What is a Doula?

A Doula is a trained professional who provides expert guidance as a service to others through a significant transition or health-related experience such as pregnancy, childbirth, miscarriage, induced abortion or still born, as well as end of life. Guidance includes emotional, physical, education and sometimes spiritual support.

Are Doulas required to be insured?

To uphold quality standards of practicing as a professionally trained doula, your doula has the option to be insured. I carry malpractice insurance as well as professional liability insurance for peace of mind.

What is the scope of practice of a birth doula?

A doula works directly for the family that hires them. The role of the doula is to get to know the birthing person and their team, to educate and provide resources to support the healthiest and most preferred outcome of the birthing period as well as physical support through stages of labor.

The doula encourages self trust for the birthing person, providing physical support such as massage, positioning, other techniques and be the keeper of the sacred birthing space.

Emotional support and sometimes spiritual support is provided by way of cheering on, listening to preferences, implementing observations (from time spent and data collection sessions) to best custom-tailor the birthing person’s experience with their personality and life experience in mind.

The doula does not replace any birthing companion or partner, rather, guides and encourages the support person through properly equipping them prior to birth as well as within the sacred time of laboring.

What is the scope of practice for a postpartum doula?

A postpartum doula is an emotional support person through the transition of adding a new baby into the picture. Doula ensures the birthing person processes their birth healthily, listens to their needs and questions, checks on mental health aspects, guides and assists through learning breastfeeding techniques, encourages family to accept help and set proper boundaries to feel best supported, affirms family through learning curve. Doula may also enlist in light house work, light nutritional meal prep, tending to baby during mother’s self care. A postpartum doula is not a nanny or housekeeper.

What if I would like a second consultation before deciding to hire a doula?

I encourage all potential clients to come to our initial consultation with their list of questions and visit my FAQ page prior to our first meeting in order to optimize time spent together. It is understandable that more questions may arise after first consultation or another family member may want to be included after discussing first meeting. I am open to an email being sent with follow ups. If you are still deciding whether to hire me and would like a second consultation, a second session can be arranged for a fee.

Do you offer a sliding scale fee?

At this time, we do not offer a sliding scale fee. Please consider our multiple payment arrangement options or email info@inbloomdoula.org for a template that can be used to enlighten family and friends on the benefits of supporting you with a gift towards your doula service(s).

Are you all certified doulas?

The Doula at your service is Samantha Johnson, who has been certified twice as a Doula- First through BEST Doula Training and again through a partner of Uzazi Village, named Jamaa Birth Village based in St. Louis, MO. She is certified as a Culturally Congruent Community Based Full Spectrum Doula- Covering fertility, pregnancy, loss, birth and postpartum. She is actively pursuing a third certification through Uzazi Village to deepen her knowledge, commit to continued education and ensuring she is a woman’s servant within her community.