Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community and gain valuable doula trainings at the same time. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing a mother smile at her newborn after you’ve helped to support her labor and birth. It is such an incredible feeling and a huge accomplishment that will enrich both your life and your community.
If you are interested in becoming a doula and want to get your foot in the door, consider participing in volunteer programs in order to acquire more experience and to develop professionally as a doula.  Here are 5 great reasons why you should make volunteer work a part of your doula training:
Advantages to Volunteering as a Doula in Training
1) Get mentored by experienced doulas:  If you are thinking about becoming a doula or if you are just starting out as a doula, receiving mentorship from a more experienced doula is critical to your career. A more seasoned doula can show you the ropes of being a doula and help you gain more skills.  It is much easier to learn from the personal guidance from another doula than if you were training and learning by yourself.
2) Gain valuable training that is free of charge: Â Receiving training as a doula is not cheap. Â Many certification programs charge $500 or more for training, but volunteering is entirely free!
3) Real world, hands-on training: Getting practical, real world experience is invaluable to someone who wants to be a professional doula. Potential clients make hiring decisions based how much real experience a doula has, no on how many books she has read. Volunteers have a very easy time getting hands-on training by offering to assist and support expectant mothers for their labor and birth. Mothers seeking a doula will get free assistance while you receive real world training; it’s a win-win situation.
4) Train at your own pace: If you’re like most people, you may have a busy daily schedule. There are bills to pay and kids to get ready, so you need doula training to be flexible. Volunteering empowers you to be flexible with your time and you get to decide when you want to work and train.
5) Getting referrals and engaging in networking: If you volunteer at a birth center or a specialized hospital, you will be surrounded by expectant mothers. Take advantage of the situation, by networking and building contacts for your business. If a client is happy with your volunteer services, be sure to get a recommendation or referral from them to help grow your career as a doula.
Kyndal May is a certified doula with over 20 years of experience helping train doulas across the United States. She has received her certification from DONA (Doulas of North America) and has dedicated her career to supporting families during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum. With her extensive knowledge and experience, she is committed to providing compassionate and personalized care to every family she works with. In addition to her work as a doula, Kyndal is also a passionate advocate for women’s health and birth rights. She has spent many years educating and empowering families to make informed decisions about their birth experience. She also uses her experience to help train other doulas, passing on her knowledge and skills to the next generation of birth workers. With her dedication to her clients and her profession, Kyndal is a respected and valued member of the doula community.