Labor Doula Program

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:

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
   

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:

• 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

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.