My New Job

I apologize for not updating my blog in a long time...BUT...I do have a very good excuse! I accepted a job as the Doula Director for a local hospital. The program has been in existence for 15 years, and is one of only 10 hospital-based doula programs in the country. A few months ago, I did a presentation at this hospital on The Bradley Method (the method of childbirth education I teach). My talk was well-received, and when the director of 15 years decided to leave her job, she asked me if I'd consider applying for it. Ben and I talked about it...a lot...and then we talked some more...and then some more...we just didn't know if it would work for our family. 85% of the work I do from home, and then I go in for a few hours 2 days per/week (which I can even do on nights and weekends). So it is VERY flexible. I expressed to them my reservations about how the job would work with my family life, and they asked me to give it a try for 3 months. So Ben and I agreed that I would try it for 3 months.

I am currently on week 3...week 1 was incredibly overwhelming. People encouraged me to keep my chin up...they told me that the first week of any job is the hardest. The second and third weeks have been easier.

Already in the 3 weeks I've been in the position, I've taken the calendar the doulas use to manage their shifts and have put it online so that they can access it at any time (they used to just sign up on a hard copy of a calendar at the hospital). Now they can view the calendar online and call or email me their desired shifts. I've also helped at a few births which have been really really neat!

I am currently in charge of about 30 women, and I'm working at recruiting and interviewing 20 more for our upcoming training in May. The candidates we accept will go through a doula training with Birth Arts International at the hospital. They pay a small fee for their training, and the hospital subsidizes the rest of the cost in exchange for the doulas volunteering for 1 shift per/week for a year. The doulas benefit by gaining clinical experience, and the hospital benefits because patient satisfaction increases, and doulas make nurses jobs easier!

For those of you who are reading this and wondering what a doula is, it's a greek word that has come to mean a woman who offers another woman continuous uninterrupted support through her labor. Studies have shown that the presence of a trained labor doula greatly reduces medical interventions, cesarean sections, and birth trauma. As someone who has had 2 unmedicated births, I know from experience how encouraging it can be to have a doula...I have had a midwife, a doula, and my husband at both births (same exact birth team for both, as a matter of fact!)

I have lots of ideas on how to improve the program, and I am excited (though admittedly a bit intimidated) about taking on this new challenge. Wish me luck! My next project is planning the doula banquet and recognition night...I need to organize food, engraved gifts, invitations, the banquet hall...I am trying not to stress about it!