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Updated 2025 Certification Steps for Birth doulas

Certification is easy at our program - most of the projects are included in the course - here's your guide below to certification with Catholic Doula Program - Just updated 9/28/2025 - we added in a couple of books that will now be required reading. Other book reviews can still be chosen. Thank you. 

#1 Book Reviews   5 book reviews

#5 Community Project  Fun stuff!
For regular self-paced students we usually ask you to do 5 book reviews and 4 for fast-track zoom class students. We want from the categories below:
1. Spirituality of doula work: **Now Required - "Little Way of Motherhood" by Julie Larsen - we will send free PDF for you to read. Print books cost extra. 
2. Breastfeeding book (unless someone is well experienced then we waive.)
3. Pro-life movement and pregnancy: Let Her Be Brave or other books like that. 
4. **New: Induction or Pain Pregnancy book or Plus-Size Pregnancy: Please choose one: 
Labor Induction: Why, When and How?: Get the Data. Make a Plan. Take Charge of Your Birth. by Henci Goer Or 
Labor Pain: What's Your Best Strategy?: Get the Data. Make a Plan. Take Charge of Your Birth by Henci Goer Or
Plus Size Pregnancy: What the evidence really says about higher BMI and birth by Sara Wickham,
Preparing for a Gentle Birth: The Pelvis in Pregnancy (Recommended)by Blandine Calais-Germain (Author), Núria Vives Parés (Author)
5. Trauma Informed Book or Challenges of Pregnancy: For students doing Medicaid - we recommend more Trauma related - otherwise choose any of below;  Brave Beautiful Birth: Trusting God Through VBAC by Jaimie M. Schrock,,Joy at the End of the Rainbow: A Guide for Pregnancy After a Loss (will count for trauma related) by Amanda Ross-White (Author),Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care (Trauma-related) by Jennifer Block, When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women by Penny Simkin (Author), Phyllis Klaus (Author)

#2 Resource list  10-20 resources for moms

Start your resource list with our module one of our course and keep adding to it throughout the class. Your resource list should be done by end of the program or find more as you need! 

#3 Skills  Rebozo and comfort skills checklist

We want our students to be well versed in various skills that are "hands on" approach. You may work with a local mother or friend to go through the checklist of skills and do them. Attend our rebozo workshop for the rebozo portion. 

 #4 Go to a local Childbirth class, Review one of our new "Birthing With Grace" modules - we can also waive if experienced with childbirth. 

Go to a local childbirth class, or you can review "Birthing With Grace" class - or we can waive if you have experience as a mother or doula already. Thank you. 
The community project kind of incorporates some of what you have learned and even some of the other projects into this one area - though you can work on something unique too! We are looking for a creative project that will help your community. Must be 20 hours of work. 
Ideas include: 
  • Community Baby Shower
  • Diaper Drive for Pregnancy center
  • Volunteer at a Pregnancy center
  • Go to One birth as an observer (not a full doula) - this is required for Arizona residents. 
  • Give a local childbirth class
  • Offer a "What's a doula?" talk locally
  • And much more! Get creative with your project! 
  • Final Exam also counts for part of your hours if you need that extra boost for hours! 

 #6  Interview 3 mothers about birth,
#7 Make a definition list of 30 terms to turn in.
​#8 - Take our new Breastfeeding For Doula Course

We will send guidelines for interviews.
Definition assignments are sprinkled throughout course. 
​New Breastfeeding for doulas class is now available for our doulas - note you can finish your certification requirements and take this at the end. 

Are births attendance required? #9: Yes

  • Attend one birth as a doula is required by Catholic doula program unless waived. Attend 3 births as a full doula (for Medicaid purposes only in various states.) 
  • We have decided to give students the choice of attending one birth or 3 births.
  • If a student is having issues with birth attendance, we can consider a waiver. Also, if you just attended a birth within a year of taking this class, we can count that as well (so a year before is what we are referring to here.) Your certificate will not state any birth attendance on it then. If you are coming to us as a doula already, then we will consider waiving the births. 
  • We will also waive a birth if a mother is pregnant or she has several children. We believe that she has experienced birth already! 
  • Note: We may waive a birth, but you will still need to attend births for most of the Medicaid states and give them proof of such. We can add 3 births to your certificate if you send us 3 births proof. Thank you. 

Enroll below!