A Doula, simply put, is someone that gives continuous labor support to a mother during childbirth

There are many differnt types of Doula certification, however a woman does not have to be certified to offer labor support.  Below are a few of the organizations that educate and certify doulas.  The cost of a doula varies based on their experience, certification, and business model.  There is a lot of research to indicate that having a doula will positively effect the birthing experience.  If you are interested in interviewing a local doula please visit our resource page and select a location to see listings for Doulas in your area.  If you have a supportive family member or friend, they can serve as your Doula.  Contact us for information and suggestions on where your labor support friend can find information and resources to best assist you at your birth. 

The word “doula” comes from the ancient Greek meaning “a woman who serves” and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

A Birth Doula

• Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
• Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
• Stays with the woman throughout the labor
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision
• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
• Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman’s memory of the birth experience
• Allows the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level

A birth doula certified by DONA International is designated by the initials CD(DONA).

Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction and reduce the risk of mood disorders.

A Postpartum Doula

• Offers education, companionship and nonjudgmental support during the postpartum fourth trimester
• Assists with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tidying
• Offers evidence-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and makes appropriate referrals when necessary

A postpartum doula certified by DONA International is designated by the initials PCD(DONA).

The Birthing  From  Within Doula  Program cultivates personal growth, creativity, confidence and spiritual & psychological awareness in birth attendants and the parents they work with.

If you feel a passion within you for birth, or you want to give something back, and personal growth as a doula is a priority for you, then we warmly invite you to take our Doula From Within Workshop and join our Certification Program.

Most doula programs and doulas focus primarily on techniques for caring for the parents in labor and postpartum. But our program begins with YOU. We believe it is important to begin with an exploration of what motivates you to begin this work (and our program). We consider things such as past experiences that have shaped your beliefs and attitudes about birth, what you hope to accomplish by attending parents in birth, your relationship with the medical model, and most importantly, your relationship to yourself as a doula.

Doulas are teachers. You are in a primary position to teach parents how to prepare for labor, ask questions and cope with pain (before and during labor), and how to prepare for the postpartum transition. So, learning communication skills and how to teach pain-coping practices will strengthen your effectiveness as a doula, and give you more satisfaction with your work.

After the excitement of the workshop wears off, doulas can feel a little lost. New doulas develop confidence and skill when given extended support from peers and experienced doulas (especially after attending a difficult labor). So we created a one-of-a-kind HomeStudy Program that includes self-directed study and ongoing support to see you through to certification and beyond.

Birth Arts International Doula Education

		Why Birth Arts Doula Training?Birth is a journey. On the road to birth the woman is taken from womanhood to motherhood. The woman is transformed through birth, her birth, her experience. Honoring and preserving the birth experience is the role of the doula. Birth Arts doula trainers are both trained in the Wise Woman tradition and herbalism, these are also brought into the the training program.
		As a Doula you can have the exceptional privilege of sharing the unique journey the woman takes when she has a baby. As a Birth Arts Doula you know that you will also have a confident knowledge base, improved assurance and an incredible support network of experiences, trainer and student support. Birth Arts Doula Training explores the physical, scientific and spiritual aspects of birth and being a doula. Birth Arts International has the following enrollment options for students for the Certified Doula Program. There are no hidden fees, or certification fees, and no costs for membership or recertification.Birth Arts offers three ways to become a certified Birth Arts International Doula (BAICD): Enrollment Options 1. Weekend Workshop- Please visit our classdates page, selection a class and contact the local trainer. If you can’t find a local training you can always contact us about hosting one in your hometown. Students enroll directly enroll with the class instructor. Enrollment Fee: Varies2. eLearning Education Program-Train completely online. All of your educational materials are online, as is the course manual. Students have an interactive classroom. You can enroll directly through the student portal. Enrollment Fee: $350.003. Distance Learning- Students still have access to the online classroom, but they also recieve in the mail their hard copy of the course manual. This program has a slightly higher fee, this covers shipping and text. Enrollment Fee: $395.00               Birth Doula Training and Certification As a Birth Doula you have the unique privilege of sharing the journey a woman takes when she has a baby. As a Childbirth International Birth Doula you know that you will also have a strong knowledge base, increased confidence and an incredible support network of trainers and other students to support you. Birth Doula – Certification Requirements Many new Birth Doulas are concerned about what they need to do before they can become certified. No need to worry with Childbirth International – the process is simple and straightforward. There are no workshops to attend, and you do not need to obtain evaluations from doctors or other caregivers.Make a difference! For some, the decision to become a Birth Doula comes after experiencing their own births. For others, they simply find they have a calling to work with pregnant women at such a special time in their lives. You may already be working as a Birth Doula and looking for formal training that will provide you with more knowledge and skills. Studying with Childbirth International means you will have the flexibility and convenience of being able to study from the comfort of your own home. You can study a Childbirth International course in any country. Our students are found in 75 countries across the world and every US state!If you want to help women, believe that birth is magical, and want more than a 2-3 day introduction that a workshop provides, this is the Birth Doula training program for you!

  Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association

What is a Labor Doula?

A doula is a person who attends the birthing family before, during, and just after the birth of the baby. The certified doula is trained to deliver emotional support from home to hospital, ease the transition into the hospital environment, and be there through changing hospital shifts and alternating provider schedules. The doula serves as an advocate, labor coach, and information source to give the mother and her partner the added comfort of additional support throughout the entire labor. There are a variety of titles used by women offering these kinds of services such as “birth assistant,” “labor support specialist” and “doula”.

