Everything you need to know to get started as a Professional Birth Doula!

2025 is a great year to become a doula! I have been working on creating a new style of training that focuses on what you really need to know to start working as a Birth  Doula in Iowa, the Midwest, and other regions of the US. I'm really excited to help you get started in your new career! 

Some of the most common requests I've received since I started as a trainer in 2017 are: 

• In-Person trainings are a must!
• Hearing from other successful doulas in the community. (We have two other doulas set to share info with you for our 2025 sessions! You'll also learn from Arianna Christensen and Shannon Lee.)
• More lactation support education (This training includes a Breastfeeding Workshop for Doulas with Angela Swieter, local IBCLC and lactation expert!)
• More information about working within the hospital/medical system
• More hands-on skills practice opportunities for comfort measures
• More business start-up, scheduling/client contracts, and finding client information. 
• Shorter path to certification without required readings, evaluations, and busy work.
• Ongoing mentorship opportunities
• Up-to-date information

I am so excited to say that I've created a training that covers ALL of those requests--and more! 

Would you like to schedule a time to chat about doula trainings or working as a doula? I'd love to chat! You can use this link to schedule a phone call with me. Let's Chat! Scheduler Link. 

Do I need to get certified to be a Birth Doula? 

You can begin working (and charging a fee) as a professional doula immediately after your training, even if you aren't certified or don't plan to get certified. Many doulas like to obtain certification for various reasons including: 

• Access to more clients through community organizations and non-profits. These groups often offer grants to pay for doula support, and many require the doula to be certified. 
• Fertility benefit companies, like Carrot, will reimburse the client for doula support if a certified doula provides care. 
• Many doulas like to have credentials (letters after their name) to show professionalism when networking and communicating with other healthcare professionals like pediatricians, OBs/Midwives, mental health therapists, lactation consultants, etc. 

If you would like to obtain certification, please visit the Perinatal Professionals Association or my page with more details. This is a third-party certification company that makes it easy to certify quickly, including a provisional certification option if you need immediate certification after your training. You do not need to decide on certification until after your training. We will go over the steps to certification in more detail in your training. 

This training is approved for Perinatal Professionals Association Birth Doula Certification. 

Register Today!

2025 Training Dates: 

• June 23 & 24, 2025 from 8:30 am-6:30 pm Each Day 
• More dates available in 2025. Join mailing list to be notified when those dates are available. 

Immediately after registering, you will be given access to our online content. This content is not required but is an "added bonus" to help you get started as a doula! You're welcome to get started on this as soon as you'd like, or you can wait until after your training, too. 

To register:

1. Click on the Course Link to the left. During the checkout process, you will select the in-person date you would like to attend. 
2. There will be a Welcome Video to watch. I highly recommend watching that as soon as possible. 
3. You are welcome to watch any of the other videos in the online course platform if you want to get a jump-start on your career! This is 100% optional. 

Please note: Your doula training will include a Resource Binder of helpful materials so you can begin working with families right away. You will be responsible for purchasing the training textbook: Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn by Simkin and Whalley. You MUST use the Sixth Edition, November 2024.  (The same textbook will be used for both Labor & Postpartum Doula Trainings).