have given birth with the assistance of other women. Only recently has birth taken place in hospitals, with male doctors. It is my belief that in most instances, the best place for a woman to give birth is at home or in a freestanding birth center, with midwives and doulas in attendance.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Good Things Are Happening!
Things are really picking up with the CNY Doula Connection group! We had a good planning meeting this past Wednesday; we managed to work on our brochure and plan several fall events. We're definitely going to be at the "Yeah Baby!" Expo at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool on September 26th, so come see us there. After the event, we've scheduled two outreach events for potential clients to hang out with us and meet our members.
A new doula who just moved to the area was at the meeting. She needs two more births so she can send in her DONA certification and is interested in helping teen moms. If you know a mom in Syracuse who could use some extra support for her birth, let me know and I'll get you her info.
Our next business meeting is Wednesday, August 25th. It is open to any local, independant doulas (not affiliated with a doula agency) who may be interested in joining our network. If you are a doula who is interested in attending, you can email cnydoulaconnection@gmail.com
Today, Doula Chris Herrera and I are heading up to Watertown to have lunch with a group of pregnant mamas. They'll be able to ask us their pregnancy and birth questions and learn about what the Doula Connection has to offer. Hopefully, some of them will be interested in our services.
The other exciting thing is that in just under eight weeks, BirthWorks Childbirth Educator training is coming to Syracuse. You can learn more about becoming a BirthWorks educator and how to sign up for the workshop by visiting http://www.birthworks.org/ I'll be attending, along with other local Birth Professionals.
A new doula who just moved to the area was at the meeting. She needs two more births so she can send in her DONA certification and is interested in helping teen moms. If you know a mom in Syracuse who could use some extra support for her birth, let me know and I'll get you her info.
Our next business meeting is Wednesday, August 25th. It is open to any local, independant doulas (not affiliated with a doula agency) who may be interested in joining our network. If you are a doula who is interested in attending, you can email cnydoulaconnection@gmail.com
Today, Doula Chris Herrera and I are heading up to Watertown to have lunch with a group of pregnant mamas. They'll be able to ask us their pregnancy and birth questions and learn about what the Doula Connection has to offer. Hopefully, some of them will be interested in our services.
The other exciting thing is that in just under eight weeks, BirthWorks Childbirth Educator training is coming to Syracuse. You can learn more about becoming a BirthWorks educator and how to sign up for the workshop by visiting http://www.birthworks.org/ I'll be attending, along with other local Birth Professionals.
Monday, August 9, 2010
All sorts of ways to find me...
This afternoon I got a call from a lady who found my contact info at http://www.greenpeople.org/ Their site is an online directory of eco-friendly products and services. I have a listing there because as a doula, I promote and support people who are interested in natural birthing and parenting.
In the past 30 days, at http://www.doulamatch.net/ my name has appeared in search results 52 times. My profile there has been viewed 12 times and 4 people have clicked on the link for my website.
www.mothering.com/discussions is the web's largest parenting discussion board. My business listing in their WAHMarket forum has been viewed 1,499 times.
At http://www.drmoz.com/NYdoulasinnewyork.html I have one of the big listings.
On facebook, you can find me by searching for Syracuse Natural Parenting Support. At the present, my page has 62 "likers."
All of these are ways that I make my presence known online. Most of them are free.
I've also bought ad space in the Holistic Resource Guide and Family Times. Buying ad space isn't something that I do regularly, but recently I've been offered good deals to do so.
As a transplant to the Syracuse area, a concern I had was how people would find me. I almost joined up with the local doula agency because of this concern. After I met with the owner of the agency, I knew that I didn't want to work under someone else. If I had chose to work with the agency, clients wouldn't be able to call me first; they would have to call the agency and talk to the owner/other doula, who would most likely end up with their business. I wanted people to be able to contact me directly.
To avoid having to work for someone else (and pay them a big chunk of what I make), I've put a lot of effort into marketing. If there's somewhere online that I can place an ad, I do it. Everyone I run into ends up hearing about the work I do and if they know someone who's pregnant, I put a business card in their hand. Two of my recent clients were ladies that I met at the YMCA.
If you're a doula whose business needs a pick-me-up, make sure that you're utilizing every available free advertising resource. Tell everyone you know that you "still have room for clients in the fall." Make friends with local childbirth instructors, yoga teachers, LLL leaders, etc. And most of all, don't be shy about telling people why you love what you do.
In the past 30 days, at http://www.doulamatch.net/ my name has appeared in search results 52 times. My profile there has been viewed 12 times and 4 people have clicked on the link for my website.
www.mothering.com/discussions is the web's largest parenting discussion board. My business listing in their WAHMarket forum has been viewed 1,499 times.
At http://www.drmoz.com/NYdoulasinnewyork.html I have one of the big listings.
On facebook, you can find me by searching for Syracuse Natural Parenting Support. At the present, my page has 62 "likers."
All of these are ways that I make my presence known online. Most of them are free.
I've also bought ad space in the Holistic Resource Guide and Family Times. Buying ad space isn't something that I do regularly, but recently I've been offered good deals to do so.
As a transplant to the Syracuse area, a concern I had was how people would find me. I almost joined up with the local doula agency because of this concern. After I met with the owner of the agency, I knew that I didn't want to work under someone else. If I had chose to work with the agency, clients wouldn't be able to call me first; they would have to call the agency and talk to the owner/other doula, who would most likely end up with their business. I wanted people to be able to contact me directly.
To avoid having to work for someone else (and pay them a big chunk of what I make), I've put a lot of effort into marketing. If there's somewhere online that I can place an ad, I do it. Everyone I run into ends up hearing about the work I do and if they know someone who's pregnant, I put a business card in their hand. Two of my recent clients were ladies that I met at the YMCA.
If you're a doula whose business needs a pick-me-up, make sure that you're utilizing every available free advertising resource. Tell everyone you know that you "still have room for clients in the fall." Make friends with local childbirth instructors, yoga teachers, LLL leaders, etc. And most of all, don't be shy about telling people why you love what you do.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Sweet Little Repeats!
The organizers of the Sweet Little Repeats consignment sale are being kind enough to allow me to have an information table at their sale at the East Area YMCA at the end of this month.
Please come out to see me, hang out, shop the sale.
If you have things to get rid of and want to be a consigner, you can sign up at http://www.sweetlittlerepeats.com/
The sale is August 27-29th.
Please come out to see me, hang out, shop the sale.
If you have things to get rid of and want to be a consigner, you can sign up at http://www.sweetlittlerepeats.com/
The sale is August 27-29th.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
BirthWorks
For the next step in my education, I'm tossing around the idea of becoming certifed as a childbirth educator through an organization called BirthWorks. I'm definitely going to take their training workshop, as I think they offer a lot of information that I could use with clients.
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