Realistic Character Occupations: My Experience as a Birth Doula


Realistic Character Occupations: My Experience as a Birth Doula 


To win readers over we need to write characters so authentic they feel like real people. How do we do this? By brainstorming a character’s backstory, personality, needs, desires, and their day-to-day world. Lucky for us, one aspect of their daily life is a goldmine of characterization: the type of work they do.  
Think about it: a job can reveal personality, skills, beliefs, fears, desires, and more, which is why Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi created The Occupation Thesaurus, a writing guide that profiles 124 possible careers and the story-worthy information that goes with each. To help with this project, I’m sharing my experience as a birth doula below, in case this career is a perfect fit for your character!

You can find the full list of Contributed Occupation Profiles and check out The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers at Writers Helping Writers.


OCCUPATION: BIRTH DOULA

OVERVIEW
A birth doula is a professional support person trained in the needs of the family during pregnancy and childbirth. The doula offers non-judgmental support, guidance, evidence-based education and practical hands-on support during childbirth including comfort measures. Doula originates from the Greek word meaning woman servant. A birth doula recognizes the profound impact of childbirth on the mother.

NECESSARY TRAINING
There are many organizations that provide certification, but the most well-known are DONA International and Childbirth International. Once you obtain your certification, you need to recertify every three years and keep abreast of evidence-based education and comfort measures. Birth Doulas are not clinical, and work in conjunction with a midwife, obstetrician, or other family care providers, in either the hospital, birth centre or client’s home.   

Basic first aid, blending in, empathy, equanimity, gaining the trust of others, good listening skills, hospitality, knowledge of birth interventions, knowledge of hospital/birth centre procedures, knowledge of labour and birth, multitasking, organization, reading people, research, stamina, teaching

SOURCES OF FRICTION
Prejudice from other healthcare officials or hospital administrations who harbour antiquated
misperceptions about birth doula support
A patient going against evidence-based education, despite the prelabour conversations
Unforeseen circumstances during a birth that cause complications
Failing a re-certification
Finding last-minute childcare so you can be with your client for as long as need be
Missing out on various celebrations when the client goes into labour
Planning your life around a client’s due date
An impatient doctor who would rather deliver the baby now, rather than allow nature to take its course
Being unfairly blamed for something going wrong in the delivery
A patient refusing to deviate from her birth plan and putting herself or her baby in danger
Overbearing or hysterical relatives
Learning about a fellow birth doula’s unethical or inept actions
Staff at the birthing centre or hospital who are rude or difficult to work with
Multiple clients going into labour at the same time


WRITERS SHOULD KNOW…
While a wholly rewarding job, where 99% of the time, things go well, it can be a highly demanding job (during labour especially.) You will be on your feet constantly, and taking care of yourself during a client’s labour is secondary - meaning you will likely nibble on a snack/protein drink, bathroom breaks are minimal, etc. Your personal life will be put on hold for a labouring client, and you will need to be committed to them in that process. The job does have a high burnout rate, due to on call needs, and high levels of multitasking. While there are plenty of doulas, the good ones stand out and are more in demand, booking as soon as the stick announces a pregnancy. You will support birthing women in their rawest, most natural form and witness their amazing strength, and you will see the love between the birthing couple as they work together to bring a new life into the world.

Have any questions about this job? I’d be happy to answer. Just leave a comment below!



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