What You'll Learn

You'll develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide compassionate, evidence-based support to families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

Foundations of Birth & Doula Care

• History and evolution of childbirth, midwifery, and doula care

• The role and scope of the professional doula

• Cultural humility and trauma-informed care

• Professional ethics and client advocacy

Pregnancy & Prenatal Care

• Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy

• Hormonal changes and fetal development by trimester

• Emotional and psychological changes during pregnancy

• Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders

• Pregnancy and infant loss

• Building a comprehensive prenatal care team, including pelvic floor physical therapy, prenatal fitness, yoga, chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage therapy, lactation support, mental health, and other complementary providers

Labor & Birth Support

• Physiology and stages of labor

• Signs of labor and labor progression

• Comfort measures, including massage, counterpressure, rebozo techniques, heat and cold therapy, breathing, relaxation, and emotional coaching

• Laboring and pushing positions, biomechanics, pelvic opening techniques, and position changes throughout labor

• Supporting partners during labor

Birth Settings & Medical Care

• Hospital, birth center, home birth, and community birth models

• Cesarean birth support and recovery

• Common medical interventions, including induction, augmentation, pain management, assisted births, fetal monitoring, and informed decision-making

Postpartum & Newborn Care

• Breastfeeding and infant feeding fundamentals

• Newborn appearance, behavior, feeding, sleep, and soothing techniques

• Early postpartum recovery and family adjustment

Communication & Professional Practice

• Prenatal education and postpartum support

• Navigating client and family dynamics

• Trauma-informed communication

• HIPAA and client confidentiality

• Collaborative communication with healthcare providers

• Documentation and professional standards

Building Your Doula Business

• Establishing and growing your doula practice

• Finding and retaining clients

• Pricing, contracts, and client workflows

• Insurance reimbursement and MassHealth billing

• MassHealth and Rhode Island provider enrollment support

• Business structures, taxes, malpractice insurance, branding, and sustainable business systems

  Upon Successful Completion, You Will:

• Receive a Certificate of Completion, including a detailed course syllabus that supports eligibility for certification pathways and Massachusetts and Rhode Island provider enrollment.

• Possess the foundational knowledge, clinical skills, and professional confidence needed to begin supporting families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

• Be prepared to build and operate your own independent doula practice with a strong understanding of both client care and business operations.

• Optional: continue on into the DoD Doula Diploma Program, where you'll receive hands-on mentorship, clinical observation, and personalized business coaching.

Learning doesn't end when class does. Every participant will receive three months of continued access to our online learning portal, including:

• Recorded class sessions

• Presentation slides

• Training videos

• Downloadable resources

• Course materials and reference guides

This allows you to revisit lessons, reinforce key concepts, and continue learning as you begin working with clients.