::Guest Post:: 5 Things I Know About Being a Professional Doula
5 Things I Know About Being a Professional Doula by Jessica Ann Dill
Professional.
What comes to mind when you think that word?
For a long time in my career it would have never been in the same sentence as the word “doula”, that’s for sure. Since raising my standards and finding my certification home with ProDoula, Professional and Doula have been in the same sentence nearly every day. You can find them on my website and hear me speak about them to nearly everyone I see.
What is a “Professional Doula”? What exactly do I know about being one?
5. Professional Doulas are CONFIDENT
Not because we are stuck up snobs. Not because we are at the “cool kids” table at lunch. But because we know we are enough! We know that we don’t need thousands of trainings and things in a bag to make us GREAT at supporting you.
We dress to impress and look our best at nearly every moment. Why? Because we are confident in our brand. Confident in our business. And confident in our capabilities.
4. Professional Doulas are NONJUDGMENTAL
You know that stigma, the one about doulas being advocates, being only for natural birth, and about them being against the medical system (you know you’ve heard them all)?
Professional Doulas aren’t any of those things. We know that the best support for new parents comes from a place of understanding and trust. The clients we work with know what’s best for their child/ren and they are adults who can make educated decisions without someone stepping in or telling them what is best.
3. Professional Doulas are LEGAL
Professional doulas know and understand the laws of their state. They have liability insurance. They have an accountant who knows them by name, as well as an attorney they can call at any time. They have contracts and know their scope of practice. They file taxes and keep track of expenses.
2. Professional Doulas DON’T BURDEN OTHERS
Free? Discounted?
NOPE.
Why?
Because professional doulas know that if we don’t get paid, it is taking money from someone else. We also know that it is taking from our family, from our friends, and from our personal lives.
We don’t burden others with our hobby. My children know when I leave for a birth, that it is my job that I get paid to do.
Professional doulas don’t burden their family with having special events alone, so they can go “love on all the babies” and soak up the feels.
1. Professional Doulas ARE THE BEST
If I haven’t convinced you enough already, I’m just going to come out and say it:
Professional Doulas ARE the BEST.
Period.
We own businesses. We have confidence. We know what attunement means and we practice it, even in our everyday lives.
We are understanding and compassionate and will fight to the end to stand up for injustice.
We speak well and write well and don’t take crap from people.
We take our businesses seriously and work with our clients and not our "mamas".
We really are the best of the best!
Being a Professional Doula is a choice you make - easy or not…it is worth every second!
Jessica Dill is the owner of Special Dilliveries, LLC and resides in the tiny town of Burlington, Indiana with her husband (Rob), 5 children (too many to name), dog (Timber), cats (Tali and Al), and slew of chickens.