Scholarship Labor Doula Program FAQ

1. What does the scholarship cover, and what are my financial obligations to the program?

The scholarship covers the cost of Birthingway’s Labor Doula workshop (minus the cost of classroom materials), the Labor Doula Practicum Program Application fee, and the Certification fee. You are responsible for the class materials fee. Please contact the college for updated materials fee charge (binder fees).

2. If I am accepted into the program, what are my obligations as a scholarship recipient?

You are responsible for:

• completing the Labor Doula workshop
• serving as a volunteer Doula in your community for 8 documented births
• leading or participating in some form of presentation on the birth traditions &/or special circumstances women from your community might face during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum
• certify as a Labor Doula through Birthingway.

3. What is the length of the Labor Doula workshop?

There are two options for the workshop; either a 2-day intensive, 2-weekend option, or a one-night-a-week option for 8 weeks. Both options provide the same number of contact hours – 24.

4. How long does it usually take to certify?

You have 2 years in which to certify. However, it is possible that you could gain certification in a shorter amount of time; it is all up to you and how hard you work to connect with pregnant women from your community and gain clients.

5. How do I find clients? Does Birthingway provide referrals?

Birthingway will list you on our Student Doula website – with an indication that you will only serve clients from your specific community. Additionally, the Practicum Program Coordinator will work with you to brainstorm possible avenues for connecting with expectant mothers from your community and offer you support as you explore these avenues.

6. I have attended several births already with women in my traditional community. Can I count those towards my 8 required births?

You can count 3 births from before you entered the scholarship program, provided you can document these births with our paperwork, that you served the laboring mothers in a doula or doula- like role (offered labor support for more than 4 hours), and were present for the actual delivery of the baby/babies.

7. What constitutes a “traditional community”?

A "traditional community" is defined as a culturally and linguistically unique community of people, most often also connected ethnically. A person is from a particular "traditional community" if they were born into a family from that community and have maintained active participation in that community. For example, a person born into an immigrant Hmong family, who still maintains strong ties within the Hmong community in Portland/ the Northwest and speaks their native language.

8. Am I eligible for the Scholarship if I lived most of my life immersed in another culture that was not my own and am fluent in that culture’s language (additional to English) and I wish to serve as a doula in that culture?

Unfortunately, no. This scholarship is designed to support members of underserved communities in their efforts to bring benefit and quality of life improvement to their people.

9. Am I eligible if I have married a person from another culture, whose language I am fluent in (additional to English) so I can serve in that culture?

Again, no. While we are excited with every person who feels the call to be a doula, we are seeking to support people from within communities which do not currently receive a lot of support or opportunity.