Continuum Doula
Location: Frome, Somerset (easily accessible by train, beautiful accommodation available on site)
Course Type: Birth Doula Preparation, Postnatal Doula Preparation
Cost: Cost: £600-1250 (offered on a sliding scale)
Website: www.continuumdoulatraining.co.uk/
Phone: 07886578809
Email: Contact via www.continuumdoulatraining.co.uk
Contact Name: Katherine Woodbury @Kazwoodburydoula on Instagram
Details:
Join us to explore the Continuum Doula method.
Our 5-day course has the full Doula UK core curriculum alongside an exciting workshop every afternoon with other birth professionals. You will feel comfortable, nurtured and held over the week and a catered lunch is provided for your ease. You have the option to stay on site for a small additional fee for that retreat feeling!
Our courses has no pre or post course work/requirements and you are given access to post course support materials, mentoring circles, Facebook/WhatsApp support groups and more!
We aim to be dyslexia friendly with the materials we use and the week has varied teaching styles.
Our sell out courses run 4 times per year, it costs between £600 and £1250 and it can be paid in various instalments. Included in this payment is a delicious fully catered, vege/vegan lunch. It also includes a donation that enables us to offer one free bursary place.
Our bursaried place is for a Doula to train from an underrepresented background and community that otherwise would not be able to access the training.
This place recognises all diverse experience, including (but not limited to) being part of a marginalised community, perhaps through race, culture, identity, gender, neurodiversity, disability, ethnicity or religion.
Everyone is welcome and we do all we can to make you feel safe with us.
Continuum Doulas are fiercely committed to promoting and encourage equality, diversity and inclusivity. We are actively anti racist and we are strong allies.
If you have attended an introductory workshop with Doula UK, if you book with us we will take off the fee for your Continuum Doula place.
Continuum Doulas strive to be:
- Inclusive & unbiased
- Awesome team members in the community
- Critical thinkers to help get the ‘big picture’
- Attachment aware to optimise bonding
- Trauma informed to maximise safety
- Excellent listeners
- Up to date with all aspects of CPD
- Considerate of the partners needs
- A supportive presence for the whole family
The Continuum model offers continuity of carer to the parents and deep satisfaction for the Doula.
Throughout the course Continuum Doulas will:
Understand role of the Doula- and how the Continuum Doula model differs.
- Embed the core conditions of Doulaing.
- Have time to explore their own experiences and work out any potential personal triggers.
- Enhance their listening skills.
- Begin to explore what being trauma informed means.
- Feel confident in interviews, antenatal and postnatal meetings with clients.
- Explore how we can include the birth partner and other family members.
- Create a Beaded Birth Line (with the original creator)
- Understand the stages, emotions, hormones, and the physiology of all variations of birth.
- Have the ability to work seamlessly in supporting clients in the postnatal period.
- Start to explore the Microbiome in reference to birth and infant feeding.
- Be able to recognise, support and signpost perinatal and paternal mental health problems.
- Be ready to support parents in the postnatal period exploring topics such as: baby brain development, bonding, family relationships returning to work, finding up to date information, slings, baby wearing and more.
- Have confidence with infant feeding after a session with a qualified and practicing breastfeeding counsellor. This will include all aspects of feeding, listening support knowledge of common concerns and appropriate signposting.
- Understand the importance of inclusivity- which can include discussing; neurodiversity, multiple births, birth after loss, racism and supporting the Black and Brown community, other marginalised and at-risk parent groups, LGTBQ parents, sole parents and more.
- The model is based on offering 6 antenatal and 6 postnatal meet ups- potentially working with fewer clients a year (less time on call) BUT having a higher income due the level of continuity you will offer. It’s a sustainable, family friendly model!
Our afternoon workshops can include:
- Maternal Journal exploration- starting with your own self-care!
- Exploring everything placentas, prints, tinctures, smoothies and more (with a real placenta!)
- Birth emergencies (with an Independent Midwife)
- What’s in your Doula bag (knowing your boundaries with alternative medicine, cultural appropriation)
- How to take a great birth/postnatal pic (with a professional birth photographer)
- An introduction to the microbiome and how we can protect it.
- Birth and breast physiology (with a retired midwife)
- Getting political! Talking birth rights and how to navigate the NHS (with a MVP- Maternity Voices Partnership representative)
- Getting to grips with self-employment, insurance, DBS checks and more!
- How to join Doula UK and the mentoring scheme.
- The closing of our course with a powerful Salt Bowl ceremony and settings of future intentions.
We look forward to hearing from you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Do not let finances be a barrier to this important work.
The World needs you!