Birth Doula Certification

You want to become a birth doula! It’s such an incredible time to be helping families through their births — hospital birth, home birth and birth center families all need your support.

You have the potential to touch so many lives! It’s exciting to imagine the unique skills and gifts you’re going to bring to this amazing work. Your journey starts by choosing a DONA Approved Birth Doula Training Workshop. These high-quality workshops all meet DONA International’s highest professional standards, which means you’ll be learning the skills you really need to provide excellent service to every family you support.

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Helpful Guides

In your birth doula training you can expect to learn not only the how to doula, but also the why we doula. Workshops cover evidence-based information about the benefits of doula support, the history of birth, the significance of doula support to families, practical hands- on techniques, as well as the steps to begin a career as a birth doula. After completing your workshop and all certification requirements, you will receive a digital certificate. Physical certificates can be purchased for $10 in the DONA Boutique.

Prerequisites and Requirements

Required Education

DONA approved birth doula workshop (16–24 hours)
Childbirth education course (8 hours) — some trainers include this within their workshop
Lactation support education course (3 hours) — some trainers include this within their workshop
Required reading:
The Birth Partner (Simkin) before workshop start
Three additional books from the doula reading list
Two DONA International position papers

Practical Experience

Provide continuous in-person labor support for 3 births
Each birth must be with a different client
Minimum 15 total hours of labor support — one may be a cesarean birth
Parent evaluations + self-reflection required for all 3 births
Certification packet submitted within 3 years of workshop completion
Birth experience forms and evaluations
Reflective essay on your doula journey
Develop a community resource + referral list
Personal references required
Scope of Practice + Code of Ethics agreements
DONA International membership required for packet submission
A DONA reviewer will contact you within 3 months of submission

DONA International was always my first choice for training and certification. The amount of support and mentorship I’ve been given is priceless. The organization is very well respected and reflects how I feel about being a doula. I’m honored to have CD(DONA) behind my name.

– Nikki Knowles, CD(DONA)

What’s a Community Centered Doula?

A community-centered doula (CCD) provides emotional, physical, informational, and relational support during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period up to one year after birth in communities that are impacted by social systems that create adverse maternal health outcomes. A CCD provides culturally congruent support.

How do Community Centered Doulas work?

Using a peer-to-peer support model, Community Centered Doulas (CCDs) help clients navigate pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period recognizing the social determinants of health that increase the risk of perinatal and infant mortality and morbidity, as well as laws, policies, and systems that negatively impact marginalized and/or under-resourced communities.

The CCD-client relationship extends well beyond that of a birth or postpartum doula, typically beginning in early pregnancy and continuing until at least one year after birth. During that time, CCDs offer emotional, physical, informational, and relational support related to childbirth education, lactation promotion, and parent education, and connect families to health-care resources and services.

CCDs are also trained to interact and communicate with other human services, social services, and perinatal health professionals that may comprise the family’s support system.

Your DONA Doula Certification Roadmap:

Get the Official FAQs & Start With Confidence

If you’re serious about getting DONA-certified, this will give you clarity fast. Enter your email and we’ll send you the official DONA Birth & Postpartum Doula Certification FAQ—a no-fluff guide covering everything you need to know to get started!