Doulas in training?

rosiez3

My husband and I are interested in having a doula during the birth, but we are unable to afford one.  I have heard there are doulas in training who can work with you as part of their studies.  Does anyone know where I might find a doula in training in Evanston or Chicago? Thank you!

berh2001

I want to say I heard there is a website like www.volunteerdoulas.com. And supposedly they do it for free.

DoulaSamma

If you and your partner make under $50k you can try www.chicagovolunteerdoulas.org 

JenicaCMT

Rosiez3 - I am a doula in California & yes, you are correct - often when doulas are in training, they will offer their services for little or no cost.  Sometimes they will ask clients to cover just their expenses like parking, food, and gas (Maybe $50-$100 if that), but other times they will offer completely free services.  To find a doula in training, there are a few ways to look:

1. Check DONA International's website.  DONA is a certifying agency that stands for Doulas Of North America.  You can contact any of the Chicago Trainers for a list of recent students who might be offering their services - look here for a list of trainers in the Chicago Area and their contact info.
2. Check www.doulamatch.net to find doulas in your area and to view their profiles, testimonials (although doulas in training may not have any yet), and learn about their training.
3. Conduct a google search for doula collectives in your area.  Then you can contact one of them to find out if they have any members or affiliate members who are still working on certification that would be willing to take a low or no cost client.

Best of luck in your search!