What is a Professional Doula?

Have you heard the term before? A Professional Doula. What exactly does that mean? The term can have a different meaning depending on who you ask. I'll explain what this means to us, and how deeply professionalism is ingrained in our business.

First, the definition of Professional from Mirriam Webster:

1. 1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
   
   
2. 2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs professional golfer> b : having a particular profession as a permanent career professional soldier> c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>
   
   

All of these definitions are what make up Tree of Life Birth and Beyond Team Members.

We,
1- uphold a strong ethical standard
2- always exhibit a courteous and businesslike manner in our workplace. Our workplace is; our office, our client's birth place (hospital, birth center, home) and anywhere else our role as a doula might take us
3- charge a living wage for the work we do
4- operate a legal business
5- are trained in the profession and continue to further our education on a regular basis
6- operate with honesty and strong moral values

How does this make a difference for YOU?

When we enter your place of birth, we greet the staff or your care team with a smile, friendliness and respect. For those who may not be familiar with our role, we will explain some of the things we might provide for you and your partner. We set the tone for your support team, which is, "we are here to work together". This is received exceptionally well with your care providers and they actually look forward to working with us.

Being a Professional Doula also means that we are continually building relationships and working together in a positive tone. Even when professionals have differences, we remain cordial and respectful.

We enjoy collaboration with professional community members. We are constantly asking ourselves, "How can we make our community better?" "How can we meet the needs of our community?" "How can we leave clients incredibly satisfied with our services" "How can we build a relationship with a care provider who isn't exactly thrilled when a doula is present at a birth?" These questions are the driving force behind daily efforts to provide the best services and care possible.

We love building the bridge between medical professionals and doulas. Doing this directly impacts YOU. When you have a team that works hard to enhance professional relationships, you truly will have a supportive pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

"As a medical professional, I have worked with Rachel and can without a doubt say she is a wealth of information and is truly an asset to any parent to be. Rachel and Hillary are two of the sweetest and most capable people I know." -Dr. Ruela

We are business women. We are entrepreneurs. We are compassionate and we love the work we do down to our very core. We love serving families. We love seeing our clients accomplish something huge. We love being there at the end of one road and the beginning of another. We love the relationships we have built with care providers. We take pride in our excellent reputation. We love being Professional Doulas.

Signed,
Your Professional Doula
Rachel

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