toLABOR

Posted by doularama | Filed under News

One of the most important roles of a doula is to discover for a woman and her family the options that she has during labor.  In our culture we have adopted a particular birth scene outside of which few women venture.  For too many of them, there is no other option because they don’t know anything else exists.  When a woman designs her birth experience knowing what is available to her, she can really be the master of the outcome.  Even if she chooses to do what everyone else is doing, she has had a say and, therefore, power over the circumstances. 

In my ongoing quest for more information, I find that my options are somewhat limited.  Not so much because they don’t exist, but because sometimes I can’t take advantage of them.  This was the case when I decided to train with The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators (ALACE).  There were no workshops in my area and it wasn’t really possible for me to travel.  I waited a little while because I figured, this is New York City.  Why wouldn’t they want to come here soon?  Well, it turns out that they didn’t.  Madness, I tell you.  I volunteered to organize the event myself and, by the time I got my act together, ALACE had changed its name to toLABOR – The Organization of Labor Assistants for Births Options and Resources.  The training was packed and there were people left on a waiting list.  I plan to have a role in establishing the permanence of this training as an option for the aspiring doulas (and others who are interested in birth) of my area.  If you are not near New York and, for some crazy reason, you don’t plan to be, take a look at the toLABOR website to see if there’s a training scheduled near you.  If not, maybe you should consider bringing one to your area.

I have many hopes of change for our world.  I imagine I’m far from alone on that one!  One of the things I hope for is that, among the responses of doctor, firefighter, ballet dancer, teacher and singer, young children, when asked what they want to be when they grow up, will say doula.  Making good training available to doulas today will help make that a possibility for some tomorrow.  I am honored to be in a position to help.  Stay tuned for more information on that matter in the months to come.

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Permalink | July 31st, 2009

One Response to “toLABOR”

  1. Jordan Says:
    August 1st, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    This is great news. I will keep watching and sign up for the very next training. Thanks.

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