Contract Based Medicaid Credentialed Doula

Urban Baby Beginnings is seeking Doulas to contract with our program.  A Community Doula is a paraprofessional who will work with at risk pregnant and parenting families and their babies, to promote healthy pregnancies, breastfeeding, and parent-infant attachment.  The goal is to improve birth outcomes, pair families with needed services, and reduce maternal/infant deaths.

The Doula will focus on providing birth/postpartum support, advocacy, and education. Doulas may attend events and recruiting sessions to help build clientele. The Doula is a contracted member of our UBB team, working collaboratively with Case Managers and other staff.

Salary: Contract position – Fee for Service

Birth Doula Responsibilities (4 prenatal visits included in birth fee)
Introduction to Doula role during first visit
Provide resources, if required
Provide phone support with 24-hour response for non-emergent issues (UBB has a Doula support line that is a team-based line which is manned by multiple people, including nurses)
Provide labor partner support training (to teach how to support prior to hospital arrival)
Review early labor and labor stages
Review coping techniques
Review comfort measures
Provide breastfeeding and newborn care information during the prenatal period
Provide environmental assessment to help with positioning
Provide hands on demonstrations with partner
Provide telephone support until head to hospital
Provide mom with advocacy tools to be prepared for birth experience
Help client prepare birth and postpartum written plan
Stay in hospital 2-3 hours after birth to help client get settled, breastfeeding and transferred to pp floor

Postpartum visits (4 postpartum included in birth fee)
Provide 4 postpartum visits
Allow client to process and communicate birth experience
Provide basic newborn information
Observe breastfeeding experience as peer – refer if needed for additional support
Provide postpartum care

Duties and responsibilities:

• The Doula will provide culturally sensitive support and serve as a role model in general, also will be a member of the team and work in a context of supervision and support.
• Initiate contact with families as early in pregnancy as possible.
• Seek to establish a trusting relationship with the expectant parent, provide comprehensive education.
• Assist in labor and delivery as support staff. Attend birth and provide support through labor and delivery as well as the initial hours postpartum.
• Complete visits with pregnant and parenting families in their homes and other locations such as doctor’s office or other prenatal appointments, or virtually.
• Provide individual and/or group education related to prenatal, postpartum, and newborn care
• Can act a co-leader in groups and classes.
• Assist with lactation support as a peer support specialist.
• Attend bi-weekly/monthly conference calls/office meetings/required trainings
• Collect, maintain and chart required documentation within 24 hours of visit
• Maintain postpartum contact for a predetermined time period
• Maintain confidentiality of clients.
• Work cooperatively with other staff and serve as a resource to them.
• Attend community-based recruiting sessions and events.

QUALIFICATIONS TO APPLY

• Completion of training through Urban Baby Beginnings Perinatal Specialist program
• Documentation and positive rating of attendance with a minimum of 2 prenatal visits, birth, and 2 postpartum visits post UBB graduation (doulas trained with other organizations should contact us for more information)
• Experience in developing trusting relationships with high-risk prenatal clients and working with team members.
• Knowledge of women’s health during the childbearing years
• Self-motivated individual with strong oral and written communication skills.
• Computer literacy required

REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY

• Clean background check and VA Child Abuse Registry clearance
• Must have a current and valid Driver’s License
• Reliable transportation is required
• Required ability to satisfy inner-city and rural travel and on-call requirements
• Program may have independent requirements as contracts and state guidelines apply so this is subject to change

Urban Baby Beginnings is a Drug Free workplace