Which Doula Training Is Best?

If you are considering becoming a doula, whether it be a birth or postpartum doula, then a question you might be asking yourself is which organization is the best one to receive training and certification from? You may have already discovered that a lot of different organizations pop up when searching doula training online. While some focus primarily on birth doula certification, i.e., a doula who supports the birthing person during labor, others offer postpartum doula certification, i.e., a doula who provides a variety of different support to a family once the baby is born. Some organizations offer certification for both birth and postpartum doulas.

The first thing to be clear about up front is that while training is obviously a huge benefit before you walk into a birth room or nursery for the first time, technically speaking doulas are not required to be certified to practice, unlike many other personal service professionals, e.g., massage therapists, acupuncturists, hairdressers, etc. Nevertheless, when it comes to marketing yourself to prospective clients, being a certified doula is definitely an advantage. Obtaining a certification with an organization demonstrates that you have applied yourself to broadening your education within your profession and have taken the steps necessary to complete a task.

While technically speaking a certification is just a piece of paper that doesn’t have to be shared with your state or jurisdiction in order for you to practice as a doula, it does represent your commitment to your work and provide evidence to prospective clients that being a doula is more than just a hobby for you. Being certified usually means that you’re able to charge more for your services as well, because it illustrates you’ve received additional education about pregnancy and childbirth in addition to basic doula training (e.g., completed a required reading list of reference books, amassed a list of references for potential clients, written an essay, attended births, etc.).

Regardless of your preference of birth or postpartum training and certification, it’s important to evaluate your options and to compare what each organization offers.  Some things to consider are: what is this organization’s mission statement and philosophy, does this organization’s training cover diversity, birth equity and advocacy, what are the required steps for certification, how much does their annual membership and certification cost and are their local trainers in your area that offer training workshops at times and places that are convenient for your? The best rule of thumb is to align yourself with an organization that represents the values and philosophy that are most important to you. If you’re undecided on which one is the best fit, it may come down to the organization which offers classes nearby, however these days with most everything being available virtually, this may not even matter.

Doula training comes in all shapes and sizes but ultimately it comes down to trusting your gut about which organization feels like the best fit for you. Tuning into your intuition is a big part of being a doula, so allow this choice to come from your inner knowing and rest assured that you’ll  end up choosing the path that is right for you.