What Does a Doula Do?

The following is a general description of what you might expect from a CAPPA certified labor doula. Typically, doulas meet with the parents in the second or third trimester of the pregnancy to get acquainted and to learn about prior birth experiences and the history of this pregnancy. She may help you develop a birth plan, teach relaxation, visualization, and breathing skills useful for labor. Most importantly, the doula will provide comfort, support, and information about birth options.

A doula can help the woman to determine prelabor from true labor and early labor from active labor. At a point determined by the woman in labor, the doula will come to her and assist her by:

• Helping her to rest and relax
• Providing support for the woman’s partner
• Encouraging nutrition and fluids in early labor
• Assisting her in using a variety of helpful positions and comfort measures
• Constantly focus on the comfort of both the woman and her partner
• Helping the environment to be one in which the woman feels secure and confident
• Providing her with information on birth options

A doula works cooperatively with the health care team. In the event of a complication, a doula can be a great help in understanding what is happening and what options the family may have. The doula may also help with the initial breastfeeding and in preserving the privacy of the new family during the first hour after birth.

  The International Childbirth Education Association

Doula Certification

ICEA certified doulas are trained professionals who recognize birth as a key life experience. They attend and support the physical, emotional, and social needs of women in labor. In addition, they offer guidance and referrals to community resources regarding maternal self-care, lactation, and other issues pertinent to healthy parenting through the first six weeks postpartum.

If you are currently an ICEA certified educator (ICCE or ICPE), your steps to certification are:

OR

If you are not currently an ICEA certified educator, your steps to certification are:

1. Complete the required reading list (see bottom of page)
2. Verify attendance at an ICEA Doula and Labor Support Workshop OR verify attendance at ICEA contact hour approved doula training workshops of no less than 16 contact hours
3. Complete six ICEA alternate contact hour program tests (provided by ICEA)
4. Audit at least one childbirth education or postpartum series taught by another educator
5. Verify three labor support or postpartum support experiences
6. Submit certification materials within one year of enrolling in the program

Estimated Costs for Certification

• ICEA membership – $75 per year
• Enrollment – $100
• Contact hours – $300-$500 (approx)
• Required readings – $172 (approx)

Support materials as well as the appropriate program forms needed to verify program requirements and ICEA alternate contact hours will be mailed to you within three weeks of receiving your application.

 Massage Birth Assistant Doula Certification

The birth process is much more than a physical event, it is a journey that will engrave deep impressions on the soul of the laboring woman, her partner, their child and those who are blessed to be in their presence. This certification program will provide extensive, comprehensive information such as:

• The anatomy and physiology of the birthing process
• Stages of labor and applicable massage techniques
• How to create a Birthing Document (birth plan)
• Comfort measures
• Communication skills-working with the medical team
• Explore the power of words, thoughts and emotions and the affect they have on the bodys’ physiology and birth process
• Special relaxation breathing techniques
• Visualization and relaxation skills used during the birth journey
• Massage, labor and birth positions
• Word re-framing and much more will be included in this certification program.
  • Maintain B.A.B.Y. membership (fee $40 US)
  • Attend a Massage Birth Assistant workshop
  • Complete the required reading
  • Submit documentation verifying three labor support or postpartum support experiences
  • Audit one childbirth or postpartum class series taught by another educator
  • Submit completed certification materials within one year of entering the program

 

To become a Certified Massage Birth Assistant you must complete the following.

•  
  1. Attend and successfully complete the labor doula workshop, “The Labor Doula: Assisting Women with Birth”
  2. Apply to the Labor Doula Certification program for a fee  (Students enrolled in the midwifery program will not pay this fee)
  3. Provide documentation of five labor doula births
  4. Request a certificate (good for four years) for a fee
  • Tools for emotional support
  • How to provide continuity of care
  • Supporting mom’s process of telling her birth story
  • Tools for physical support
  • Breastfeeding support
  • Running a doula business

Birthingway College of Midwifery

Birthingway continues to update our labor doula program. We have recently added a mentoring opportunity for labor doulas in our practicum program who want to work with a more experienced doula before attending births alone. In addition, we encourage practicum student labor doulas to attend births in pairs while in the program.

Labor Doula Certification

Prerequisites: None

Birthingway offers a Labor Doula Certificate. Students must:

Labor Doula Certification Program Fees

Labor Doula Workshop Fee $485.00
Application Fee (non-refundable) $ 195.00
Certification Fee $ 100.00
Labor Doula Program Requirements

Labor Doula Workshop

The Labor Doula Workshop is offered several times yearly. It may be taken as a stand alone course, as the first step toward labor doula certification, and/or as a prerequisite for admission into the Midwifery Program.

The workshop is offered evenings or weekends to fit a variety of schedules. Topics include:
Labor doulas in our scholarship program have additional requirements. Inquire with the Auxiliary Programs Coordinator or Auxiliary Programs Practicum Coordinator if you are bi-lingual (with English as your second language) and are interested in our scholarship program.

Practicum Requirements for Labor Doula Certification

Once the workshop is complete, student doulas can apply to the practicum program. Student doulas in the practicum program are required to attend and document 5 births, including some prenatal and postpartum visits. Students will receive mentor support for their first birth, and work independently for the other 4.

During this process, Birthingway provides a variety of resources to support and mentor our student doulas. Student labor doulas will be able to attend one birth with a more experienced doula during their practicum period. In addition, several experienced doulas are available for on-going phone or in-person mentoring support. Finally, we offer a facilitated support group for doulas to mentor and sustain each other.