By Doula Jen

Last week, 5 of our doulas completed the Healthy Children’s Center for Breastfeeding Certified Lactation Counselor training. We actually hosted the event in order to earn scholarships for our well-deserved doulas, who are always looking for ways to improve and build upon their already stellar level of expertise. At the end of the course, they sat for their exam. Of course, we’re wishing them lots of love and luck as they wait for their results! We are energized by the possibility of providing expert breastfeeding consultation to more mamas!

This enthusiastic group of CLC hopefuls is a prime example of an important quality shared by ALL of our amazing doulas:  drive. As a group, we constantly study, update and modernize our practice so that we are on top of our game, continuously improving and adding extra value to our services.

Our unique team approach helps us in our efforts to build on our existing knowledge with relevant evidence-based research. We share our own individual skill sets with one another, pass along interesting articles and problem solve round table style at our monthly meetings. Beyond our initial training and certification as doulas, we are constantly learning and growing; assessing and adjusting.

Not only that, when 2 or 3 of us work with the same family, we put our heads together and brainstorm as to how to provide the best possible individualized care. We share what soothing tricks worked best, what Mom loves for lunch, how to deal with the sometimes over-excited family dog.

We may be tooting our own horn here, but it matters to us that you — our friends, followers, colleagues and clients — know that we are not resting on our laurels. We are not sitting around, waiting for the phone to ring and showing up at a family’s home ready to go through the motions. We are working HARD every minute to be exactly what the family needs and more.

Stay cool Mandi, Tory, Patti, Amy, and Karen! Here’s hoping you pass with flying colors!