Nefesh BNefesh

The following interview is with professional doula and Nefesh B'Nefesh Olah, Aliza Stavsky.

Can you please provide a brief description of your field:

Doula is a word of Greek origin, now used to define a person who assists a woman and her family in childbirth.  She is there to assist the woman in being more comfortable during birth and to assist the woman/family in having a meaningful birth experience.

What is your current title?

Aliza Stavsky, LCCE CD DONA
(Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Certified Doula, Doulas of North America)

How did you find your job?

The majority of business here is generated by word of mouth.

What experience do you need to get into your field?

Many doulas were previously child birth educators or nurses, but it is not necessary to have that background. 

I was a child birth educator for 18 years in America.  I became a certified Doula in 2005 and began practicing in Israel in the spring of 2006.

What degree should someone making Aliyah come with in order to break into your field?

It is very helpful to be a member of an organization.  DONA is a universal organization. 

Does it make any difference whether you studied in Israel or abroad?

[For a new Olah] I believe it is easier to get certified in the US because you can take all the courses in English, but you can also train here. 

What are the benefits?

Being part of an organization like DONA you receive national advertising, information and support, products and credibility.

What is the salary range?

I am paid per birth. It is a package rate of $300 - $500 and includes a pre-birth meeting, the birth, and a postpartum meeting.

Describe the personal growth opportunities that exist.

Every three years I am required to take 25 – 30 hours of education.  Some of the education is home study via DONA, as well as speakers and presentations, etc. It is difficult to find speakers here in Israel, but some do come.

Who are the major employers in your field?

Pretty much everyone is self-employed, but there is a really nice on-line network for Doulas.

What are the upcoming areas of specialty you would recommend?

There is an emerging field where Doulas are specializing in Herbal medicines and reflexology.

What is the professional organization (if any) in your field? How can they be contacted and what do they do?

DONA (Doulas of North America) is an international organization, their website is www.dona.org.

What recommendations can you offer the Olah looking to work in this field?

Visit the DONA website, www.dona.org. Click on "Find a Trainer" and then click “Israel.”  This will give you the names of the two DONA trainers in Israel.

Also, go to www.doula.co.il and you will see all of the information needed for Doulas in Israel. (Hebrew-language site). This is the primary resource for doulas in Israel.

How do you feel about working and living here in Israel?

I love living and working here!  There is room for improvement but I think the birthing process is a little less invasive here than in the United States. I hope to be part of good changes that are being made to make birth more women-centered and less medical-centered.

Other advice?

In Jerusalem, it is very popular to hire a Doula, but it is still not totally accepted in the center of the country.  Some hospitals fear that Doulas may interfere with the medical staff while other hospitals just prefer that you use their own in-house Doulas.

Special thanks to Aliza Stavsky for providing the information for this article.  Please visit www.dona.org for more information on being a Doula.