Become a Mercy Folsom Doula Volunteer

What is a doula?

A doula is a trained professional that provides physical and emotional support to a woman and her support team during labor and birth. Doulas recognize that birth is a beautiful experience that will be valued for a lifetime.
 

Who can be a doula?

A doula is someone with a desire to help support mothers during this wonderful time of their lives. Experience supporting laboring women is helpful, but not required. Selected doulas must pass a medical screening and background check. We are looking for a diverse group of volunteers to support the families in our community.
 

What is the commitment for a volunteer doula?

Volunteers agree to be on-call for a minimum of 16 hours per month. Additionally, they must attend a two-day orientation and training, as well as monthly meetings. Our doulas will also have the opportunity to participate in outreach events in the community. Doulas make a one-year commitment to working as a volunteer doula, although we hope that many will continue in the program and potentially serve as mentors to the new doulas.

Breastfeeding Support

More about our approach

At Dignity Health, we help all families create a feeding plan, whether they choose breast milk, formula or a combination of both. We follow the latest scientific recommendations and stand by the following six guiding principles:

1. Promote breastfeeding for its health benefits.

We believe that human milk is the most natural way to nourish an infant. Babies who drink only breast milk have a lower risk of health problems, including ear infections, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and heart disease later in life.

2. Foster skin-to-skin contact for improved well-being.

Research shows that early skin-to-skin contact is ideal for introducing babies to breastfeeding and their new surroundings. Keeping mothers and babies together during the hospital stay also creates bonding opportunities. We support keeping mothers and babies together unless separation is medically necessary.

3. Extend feeding support beyond breastfeeding.

While human milk is the best source of nutrition for infants, we fully support parents who may need to complement breastfeeding with donated human milk or infant formula.

4. Provide human milk to premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Many NICU parents are overwhelmed and need special support to feed their infants. Our nurses and breastfeeding support staff educate families on how to use breast pumps and feed expressed human milk correctly.

5. Teach, empower and support parents.

Our staff provides lactation support and education to help families meet their goals and feel confident in feeding their baby. Parents who know how to breastfeed and feel comfortable breastfeeding are more likely to succeed. 

6. Build a strong breastfeeding foundation.

Support, knowledge and practice are essential for successful breastfeeding beyond the hospital walls. As families prepare to leave the hospital, our staff ensures they have the necessary local resources and information to continue their journey with confidence.

How do I apply?

Download and complete the Doula application and submit to [email protected].

Need more information?

For more information about our program, please contact Sarah Thiel at [email protected].