Apprenticeships

Labor of Love offers apprenticeships to aspiring doulas and an extra pair of hands to our labor doulas if parents desire to include them.

If you are a new doula... who wishes to be involved in our apprentice program, please read the requirements below and contact Teresa for more information.
One of the requirements of being an apprentice is assisting Teresa,with a Birthing In Awareness Childbirth Series. This offers a new doula a new perspective in childbirth education that all the doulas of Labor of Love have shared. We feel this is an important approach to supporting women.

Although we support women in whatever choice of childbirth education they choose, since so many of our clients do take the classes we offer, it is important for an apprentice to understand this approach. We only have one apprentice per childbirth series. You may begin the apprentice program without having completed the childbirth apprenticeship if a class series is not available for you to have completed, if you have read the book Birthing From Within and have observed some of the techniques that are used within the method. But ideally we would like you to participate in this area of the apprenticeship.

The next step to apprenticeship is to have attended a certifying organizations doula training. We all are either certified with CAPPA or DONA. One of our apprentices has completed her training through ALACE. But we feel it is important if you are looking to become an doula to have completed the certifying training.These apprentice births can even act as your qualifying births toward certification. This step shows your seriousness toward becoming a doula. This investment we feel is a good one.

The final step to being an apprentice is to attend births as an assistant to one of the LOL doulas. After attending a few births and completing your training toward certification through either CAPPA, DONA, ALACE or BIRTHWORKS, you may choose to begin to do "solo" births while being a part of this apprenticeship with LOL doulas backing you up. It is up to you how many births you feel you want to attend with another doula before beginning to "solo". You are not bound by any limitations of building your own practice once you have completed you apprenticeship with Labor of Love. This apprentice program does not commit you to becoming a Labor of Love Woman of Love in any way.

New doulas who have attended the childbirth series, completed their training for certification to become labor doulas and have shadowed an experienced doula may then be invited to join the collaboration of Labor of Love Doula and Childbirth Services, Inc. This is dependent on several things- how busy our practice is, where you live and want to do births, and how you fit into our practice with matching philosophies. Or you may choose to act as a solo practicing doula during this time. There are no financial covenants or restrictions placed on you at all because you have taken the opportunity to apprentice with us. As a new doula working with Labor of Love, you may be offering your services at a reduced rate with the expertise of the experienced LOL doulas providing help and education along the way as well as back up services, if you join Labor of Love's practice. Increases in your rates for doula services will be based on experience.

As an expectant couple...you may choose to allow an apprentice to attend your birth with your doula at no additional cost. But this is totally up to you. This is totally based on availability of apprentice doulas as well. Meeting the apprentice and making a decision after that meeting is a great way to determine if you feel you would benefit in this addition to your labor team. We will not include an apprentice without your prior permission. You may choose to include an apprentice without having met her, as a way to increase the amount of help you are to receive at your birth.

Your primary doula is the doula who will be guiding you along at your birth. The role of the apprentice is to act as her helper, not her replacement. Her role is one of learning by doing but only under the guidance of the more experienced doula.

Apprentice doulas are desiring to attend births along with your LOL doula. These doulas may also be ready to begin to do births on their own as well at a reduced rate. The beginning rate for one of our newest doulas who have completed their apprenticeship and would then have Labor of Love Doulas as their back up in case of a conflict, is $450.00. These would be doulas who have completed their doula training, have apprenticed with more experienced doulas within Labor of Love and are working towards the completion of their certification.

Labor of Love is one of the only true mentoring- apprenticeship labor doula companies around. We offer our apprentices an opportunity to work along side by side with a more seasoned and experienced doula. Your primary doula is just that- the one responsible for doulaing for you. But the apprentice is an extra pair of hands to help you as well. Our apprentices have completed their doula certification training. They have attended a childbirth series with Teresa, Pam or Guina. They are there to observe and assist the primary doula.

Many times these apprentices are also using their attendance and involvement at this birth as one of their three certifying births that they must attend in order to complete their certification. But they are not there as the primary doula – they are somewhat invisible when they are not needed but highly advantageous to have in some situations. If your labor is really long, she can tag team during less needy times and allow your primary doula a break for food or rest. They can offer massage alongside of the primary doula. They can be there to hold a video camera or catch photos from a different angle. They can offer support to other family members- if you plan to have a child attend or have a partner or parent who may need some extra support.

You can occasionally meet our current apprentices at the upcoming tea. If you don’t meet the doula apprentice, you can speak to her on the phone and issue your invitation at that time. If you have her come to your birth and feel it is too much support, then she can easily be asked to leave. Her feelings are not hurt at all. She understands this is your day and you need to feel most comfortable during this time with everyone around you.

All you have to do in order to include an apprentice in on your birth is let your primary doula know. She will call the apprentice and check on her availability. If they are available, they will do their best to commit to being at your birth. Thanks for considering this option and we look forward to assisting you in your upcoming births soon! Take care and call Teresa if you have any questions regarding this fabulous program we offer- 770-923-6914.

Call of email Teresa to determine if we have any current apprentices.

The other doulas in our group can be found on our home page: www.alaboroflove.org. Labor of Love is always looking to add some new apprentices along the way.