DONA Birth Doula Training 

In this three-day workshop, you’ll gain the fundamentals of becoming a birth doula. Through discussion and hands-on activities, you will learn the skills and tools essential to provide support for mamas and their families from pregnancy, through labor and birth, and into the early postpartum time. Topics covered include:

Introduction to doula labor support; Importance of birth memories; Hormones of pregnancy, labor, & birth; Emotional support for birth; Communication skills, values, and cultural sensitivity as a doula; Physical support for birth; Doula’s role with interventions, Cesarean, & VBAC; Doula’s role during immediate postpartum & with the newborn; Breastfeeding support; DONA certification process and membership; Prenatal and postpartum doula visits; Setting up your doula business & birth community involvement

This workshop is open to anyone looking to gain more knowledge about supporting women during the childbearing years, including, but not limited to, educators, nurses, birth professionals, students, mamas, yoga instructors, and bodyworkers.

Required texts: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn, 4th Edition (2010) by Penny Simkin, April Bolding, Janelle Durham, Janet Whalley, and Ann Keppler (**READ PRIOR TO WORKSHOP**); The Birth Partner: Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman Through Childbirth (2008) by Penny Simkin; The Doula Book: How a Trained Labor Companion Can Help You Have a Shorter, Easier, and Healthier Birth (2002) by Marshall Klaus, Phyllis Klaus, and John Kennell ; A supplemental course manual will also be included in the workshop fee.

It is highly recommended that you attend a series of Enlightened Mama Lamaze Childbirth Preparation classes either before or soon after the training. This is REQUIRED for those becoming certified through DONA. Those wishing to become a DONA-Certified Birth Doula will have additional certification requirements, which will be discussed during the workshop. These requirements are also described at www.dona.org.

Fee: $350