Looking for a Doula? Here's How to Find One.
Congratulations! By choosing to have a doula help you in your journey towards motherhood, you’ve made a choice to have a healthier and empowering birth. Finding a doula, especially with the help of the internet, can be an enjoyable and easy experience.
When I went on my great search, I sent off emails to as many local doulas as I could, corresponded with them via email, asked a few questions that were important to me, and from that, decided who I’d like to speak on the phone, and finally, meet in person. I met my doula in a coffee shop, and decided to hire her after I went home and confirmed with my husband that he also felt she was the right one for us.
You may decide to interview just one doula, or you may meet with four doulas before you find a good match. I emailed with several doulas, spoke on the phone with four different doulas, met with two, and hired the second doula I interviewed.
Have fun on your search!
Several websites have directories of doulas. You can check out websites, get email addresses or phone numbers.
Birth Partners – Doulas
http://www.birthpartners.com
Doula Network
http://www.doulanetwork.com
DoulaWorld.com
http://www.doulaworld.com
The Labor of Love Pregnancy and Parenting Search Engine
http://www.thelaboroflove.com/websearch/links/Services/Doulas/
Another way to find a doula is to request a list of doulas from the different doula certification organizations. You can give them a quick phone call, or send them an email. On their websites, sometimes there’s a special section with lists of doulas.
ALACE – The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators
P.O. Box 382724
Cambridge, MA 02238
(617) 441-2500
E-mail: alacehq@aol.com
http://www.alace.org
BBI – Birth and Bonding International
1126 Solano Ave.
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 527-2121
E-mail: bbint@flash.net
http://www.birthbonding.org
Birthing From Within®
123 Wellesley SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 254-4884
E-mail: contact@birthingfromwithin.com
http://www.birthpower.com
Birth Works
PO Box 2045
Medford, NJ 08055
1-888-TO-BIRTH (1-888-862-4784) E-mail: info@birthworks.org
http://www.birthworks.org
CAPPA – Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association
PO Box 491448
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
1-888-548-3672
E-mail: info@cappa.net
http://www.cappa.net
CEF – Childbirth Enhancement Foundation
1004 George Ave.
Rockledge, FL 32955
(321) 631 - 9977
E-mail: info@cefcares.org
http://www.cefcares.org
DONA – Doulas of North America
PO Box 626
Jasper, IN 47547
(801) 756 - 7331
E-mail: doula@dona.org
http://www.dona.org
ICEA – The International Childbirth Education Association
PO Box 20048
Minneapolis, MN 55240
(952) 854 - 8660 or 1-800-827-ICEA
E-mail: info@icea.org
http://www.icea.org
Another way to look for a local doula is to search on Google or some other search engine. Type in doula and your state or city name. Local doula organizations or personal doula websites may come up for you to check out.
Free doulas are sometimes provided by hospitals, so be sure to give them a call and ask if they have a doula program. If not, be sure to ask if they have anyone to refer. Don’t forget to call birth centers, OB/GYN and midwives, and even the local WIC government office.
Good luck and have fun on your search!
Know of another website with doula listings? Is there a dead link on this page? Please email me and let me know!
