Postpartum Doula Training and Certification

About Postpartum Doula Training

If you are passionate about supporting new families, our Postpartum Doula training program will provide you with knowledge and skills to support them with confidence. Many families find the initial weeks after the arrival of a baby can be a challenge. They’re learning how to care for a new baby, helping siblings adjust, and trying to get some sleep! A Postpartum (Postnatal) Doula can make this transition easier. Your presence can help parents enjoy the early days with their baby and discover the techniques that work for them.

Postpartum doula training programs often focus on physical techniques or skills that you can use during the early weeks after a birth. Being a postpartum doula though is much more than simply making healthy family meals, or caring for an older child. Parents are trying to make decisions about where their baby will sleep, which medical tests to choose, how to calm a crying baby, and learning how to breast/chestfeed. All of these are things that a postpartum doula can help with. At CBI we make sure you have a solid grounding in these areas and more.

As a student you’ll develop strong communication skills, learning the important skills of reflective practice, and active and effective listening. You’ll learn techniques for helping a client debrief their birth, identify how they want to parent their new baby and support them through any difficult decisions. You’ll cover basic first aid measures, healthy meal planning, recognition of home safety, and tips on household tasks. In the physiology module, you’ll look at maternal and infant health, nutrition, sexuality and relationships in the postpartum period. You’ll also cover all the business aspects – how to build your client base, paperwork, forms and legal issues, advertising and promoting your business.

More About Postpartum Doula Training

• Pricing of postpartum doula training
• Compare postpartum doula training programs
• Refund policy
• Certification requirements
• Topics in postpartum doula training

Pricing

Read the payment plan terms and conditions

Compare Postpartum Doula Training Programs

We know that choosing a training provider can be confusing when they all seem to have different requirements and different pricing structures. To make it easier for you to make a comparison, we have put together a helpful chart for you to compare CBI to other certified postpartum doula training programs.

Refund Policy

Deciding to join us on your journey to become a certified birth doula is virtually risk-free. We offer a full refund if you cancel within 48 hours of purchase (less a $50 administration fee). You can read our refund policy for full details.

Certification Requirements

To become a certified postpartum doula with Childbirth International, you’ll submit assignments and complete exams. Once the requirements are completed, you’ll be awarded a certificate showing you are a Certified Postpartum Doula. There are no additional costs for certification and your certification is for life. We want to make sure that the work you do for certification is relevant and useful to you. We won’t ask you to have medical caregivers evaluate you, or have you read extra books. Every requirement is designed to build on your knowledge and skills and give you a deeper understanding of your role as a postpartum doula. The requirements for becoming a certified postpartum doula with Childbirth International are:

• Set personal goals for communicating with clients and caregivers
• Critique two videos for bias and evidence
• Analyze case studies on reflective practice and physiology
• Complete online, open-book exams (between 10-20 multiple choice questions in each) on physiology
• Survey the birthing options available to clients within your community
• Reflect on your role and the skills you used when working with

Topics Covered in Your Postpartum Doula Training

We want to make sure you feel prepared and confident in your role as a certified postpartum doula. Every client you work with will have different needs but all of them will be looking to you for support in making the decisions that are right for them. To make sure you have the knowledge and skills to support your clients, you’ll have a comprehensive curriculum, together with a mentor and a global network of peers who’ll join you on your journey. The modules included in the Postpartum Doula Training program are:

• Communication skills
• Postpartum physiology
• Postpartum doula skills
• Business of birth

You can read more about each of the modules covered in your birth doula training and find out about the topics included together with the competencies you’ll build in each lesson by clicking on any module in the above list.

Postpartum Physiology

Gain a thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the postpartum period. All student materials are focused on evidence-informed care. Evidence-informed means care that is based on sound research while taking the client’s needs, beliefs and values into account. The opinions and thoughts of experts on postpartum issues are referred to throughout your student manuals – it’s important to hear the views of others in the field to build your own knowledge base. At the end of this module, you’ll complete the online, open-book tests to assess your learning. You’ll also submit a reflective evaluation of this module which will be reviewed and assessed by your trainer.

Topics in Postpartum Physiology

• postpartum physiological changes
• postpartum psychological changes
• sexuality and relationships
• adaptation of the newborn
• infant growth and development
• infant health and health problems
• routine postpartum procedures
• nutrition and exercise
• introduction to lactation

Becoming a Postpartum Doula

Develop your hands-on skills as a Postpartum Doula, enabling you to provide the best care possible, and identify strategies for establishing and developing your business. You’ll learn how to support a new parent in the early weeks, and feel confident in taking care of themselves and their new baby. You’ll learn how to provide information that helps them to overcome any problems and make those first few weeks joyful. During this module, you’ll submit reviews of three books, a survey, reflection on your experience as a postpartum doula, and a reflective evaluation of this module. These will all be reviewed and assessed by your trainer.

Topics in Becoming a Postpartum Doula

• meal planning and preparation
• household tasks
• home safety
• first aid measures
• postpartum education
• debriefing the birth
• supporting clients parenting
• cultural practices
• breastfeeding support
• newborn care
• caring for multiples and infants with special needs
• supporting parents during hospitalization

My trainer has always been kind and very responsive, giving me many positive ways to interact with my clients. She has had a positive impact on my life.

Brandie, Odenville, Alabama