Why Volunteer?
Sometimes families don't even realize that they'd like help from a doula until labor has already begun.
We serve populations in need, advocating for each birthing person individually.
We influence healthcare staff and birth practices.
Our doulas get a wide variety of experiences in two distinct delivery settings.
We serve from the heart, and gain great satisfaction in return.
The UC San Diego Medical Centers serves many families in San Diego who would not otherwise have access to quality health care, and our doula care is offered to anyone having a baby in either of our hospitals.
The families we serve are not the only ones benefiting from our volunteer doula program. Because we work in a teaching hospital, the nursing, midwifery, and medical students who rotate through are also gaining an important awareness and understanding of the clinical and social aspects of this type of support to birthing families.
Our doulas receive significant benefits in return for their generous donation of time.
Did you know that many of our doulas have continued to volunteer for years at at time?
For others, it's a stepping stone to related careers in nursing, midwifery, medicine, childbirth education, or private practice doula work. Some of our volunteers are in private practice and volunteer, too.
They receive unprecedented education, mentoring, and supportive experience while gaining a familiarity with the hospital environment. Regardless of these other benefits, those who are drawn to this work say they are interested in giving to the community, and feel great fulfillment in being part of the miracle of birth. Our doulas get back as much as they give!
Minimum Commitment:
Our doulas don't leave until the baby is born!
This is a long-term volunteering commitment (at least twice a month, for a minimum 6-9 months) that requires significant physical and emotional stamina, as well as a flexible schedule.
As such, it has not usually proven to be a good fit for busy college students or breastfeeding people with very young babies. If the doula program does not seem right for you, there many ways to volunteer within the UCSD medical system. You can find more information about other opportunities that are easier on busy schedules, on this website for Volunteer Services: http://health.ucsd.edu/volunteer
