Whats stopping someone...

[Deesalie]

from caling themselves a doula? Considering there is no "formal", recognisable qualification. If a doula is a womans servant, or birth companion, then provided she had some sort of knowledge and passion for birth, then couldn't she do it?

Obviously, a client would feel more comfortable knowing her doula had done some sort of training...

I guess it's the same for a lay midwife.

Just thinking out loud

[possum]

Nothing i guess. But if a women wants to make sure her Doula had completed a recognised course she can always check the Australian Doula Registry website or Optimum Birth they have alist of all student and registered Doulas

[justincredible]

That's not to say that someone who hasn't been trained as a doula can't act in the same capacity as a doula.

In my last birth, I had three women with me who I called my doulas, but I think only 2 of them had done any formal training as such.

The whole idea of doula-ing, is to support the mother, and for some women that comes naturally, and there's no need to do a course. I don't necessarily think that women who have completed the course are going to be any better at doing what I need of them in birth.

It comes down to the individual woman, not the qualification.