In July of 2006 local doulas began meeting with a passion to educate and provide resources about doulas to the general public and the professional birthing community.  The Doula Network of Fort Wayne (DNFW) was formed shortly thereafter, quickly becoming a valuable asset to the area in a host of ways.  Our network doulas began a concerted effort of in-service, evidence-based training sessions at hospitals, OB offices, and high schools.  We developed myth-busting online and print literature highlighting the benefits of working with a doula.  We developed and hosted the Birth to Baby Fair, a free community event that annually reached hundreds.  And most importantly, we committed to being a community of doulas who would make certain that any local family wanting support before, during, or after birth would have it!

After many years of successful outreach in these areas, the DNFW found the birth community - including doulas themselves! - could be better served by concentrating more directly on doula enrichment and training.  In the years since, we've become a stronger, more unified organization, increasingly able to support the community in all its labor, birth, and postpartum needs.  

To be sure, we're still very involved in the community.  As you can see, we maintain an easy-to-use website packed with information, including profiles of each Network doula that make researching and connecting a breeze.   We also have an active Facebook page that provides our doulas a great forum to share insights, resources, and events, such as our popular Meet the Doulas nights.

The Doula Network of Fort Wayne continues to evolve, always seeking new and more effective ways to encourage and support local doulas and, by extension, assure every local family has the opportunity to receive the support they need before, during, and after birth.