Top 10 Resources Every New Postpartum Doula Should Know About

As you get started as a postpartum doula, you will be exploring lots of educational material. This content will prepare you for the hands-on work you will be doing each care shift. Additionally, much of the content you learn from and feel drawn to will be incorporated into resources that you share with the families you serve. 

This list of our favorite resources covers all of the bases! We hope that you have a lot of fun learning and, consequently, feel confident in offering clients quality information. 

Top 10 Resources Every New Postpartum Doula Should Know About

1. The ABG Booklist: Our booklist is solid! We offer a wide range of resources ranging from running your business to newborn care to loss to postpartum mood disorders, so be sure to favorite this link. That said, we suggest starting with Nurturing The Family: The Guide For Postpartum Doulas by Jacqueline Kelleher; it helps to build a strong foundation in this work.

2. Postpartum Support International (PSI): PSI offers tons of support groups, which are available virtually. For example, there are groups for partners, LGBTQIA+ folks, and people experiencing grief. PSI is also a hub for support! You can connect with local resources, use their HelpLine to get connected with resources, find a peer mentor, and more. Additionally, PSI provides training to help caregivers and doulas understand perinatal mood and anxiety disorders or PMADs.

3. A referral list + support system: It can take time, but we suggest doulas try to start networking right from the start. It’s so valuable to your own practice and your clients for you to have trusted community members to refer to. We like this guide from Moss Froom about building strong referral lists. You may include professionals such as: pelvic floor physical therapists, mental health therapist, food prep services or doulas who cook specifically for postpartum, massage therapists, chiropractors, IBCLCs, and any other complementary service providers. Additionally, doulas need other doulas! Being in community, having shared space to process, or a text thread to reach out to in the middle of the night is crucial. 

4. Kellymom: This website offers a wealth of evidence-based information about breastfeeding and early parenting. You can hop from topic to topic and access a wide range of Q&A’s. Each article links to additional resources.

5. WHO guidelines for formula preparation: This resource offers guidance for preparing powdered infant formula, as well as information about cleaning and sterilization of bottles.

6. Expectful Website and App: The blogs can offer support for the middle of the night, and the website and app offer a bunch of meditations.

7. Happiest Baby on the Block: Learn Dr. Harvey Karp’s 5 S’s for calming your baby. (Hint: there are free summaries on YouTube as well!) 

8. Doula associations: Similar to our point in #3, it is so important to build and maintain community. Search your city/state for local doula associations. These spaces may provide opportunities for continuing education, camaraderie, client leads, and legislative advocacy. 

9. Money mindset and financial education tools: We love Denise Duffield-Thomas, as a starting point. Fully Funded is another great resource that offers support for free-lances (like doulas); find their blog here! That said, we know doulas often need to find the business resources that resonate with them, so we encourage you to explore! It can also be helpful to ask other business owners you admire who and what inspired and informed their work. 

10. Nutrition information and resources. The CDC offers a great foundation for understanding nutrition needs while breastfeeding. It can also be helpful to know about folks in your local area that cook for postpartum families. The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou and Amely Greeven is a favorite book from our booklist that we highly recommend for doulas to read (as well as pregnant or postpartum folks).

+ BONUS! ABG’s Postpartum Doula Training: No surprise here! We are excited to share about our training and offer quality education for postpartum doulas near and far. 

Join Us for Postpartum Doula Training

ABG offers both online (self-paced) and in-person trainings for folks who are interested in becoming postpartum doulas. We’d love to be a part of your journey in offering crucial care to postpartum families. Learn more and sign up here!

P.S. We’d love to know what other key resources you find along the way! Feel free to share in the comments. :) 

*Photo credit: RDNE Stock Project on Pexel