Boundaries in Birth Work
- Hannah Norton
- May 20
- 2 min read
Boundaries - such a misunderstood word, yet an action we must take to sustain our doula practice for years to come!
I'm Hannah. I've been in doula work for twenty years, and with the national burnout rate of doulas averaging two years, it's time that we do something about it.
Burnout is not fun! It takes what previously brough joy to your life and turns it into a stress-producing dissatisfying experience. It's hard to believe when you first start the life of a doula that birth could be anything but exciting and life-giving. But after being on call 24-7 for a couple years, what previously brough joy, now may only initiate panic.
Our bodies begin to scream at us wondering how or if we will ever get our needs met? The separation between self and career blurs into oblivion, and constantly being needed begins to feel like an immense burden. Maybe we were not cut out for doula work after all.
In our doula training, we start out day one with discussing boundaries and how to begin with the end in mind. How often do we see doulas start out with passion and vigor only to morph into overwhelmed burnt out versions of themselves that may feel stuck in a career of stress or leaving the passion behind completely and walking away?
Boundaries are necessary in order to maintain our sanity!
We need separation between personal interests and work.
We need to set achievable client goals that won't overwhelm us.
We need to cultivate hobbies outside of the birth space.
We need a recovery plan for long births!
Without such, we too risk burnout. No doula is an invincible superhuman (as much as we like to think we are).
So over the next week or so, I'm going to share from my experience and doula course - steps you can take to be proactive, avoid burnout, and live your doula dream for years to come!
But this takes time, intentionality, vulnerability, and a willingness to hold to the boundaries you set. But I assure you, if you put in the work on the frontside, you will be well prepared to provide long term high quality care to the clients you serve.
Are you ready to doula healthy? Let's set some boundaries!
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