To become a midwife or birth attendant, one must complete a certificate program or attend training seminars. Nursing assistants can receive training from hospitals or community colleges. Certification is required to become a birth doula, and the process involves attending training seminars and participating in a defined number of births. The goal of a birth attendant or doula is to provide emotional and physical support to the mother during childbirth.
Those who wish to become midwives must complete a certificate program that provides training in their specific field of interest. Birth attendants who serve as nursing assistants can receive this type of training from a local hospital as long as they have completed high school. Providers who wish to act as doulas who train mothers during childbirth can attend training seminars from privately operated certifying organizations. Attendants present in the delivery room are usually required to attend a certain number of live births before they can be certified.
A birth attendant in a hospital performs similar roles to a nursing assistant. This position may be responsible for changing the patient’s clothing and bedding. She can also help the patient use the restroom or bring patients food and water when needed. Their activities are generally directed by the head nurse on duty at the hospital where they work. People in care in this type of position are typically mothers in labor or who have recently given birth.
Nursing assistants must complete a high school education and a certified nursing assistant training program. This type of course is usually available at local community colleges and through hospital training programs. Aids who become midwives by receiving certification at participating hospitals are also eligible to receive on-the-job training and a guaranteed position upon completion of their courses. Nursing assistants can continue to attend classes to become certified nursing assistants and eventually registered nurses to participate in a higher level of patient care.
The title of birth attendant can also apply to women who assist mothers during the labor and delivery process. This position is also called a birth doula or labor coach. This type of attendant is present during the birth to be attuned to the mother’s specific needs. She is often skilled in massages and activating pressure points that help the mother relax as she experiences natural childbirth without the aid of medication. She can bring the ice drops to the mother, place cold towels on her forehead, and encourage her to move her muscles and joints in a way that brings the baby into the downward position for birth.
Certification is required to become a birth attendant or doula who participates in the labor process. This certification can be obtained from many different organizations that specialize in training attendants and midwives for all stages of childbirth, before and after. Many agents choose to work as private contractors and can select the certification program that is available in their area and works best with their schedules. Attendants who prefer to remain in hospital or physician office employment may benefit from first checking with their employer of interest to find out if a specific certification program is required.
The certification process usually requires the candidate to complete relevant documentation, attend specific training seminars and participate in a defined number of births. Some reading material can also be attributed to the student’s training to become a midwife that educates her on the biological context of childbirth, the medical risk complications that can affect some births, and the benefits a doula can bring to the delivery room. The intern may participate in births with or without a certified doula, but must obtain the mother’s consent before participating. The midwife’s goal is not to provide medical care, but to help the mother emotionally and physically when possible.
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