Steps For Certification as a Birth Doula Note: If you are DONA certified or been to a workshop contact us for discount information - email here. If you have been trained with a different doula organization already and still want to train with us - please email us about our cross certification options. Thank you.
Steps to Certification updated June 2022.
Self-pace program and live fast-track (live class is similar requirements):
Step One: Book reviews
We are adding in extra prolife book review to make it 4 book reviews are now required. Please ask instructor on categories (usually one needs to be a spiritual related pregnancy book). Reviews should be around 250-500 words (more is fine). You may add the book reviews to your Community Project Assignment if so desired.
Step Two: Breastfeeding
M.O.M. Advocate Breastfeeding class (optional) this one is for moms with breastfeeding experience - this class teaches you how to run a breastfeeding group. If you are a doula who has no breastfeeding experience - we are working on a mini-breastfeeding basics class that will be included in cost of course. That one will be required once it is available for anyone with no experience for birth and postpartum - or if you are doing combo - you only need to take it once!
Step Three: Community project
Community project: This has a few components - including 10-20 resource list, serving mothers in your community with a special project of care, interviewing mothers (also one of the steps below), learning skills (like comfort and rebozo skills - checklist will be given), and creating a blog or website to put your components on - like your resources.
step four: Interview a doula if you can - or participate in doula circle
Interview a doula (shadow one if possible). (Add to community project website). ______ or you may participate in our monthly doula circle - we will include 1 meeting "free" as part of any self-pace class. Thank you.
Step Five: Extra credit business class
Optional to do - extra credit - Take our business doula class - this will be included in some of the doula packages - basic does not include this in the cost. Thank you. If you just want to read the book "Doing Business the Doula Way" - you may download our unique 3rd edition from our Doula shop here.
Step Six: Doula Term list
Make 30-50 Doula Term list – some terms are suggested throughout Comfort in Birth method book. It will include abbreviations you need to know. You may partner up with one other doula in training to do this together. Please include resources for each term. It is OK to use same resources. Abbreviations only need to put one resource if from same location. Submit with your community project website/blog. ____
Step Seven: interview birth mothers
Interview 3 birth mothers about their birth experiences and submit to us.
STep 8: If you want rebozo certification:
If you want rebozo certification, finish rebozo skills either from the modules or the on demand class (in the works) or attend a live class - some packages include live classes when they are available. Thank you.
Also, typical Case Studies and assignments are also required.
Usually each module we have one case study - or you can choose one if more than one or do the required one if it says that. Thank you. Case studies can help with your resources list and more. Assignments - some can be waived if you have life experience - talk to instructor. Thank you.
Do I have to attend births for Certification? pLus other things and Birth form...
No, you do not have to attend births; we expect you to work on the community project which has certain skills you will need to learn - so this list is a little shorter than postpartum list -but we are expecting more in the community project section. Plus, you will find out what your hospital requires for covid requirements for doulas. So, be informed is one of our regular assignments - but we feel it is important to know this (so it might be labeled certification assignment). Please do any assignment labeled as that in the modules. Thank you. If you do find a birth to go to during your studies - we would like to have you fill out a form about your birth experience - please contact instructor on that form. Thank you so much.
***Congrats you are finished! All certificates will be emailed to you once we have verified all certification projects have been done. Remember your community project is the biggest one (#3) and can incorporate on your blog or website some of the other requirements. We only send out digital certificates that you may print out yourself.