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Pathway to Births

PATHWAY TO BIRTHS is a collaborative apprenticeship program of Pacific Association for Labor Support (PALS) and Open Arms Perinatal Services. Pathway to Births offers trained doulas the unique opportunity to attend births in a supported learning environment, while providing doula services to low income women who might not otherwise have access to doula care.

The Pathway to Births program offers:

• An orientation workshop covering birth in a cultural context; working with women who may have multiple life stressors; doula values clarification; and doula roles and responsibilities.
• The opportunity to pair with another trained doula and attend a birth as partners.
• Access to an experienced certified doula mentor who can offer advice and support throughout your apprenticeship

The Precepted Pathway: In this traditional apprenticeship model one trained Apprentice Doula is matched with one experienced Preceptor Doula. Apprentices will have opportunities to see how an experienced doula uses prenatal visits to learn how to better support her clients and the importance of good postpartum follow-up not to mention working side by side at the birth with her Preceptor. Because this is experiential learning the Apprentice is an active and valuable participant in the labor and birth as well as in prenatal and postpartum support. Apprentices can also use the PALS Pathway to Births Yahoo Group to connect with other apprentices, explore advance practice issues, the PALS Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics, as well as find support in processing births and the doula lifestyle. This Pathway offers one birth experience which can be used toward certification.

Current cost for this Pathway is $100 per birth (does not include membership or certification packets) and attendance at the first half of the Apprenticeship Orientation is required. If you wish to stay for the second half of the Orientation including lunch you will be asked to pay for your lunch.

The Mentored Pathway: In this service learning model which is co-administered with Open Arms Perinatal Services, trained doulas (Apprentices) may choose to parnter with another Apprentice or fly solo. Apprentices in this Pathway serve Open Arms Perinatal Services clients, women and families who may not otherwise have had access to doula care. Apprentices are matched with a Mentor Doula who provides them with phone and email support but does not attend any client contact or the birth with her Apprentice. This Pathway also provides support through the Open Arms Referral Coordinator, the PALS Mentored Pathway Team Lead and the PALS Apprenticeship Yahoo Group. Each Apprentice may attend up to 3 births, all of which may be used to complete certification through PALS. Doulas choosing this Pathway will be required to buy a PALS Certification Packet and be actively working towards becoming certified.

Current Cost for this Pathway is $60 which includes a Certification Packet and the Mentored Pathway Program Fee. Attendance at the full day Apprenticeship Orientation is required.

The UWMC Doula Care Pathway: This Pathway provides doulas with the unique opportunity to serve birthing women and families on an on-call shift basis. UWMC Doula Care Apprentices must complete a separate program specific Orientation to the UW Medical Center Volunteer Services. Each doula has personal contact with the Program Coordinator, who helps the doula determine if she should attend births solo or with a Preceptor of the UWMC Doula Care Program. This program is great for doulas with jobs, limited hours of availability, an interest in the hospital setting, or those exploring doula work. These births may be used toward certification but they do not meet all requirements as set forth in the PALS Certification Packet. For more information about this program please contact uwdoulas@gmail.com

It is required that you be a PALS Member in order to particpate in any of the 3 Pathways. To join either the Mentored or the Precepted Pathway please send in the Application for the PALS Pathways to Births Mentored Pathway or Precepted Pathway along with your program fee to the PALS office, our address can be found on the form. Please note that the application forms may appear as either a double sided form or separately.

For information on becoming a PALS Member please contact our Membership Services Coordinator at info@pals-doulas.org or by calling 206.329.7257.

In the Doula Spirit,

Brenda Sutherland Field, LMP, CD
PALS Mentored & Precepted Pathway Team Lead
sutherfield@msn.com
206.439.2900