The European Doula Network

The European Doula Network (EDN) was officially established in 2011 to connect doula organisations across Europe.

Every year they have a conference, this year it was in Lille, France and Nurturing Birth mentor, Alessandra Massacci (pictured on the left, with another NB mentor Mary Kalau) went as the representative for Nurturing Birth.

Here she tells us a bit about her experience.

“Being a doula is the best job in the world but sometimes it can feel lonely: we meet the clients, we establish a connection with them, we support and nurture them, we give ourselves to them, and then we leave them when the time comes.

We, as Nurturing Birth, are lucky enough to have the mentors team to support and challenge us to make us grow. We also have virtual cuppas to help us feel connected. These are obviously amazing tools, but everyone needs a hug sometimes!

Nurturing Birth is member of the European Doula Network which is a community of doulas from all over Europe -and beyond!

EDN goals are to connect, support and inform doulas around the world.

It is a volunteers based organisation and it uses different ways to reach its goals: online scheduled members meetings, Speak!Hear!Doula! -online open conferences about specific topics-, surveys to collect data, a representatives -one or two doulas designated from each organisation to take part in meetings and report- mailing list to share useful information, and annual in person conferences.

Last year I went to the annual conference in Madrid 2023 and it was magical! I had the opportunity to be surrounded by doulas from all over Europe, to share experiences and love, to learn about different cultures and birth worlds, to feel recharged and held. It was unbelievable!

After that experience, I felt the urge to feel connected all the time and I proposed myself as representative of NB and volunteer of EDN. It was a stunning year!

We had this years annual conference in Lille from 4th to 6th October 2024 and I was there, this time as part of the team and as NB. From the moment I stepped into the room full of known and new people I could feel the power, the connection, the cultural exchange, the warmth and the love. I realised that I had missed it for the entire year!

We had the opportunity to take part in workshops and lectures, to learn from each other, to talk about the situation in our countries, to share experiences and ideas, to have members meetings in person, to feel the connection and recharge, to learn about other countries projects and problems, to hold each other in a positive and safe space.

Being there reminded me that we are not alone, that every doula should experience those things at least once, that we recharge if we meet in person, that being surrounded by all these doula sisters is a powerful gift, that we are always STRONGER TOGETHER!

Love, Alex

If you would like to find out more about the EDN, to donate, become a volunteer or a friend of the network you can find out more on their website. https://www.europeandoulanetwork.org/