Doula Referral Services for BC
The Doula Services Association provides a referral service to families in British Columbia wanting a birth or postpartum doula. All members on the referral list have completed a DONA International approved training course and are required to pursue ongoing education. All DSA Doulas must adhere to the DSA Code of Ethics, and Standards of Practice, as well as meet the DSA requirements for inclusion on the referral list.
Some Doulas possess other skills or training that they may bring to their doula work. They may be Childbirth Educators, Breastfeeding Counsellors, Massage Therapists, or work in other healthcare related fields. All have a sincere interest and commitment to working with childbearing women and their families. You may also wish to download ourlist of Questions to Ask A Doula.
Important Notice
Please note that the Doula Services Association is committed to connecting all families with Doulas. However, we are currently receiving an unprecedented number of requests for 'volunteer' Doulas and we are unfortunately unable to meet this need. At this time, the DSA is only able to provide volunteer referrals to high needs families with very limited resources. Referrals from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Children and Families, and other community agencies will be given first priority for volunteer Doula referrals, although many of these request may remain unfulfilled.
As a non-profit organization we do not receive any outside funding for the services provided by our members. We also have only a handful of Doulas who choose to take on volunteer work. Generally, Doulas are only able to volunteer their services early on in their careers as part of the certification process with DONA International, as there are many expenses associated with providing doula care, such as the cost of gas, parking, daycare, and meals.
Families with extended health plans may be able to receive reimbursement for Doula care through their insurance providers. Recommendations were also recently put forth in a report developed at the Vancouver Cesarean Consensus Conference for all Canadian families to receive funding for services provided by DONA Certified Doulas. Please see www.cmnh.ca for more information on this report. With the help of initiatives such as this, we hope to one day reach of our goal of providing a Doula for every woman who wants one.
Download a list of DSA approved Doulas in your area.
View DSA approved Doulas' websites.
Locate a doula outside of British Columbia.
If you have any questions at all, please contact our
Referral Coordinator at 604-515-5588 or 1-877-365-5588 (toll free).
We provide referral services to families in Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, New Westminster, Langley, Abbotsford, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Delta, Chilliwack, White Rock, Victoria, Vernon, Gabriola, Lytton, and many other communities across British Columbia.