World Doula Week – Why I became a doula …..and why I now train them
People often ask me why I became a doula, and the truth is, it wasn’t one single moment.
It was a slow unfolding…..a growing awareness that something wasn’t sitting right with how women were being cared for in pregnancy and birth.
At the time, I was running my wellness clinic, Phoenix Therapies…..and I had pregnant women coming to me for massage, meditation and women’s circles.
And over and over again…..I kept hearing the same story.
Fear.
Fear of the unknown…..
Fear of the system…..
Fear of what might be done to them rather than something they were part of.
And it prompted me to train and then offer my Back to Basics Birthing classes…..so that I could educate women and their partners on how to prepare themselves mentally, physically and emotionally for birth.
But even with that…..I could see there was still something missing.
Women were walking into birth unsure, disconnected, and often overwhelmed by a system they didn’t fully understand…..and then walking out carrying not just their baby, but the weight of an experience they hadn’t truly felt part of.
That never sat well with me.
Because birth isn’t just a physical event…..it stays with a woman for the rest of her life.
I saw the gaps…..and I couldn’t ignore them
I saw women being given options without context…..
Decisions being made quickly, sometimes without full understanding or true consent…..
Partners standing on the sidelines, wanting to help but not knowing how…..
And midwives doing their best within a system that doesn’t always allow them the time or autonomy to provide the care they want to give…..or used to give in the true sense of their traditional role as a midwife.
And there was still something missing…..
Not in skill and knowledge…..but in continuity of support through pregnancy, labour, birth and then the fourth trimester, the postpartum period.
And that’s where the role of a doula matters.
It was never about replacing anyone…..it was about adding something back in
I didn’t step into this work to fight the system…..
I stepped into it to support women within it.
To bring back something that has always been part of birth but has slowly been lost…..
Continuous, steady, unwavering support.
The kind that doesn’t clock on and off…..
The kind that doesn’t come with a clinical agenda…..
The kind that says…..you are safe, you are heard, you have choices here.
This work is about women knowing they have a voice
For me, being a doula was never just about birth positions or comfort techniques…..
It was about helping women understand what’s happening in their body…..
Helping them to find their voice and ask questions…..
Helping them feel confident to say yes…..or no…..or not right now, that they have the right to consent, not consent or withdraw consent at any time.
Because when a woman feels informed and supported, everything shifts.
Not because birth suddenly becomes predictable…..
But because she knows she is an active participant in the decision making, not just a passive bystander along for the ride.
And it’s about the partners too
I’ve seen partners go from unsure and hesitant…..to grounded, present, and deeply connected to the experience when they are shown how to support. When they understand what’s happening, they step into their role and come away with a profound sense of connection, confidence, and knowing they truly showed up when it mattered most.
And that changes everything for both of them.
Why I now train doulas
Over time, I realised something…..
One doula can support a woman…..
But training doulas means supporting hundreds…..even thousands of women and their families.
And not just any doulas…..
Doulas who understand their role…..
Who work within their scope…..
Who know how to support without overstepping…..
Who value collaboration with midwives, care providers and other doulas…..
Who are grounded, educated, and steady in the room.
Because that’s what women need.
Not noise…..
Not ego…..
But calm, informed, respectful support that helps them feel safe and heard.
This work is bigger than one birth
What happens in birth doesn’t stay in birth…..
It shapes how a woman sees herself…..
How she steps into motherhood…..
How she carries that experience forward.
And when doulas are trained well…..when they truly understand the depth of this role and are part of a community of like-minded women all working towards the same goal…..better births, healthier mothers and babies, and happier families…..they become part of changing that experience for women, one family at a time.
If you’ve ever felt that pull toward this work…..that quiet knowing that women deserve more support than what they’re currently receiving…..
You’re not imagining it.
We don’t just need more doulas…..
We need well-trained doulas…..
Anyone can call themselves a doula…..and being an unregulated industry, we do have doulas who have not done any formal training and who often panic or feel fear themselves when they are faced with challenging births or aggressive care providers.
And that matters…..
Because the energy you bring into a birth space matters.
Women need doulas who are steady…..who understand what they are seeing….. who can hold space without adding to the fear.
Doulas who are ready to step into this role with integrity, respect, and a deep understanding of what’s truly needed.
This is my why…..
This is why I now do the work I do.
Are you ready to follow your aspirations of becoming a doula and working in the perinatal space?
👉 Click here to secure your spot and start your journey
All the best,
Vicki 💜
