Doulas are birth professionals who support pregnant women and their childbirth.  They provide emotional support as well as physical support to ensure a happy and healthy birth experience.  They also provide childbirth education so that the mother can make her own informed decisions regarding her pregnancy, labor, and postpartum.  Scientific evidence has shown that having a doula provide support has shorted labor time and decreased the need to have a medicated birth.  Becoming a doula is a great way to give mothers the positive and satisfying childbirth experience that all mothers deserve.

Who can Become a Doula?

Are you passionate about assisting and supporting pregnancy mothers and their newborns?  Then becoming a doula is an excellent career choice.  Women from all walks of life have become doulas. This includes: women who have just graduated, moms who love to help other new moms, and healthcare professionals who are seeking alternative line of work.  Many women incorporate their other passions into their doula business.  Examples are photographers who have become doulas offer newborn photography and artists who become doulas offer belly casting.

Becoming a Certified Doula

Getting a certification as a doula is an important part of starting your job as a doula.  Although having a certification is optional in the U.S., many doulas choose to enroll in doula certification programs in order to receive doula training from qualified instructors.  Certification organization such as DONA and CAPPA provide a structured curriculum and learning material for their students.  They also offer hands on training through their workshops in order for aspiring doulas to gain real world experience. Having a certification on your resume also makes it easier to find clients in a competitive job market.

Choosing the Best Doula Certification

If you have made the decision to get certified, then choosing the best certification program is important.  Two of the largest and recognized certification training programs are the Doulas of North America (DONA) and the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Organization (CAPPA).  These two organizations offer training curriculum which covers anatomy and physiology of labor, natural and cesarean births, how to offer support, childbirth education for the mother, and how to run your doula business.  Training material includes reading literature, attending classes, participating in a training workshop, and attending births.  This type of curriculum offers a well balanced approach to learning the ins and outs of becoming a doula and turning your love of supporting women into a job!