On Ethics - Part 2 ~ Our Business Practices & Values

Today we would like to discuss some of our business practices and why we've chosen to conduct things the way we do.  It is important to us that we remain open with you, our clients and community members, and that you feel you can trust us.

1. All of our doulas are trained.  Michelle is certified. Sherel and Kaitlin are actively pursuing certification.  This means they are not yet certified, but are working toward that goal through continuous study and practical experience.
• Each of us has attended training workshops and/or received education through a recognized certifying body.  
• Michelle received her initial training through DONA International in 2008 at a workshop held by a certified doula and doula trainer.  Michelle continued her education through Childbirth International and has certified as a birth doula through the organization. (2012)
• Michelle has also attended a variety of professional workshops and participated in conferences for birth professionals.  Documentation is available for reference.
• Sherel has completed her first year of midwifery education through Midwives College of Utah.  This qualifies her to serve as a midwife's assistant.  She is also a birth doula student through Birth Arts International and will also be certified this year. 
• Sherel has also attended professional workshops in addition to academics.  Documentation is available.
• Kaitlin attended a DONA International training workshop in Spring 2011 and is actively pursuing certification through DONA and Birth Arts International.  
2. Certification takes time.
• We are all mothers.  Our families must come first.  Caring for our children takes up much of our time and we are proud of that fact.  We also maintain households and need to nurture family relationships.  
• No one training program is exactly the same.
• Training may consist of: a 3-day workshop, followed by required reading, a minimum number of births to attend, compilation of a resource list, audit of childbirth classes, and essay writing. (See DONA or CAPPA)
• Training may consist of: intensive academic coursework consisting of psychology, communication skills, anatomy and physiology, business practices, ethics, etc. as well as all of the above.   This may or may not include a 3-day workshop. (See Childbirth International  or Birth Arts International.)
3. We charge for our services.
• During our training as doulas, we were taught to charge for our services even before we were certified for a variety of reasons.
• We incur expenses such as childcare, transportation, food, supplies, etc.
• We spend a lot of time with our clients, meeting once a month during pregnancy and at least 2-4 times during the postpartum period.  
• We are providing a valuable service.
• We provide service as volunteers, but we also are a registered business.
4. We are a registered business in the Province of Alberta, as well as in Medicine Hat and surrounding area.  We maintain a business license for Medicine Hat as well as one for businesses with offices or practice areas outside of Medicine Hat.  This documentation is available for reference.
5. We refer to other doulas in our area and related professionals and maintain a listing of qualified professionals without prejudice.
6. We believe every family has the right to choose a support person who is right for their family and we respect their decisions.  Education, qualifications, personality, comfort level, and values are all very important aspects of that decision.  We strive to be forthright in all of our interactions with potential clients.
7. Education is important to us.  We surround ourselves with the resources necessary to stay up-to-date on evidence-based practices in birth care. 
8. We are not medical professionals and do not portray ourselves as such nor shall we ever act in that capacity as birth doulas.
9. Our practice believes every family deserves the support of a doula that they are comfortable with and are able to cultivate a relationship of trust with.  If we are not a good fit, we gladly refer to our fellow doulas in the community.  
10. We strive to maintain open, professional relationships with our colleagues.  It is our wish and our hope that families in our community feel well supported, informed and cared for by all members of the birthing team.

Inspired: An interview with Birth Source, Inc's Tracey Stolarchuk

In 2008, Michelle took a trip to Edmonton, where she had lived for three years and had given birth to both of her children.  She had been a longtime reader of Birth Issues magazine, a publication of the Association for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth (ASAC), and was excited to visit one of the advertised stores, Birth Source, Inc.  It was on that occasion that she had the great fortune to meet Tracey Stolarchuk who has been a friend, a mentor, and a great inspiration to the From Womb to Cradle family.  We are happy to share the following conversation with you, our readers, between Michelle and our friend, Tracey, who recently retired from professional doula work.

FWTC: Tell us about yourself (work, family, interests)

Tracey: I have had four children. My first son Paul was born 23 years ago, followed by Michael who is 17, Sean who is 11 and a daughter Megan who is 9. The best part of what I do as a Mom is sharing my love of Birth Source with my children. All of them are very proud of the work I do and value families and babies as much as I do. I homeschool my youngest two so they are at work with me each day as well.

FWTC: When and why did you decide to become a doula?

Tracey: I had attened several births long before learning about doulas and found that experience both very profound and rewarding. I met a woman many years later who was a postpartum doula and I was facinated with the philosophy and the opportunity to serve women and share my own experiences as a mother. She told me about the birth doula workshop that I attended and after finishing that with an amazing instructor I was hooked.

FWTC: How long did you practice? Did you work primarily in hospital or at home births? 

Tracey: My doula practice in all has spanned almost 15 years and I recently retired from professional work. Most of my clients were having their babies in the hospital but I was also very fortunate to be invited to homebirths as well.

