Celebrate Doula Month!

May is International Doula Month!

Here are a few ideas of how to celebrate International Doula Month in your community:

• Have a community family picnic in the park with a big banner announcing that it is doula month! Invite all of the local doulas and birth professionals as well as lots of happy families :)
• Ask the public library if you can use a window display area for a doula information display.
• Send a letter to the editor about doulas or about your personal experience with a doula.
• Send a present or thank you card to your doula (if you had one).
• Send a donation to a doula or birth organization.
• Wear doula t-shirts or other birthy t-shirts and carry tote bags from doula organizations.
• Ask pregnant women if they have a doula and be prepared to share information about all of the benefits of a doula.
• Send out press releases to local papers.
• Be a "day sponsor" on your public radio station.
• If you are a doula, perhaps sponsor a "contest" of some sort with doula services as the prize.
• If there is a community health fair coming up, plan a booth with information about healthy birth, doulas, midwives, and so forth. Many communities have health fairs or women's health events in the spring.
  

For some cool inspiration about promoting midwifery and homebirth in general at a public event or fair, check out this blog post from a midwife in South Australia!

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What is a doula? A doula is a non-medical labor support provider who offers her continuous emotional and physical support to women in labor, as well as information and support prenatally and postpartum. Doulas can make a huge difference in the quality of women's birth experiences, particularly in a hospital setting (research has demonstrated significantly lowered rates of interventions as well as increased satisfaction). You can read more basic information about doulas on the websites of the doula organizations DONA and CAPPA.