Birth Doula Professional Training

Who this is for

Aspiring birth doulas, practicing doulas seeking a more complete foundational program, and perinatal professionals who want structured labor-support training.

What you will learn

• Define the doula’s role, limits, ethics, confidentiality obligations, and referral responsibilities across prenatal, labor, birth, and immediate postpartum care.
• Explain pregnancy adaptations, fetal development, labor hormones, fetal positioning, stages and phases of labor, and normal variations in labor progress.
• Demonstrate a broad, consent-based repertoire of movement, positioning, touch, breathing, relaxation, sensory, hydrotherapy, and coping techniques.
• Describe common hospital procedures, monitoring, pharmacologic pain options, induction methods, operative birth, and cesarean without giving medical advice.
• Facilitate informed decision-making by helping clients identify values, ask questions, understand options, request time, and communicate preferences.
• Adapt support for epidural, induction, cesarean, VBAC, preterm birth, multiples, pregnancy loss, stillbirth, NICU admission, and unexpected outcomes.
• Support partners and family members while maintaining the client’s autonomy, privacy, and emotional safety.
• Provide immediate postpartum and early feeding support within scope and recognize when lactation, medical, mental-health, or social-service referral is indicated.
• Use trauma-informed, culturally responsive, disability-inclusive, and LGBTQ+ affirming practices.
• Build a sustainable doula practice with clear contracts, backup systems, documentation, consultation skills, professional networking, and self-care.

Entry & readiness

No prior clinical credential. Complete orientation, scope agreement and a basic literacy/technology access check. Current adult and infant CPR is required before client practice.

How learning works

Planned delivery combines sequenced instruction, guided independent study, applied assignments, case work and competency assessment, with verified practice where required. Online lessons are self-paced, with access opening on the date above. Live-session arrangements and practice requirements will be confirmed before paid enrollment opens.

Practice & application

At least 15 verified hours across one complete birth-support case, including prenatal planning, active birth support, postpartum follow-up and mentor debrief. Record at least 10 hours of direct family support; remaining time is documented mentor review or supported case reflection. If the birth is brief, add an approved family encounter to reach the minimum; never shorten continuous support to meet a clock target. A qualified doula mentor directly observes one prenatal or postpartum encounter and one support encounter when consent and setting permit, then reviews the complete de-identified record. Additional time and experiences are required when outcomes remain unmet.

Completion requirements

Complete all required modules, assignments and practice. Attend at least 90% of live instruction and make up missed learning; all safety and skills sessions are mandatory. Pass the final knowledge assessment at 85% with every critical item correct. Pass the separate performance assessment and portfolio at 17/20 or higher, with at least 3 in each dimension and no critical error. Final evidence must be accepted before an award is issued.

Scope & credential clarity

The birth doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support. The doula does not diagnose, perform clinical tasks, interpret fetal monitoring, prescribe or administer medications or herbs, make decisions for the client, or speak in place of the client. The course teaches recognition and referral - not medical management.

The Daisy Academy award reflects the Academy’s own competency requirements. It does not confer licensure or automatically establish external accreditation, insurance recognition or third-party certification.