FWTC: What motivated you to open Birth Source, Inc.?

Tracey: My professional work as a Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator meant sourcing out products for both myself and my clients. This began my quest for high quality items that would enhance the lives of birthing women and parents. I received more and more requests from customers along the way which lead to a larger retail undertaking ultimately launching the Birth Source online store. After a brief period of working from home I missed the face to face interaction with my customers and felt I could provide better service in person. My need to combine the retail and service portion of my business meant a space that accommodated both so the store front for Birth Source was born in September 2007.

FWTC: What are your favorite products?

Tracey: Hands down the most helpful product has been a baby carrier. As with many products, they have changed a lot over the years, but it ranks very high on my list of must-have products.

FWTC: What are your hopes and dreams for the future of Birth Source, Inc. and your work with families?

Tracey: Birth Source was never meant to be a single-faceted business. In fact, it was always meant to be a community resource, combining education, retail, support and community building to make the vision work. The most inspiring thing on my journey to create Birth Source has been the many, many people I have met and networked with that tell me, “Yes, this is what is missing in our community.” We need places like Birth Source to bring women back together on a mother-to-mother basis, sharing wisdom and joys and sorrows on a basic level with one another.

FWTC: Thank you so much, Tracey!  We're excited to share your business with many more families.

If you are in the Edmonton, AB area, you can visit Birth Source, Inc.'s retail location (click here for a virtual tour) at 5024 - 106 Avenue and/or call them for information on their upcoming workshops and community activities at (780) 758-2525.  Shop online at http://www.birthsource.ca


Tracey is also generously donating a Family Tree Glass "Birth Partner" Pendant to our 900th Facebook Fan Giveaway!  Thank you, Tracey!  Click here to enter the giveaway!

An Interview with Kaitlin Young, Birth Doula

We sat down with the newest doula in our practice for a brief interview so that you, our clients and friends, could learn more about her and why we feel she is such an amazing part of our team!

Tell us a little about your life aside from being a doula.

I am a stay-at-home mother of an awesome little boy and am also engaged and set to be married next year! I enjoy going to the gym and for walks and taking Zephran to the park as well. My son was born 5 weeks early with a cleft in his soft palate so he wasn't able to breastfeed directly so I pump for him, that used to take up a lot of my time before but now I don't have to pump as much!

Why did you decide to become a doula?

I decided to become a Doula after the birth of my son and realizing I couldn't have had a natural birth without the help of my Doula. They helped me learn A LOT about birth and parenting as well as to be informed on my decisions and what was in my best interest as well as my babies best interest. I realized the importance of being an informed mom to be as well as the importance of good labour support.

What do you think is the most important part of your job? 

I think the most important part of my job is to always be available and supportive, not everyone will want to do things the way I have but every woman still deserves the support and birth SHE wants. I feel another important part of my job is to help woman and families prepare for labour and parenthood and give them all the information they want and need!

How do you see your role as a doula?

I see my role as a rock metaphorically speaking. I am there to stay strong and grounded when sometimes mom and others cannot. I am there to help keep my clients grounded, to help them stay calm and centered and to aid them with coping with labour. I am also there to speak up for them when they cannot do so themselves and to offer them any information they require

What do you think the partner's role should be during labour?

I think a partners' role should also be supportive, we as doulas are there to help the partners help their labouring moms, I also think that we are there to help partners speak up for their wives/SO. We as doulas can teach partners certain massage techniques to use as well as have them help us get Mom into different positions. Some partners want to be very hands on while others don't feel as comfortable doing so!

What are the main skills and abilities you bring to a birth?

I can offer many skills and abilities to a labouring mom and her family. Firstly I am there for undivided and unconditional support. I can also offer many different massage techniques to help with contractions as well as different positions to help with speeding up labour as well. Not only do I offer physical support but also emotional support. There will be times that the mom does not think she can do it and I will be there for reassurance. I am able to stay calm and organized in chaotic situations. Also, after birth I am there to help establish breastfeeding between mom and baby. I feel that I can help many different moms in their journey through pregnancy, labour and early motherhood!

Doula Training: Did you know?

Looking for a doula?  Did you know there are several organizations that train doulas in North America and the world? There are a variety of types of birth doula training to suit both the potential doula's interests and that of the expectant parents.  Some doulas apply for certification within months after taking a doula training while others may take a few years and still others do not choose to certify.  Doulas should continuously be studying up-to-date information on pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum issues. Her training should also include a breastfeeding component.  Parents need to ask whether a potential doula has received formal training, what her training has entailed, and how much experience she has.

Below is a list of many organizations that train doulas:

ALACE/IBWP

Aviva Institute
Binah Baby (Israel)

Birth Arts International

Birthing From Within

Birth Works

CAPPA

Childbirth International

DONA International

ICEA
ISIS Birtharts

It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the above organizations to know what a potential doula's training should have included as well as the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of her training organization.  Best wishes!