A comprehensive birth doula training and certification designed to prepare you to confidently support families through pregnancy, labor, and birth.
Become a Birth Doula.
Support With Confidence.
Trusted by doulas, childbirth educators, and families across the country.
You Might Be In the Right Place If...
- You love pregnancy and birth and want to support families during labor and birth
- You’ve been curious about becoming a doula and are ready to take that next step
- You’re excited about being present at births and offering hands-on support
- You want to understand the doula role clearly and feel confident showing up at births
- You care about evidence-based information and respectful, family-centered care
- You’re eager to learn and want training that prepares you for real-life birth work
- You want certification from an organization that is trusted and well-established
If you said yes to any of these, this certification was designed for you!
Become a Birth Doula
The Birth Boot Camp Birth Doula Training is a certification program designed to help you feel ready to support families during pregnancy, labor, and birth. It’s practical, hands-on, and focused on what doulas actually do, so when you walk into a birth, you know your role and how to show up.
Birth Boot Camp has been training birth professionals since 2012, and this doula training is shaped by real-life experience. It’s built around what doulas actually encounter at births, including the unpredictable moments, the long labors, the emotional shifts, and the need to stay grounded and supportive no matter how a birth unfolds.
By the end of the training, you’ll feel more comfortable stepping into the doula role. You’ll understand how to support families through different situations, stay within your scope, and offer steady support.
They Loved Their Training
What's Included in Your Doula Training?
Doula Training & Core Skills
Before attending births, this training focuses on preparing you. You’ll build a strong foundation in pregnancy, labor, and birth, while learning how to support families emotionally, physically, and informationally. Through the training, you’ll learn how to:
- Understand the role and scope of a birth doula
- Provide continuous emotional and physical support during labor
- Offer comfort measures and emotional support
- Support informed decision-making while staying within your role
- Navigate different birth environments and situations
Evidence-Based Birth Education Foundation
A doula’s work goes beyond knowing positions and comfort measures. Understanding what’s happening in pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding helps you support families with confidence and respond thoughtfully when questions or concerns come up. As part of this foundation, you’ll gain:
- Integrated education from Birth Boot Camp’s Comprehensive Childbirth Class
- Breastfeeding education through the Birth Boot Camp Breastfeeding Class
- Additional in-depth breastfeeding intensive training
- A clear understanding of birth physiology and common interventions
- Knowledge to support informed conversations without teaching or providing medical care
- A strong evidence-based framework while staying within your scope of practice
Birth Support Skills & Tools
Supporting families during labor requires more than good intentions. This part of the training focuses on the practical, hands-on skills doulas use at births to provide steady, responsive support as labor unfolds.
- Comfort measures and labor support techniques
- Communication and active listening skills
- Hands-on support strategies for labor and birth
- Supporting partners and encouraging meaningful involvement
- Adapting support as labor changes and intensifies
Doula Tools & Client Resources
You’ll receive a myriad of tools to support both your learning and your work with clients.
- A Birth Boot Camp Doula Handbook to use as an ongoing reference
- A copy of Supporting Arms, a client workbook you can purchase and use with your doula clients
- Practical resources designed to support families throughout pregnancy and birth
Online Portal & Ongoing Resources
Your certification includes access to an online portal designed to support you throughout your doula journey.
- Access to all training materials in one place
- Organized resources you can return to as you attend births
- Professional development tools and references
Business Foundations
Birth Boot Camp is one of the few doula certification programs that prepares you not just for births, but for building a business.
- Starting and structuring a doula practice
- Finding clients and what do cover during client interviews
- How to structure your prenatal visits with your clients
- Creating a website and marketing your services
- Networking and building referral relationships
- Creating a sustainable practice that fits your life
Community & Continued Support
Ongoing support is a core part of the Birth Boot Camp Birth Doula Certification. As a certified doula, you’ll be part of an active, supportive community of birth professionals. You’re never expected to navigate this work alone. Our community is a place where you can:
- Ask questions
- Share experiences
- Learn from others who understand this work
What Will You Learn?
Receive all this, your training, certification, and more in one place, for one price.
To start, simply choose the
program right for you.
Choose Your Training Path
IN-PERSON TRAINING – $845
Who: Spend 3 amazing days in-person with your trainer and other passionate trainees as they learn and prepare to become amazing birth doulas!
What: Our in-person training is a hands-on and interactive experience. First, choose which date and location you’d like to attend. Then complete all of the training modules (detailed below) that must be submitted before your training. Finally, attend the 3-day in-person training and leave certified!
*Save $100 with our Early Bird pricing when you sign up for an in-person training 3 or more months before the training.
**Payment Plan – 2 monthly payments of $447.50. A $50 processing fee has been added to the payment plan.
In-Person Trainings
Upcoming Dates & Locations
ONLINE TRAINING – $845
Who: Complete your training on your own time and schedule. With one year to complete the training, you choose how quickly you move through the content.
What: Our online training is a self-paced, 100% on demand course that you complete in your own time. Your materials will be mailed to you so that you can get started and our Headquarters team is here to support you if you need any assistance.
*Payment Plan – 3 monthly payments of $298.34. A $50 processing fee has been added to the payment plan.
Certification Process
1
Register and Pay
Choose whether you’d like to do the in-person or online training. Sign up, pay, and immediately get access to your training portal. You will receive an email with your log-in information. Be sure to check out the welcome video.
2
Sign Paperwork
In your training portal, you will find links to sign some paperwork including our Policies & Procedures, Code of Conduct, and Non-compete agreement. Read over these and sign them when you log in to your portal.
3
Complete Your Training Modules
In your online portal you will find all of your training modules with detailed instructions and tips for each one. Be sure to download each module and make a plan to complete your work in a timely manner. If you will be attending an in-person training, you are required to have all of the training modules submitted to your trainer no later than 10 days before your training. For those taking an online training, you must complete all of the modules within a year.
Module 1 – Reading
Read each of these books and write about 5 things you learned when reading.
- Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent
- Reclaiming Childbirth as a Right of Passage by Rachel Reed
- Labor Pain: What’s Your Best Strategy? by Henci Goer
- Natural Hospital Birth by: Cynthia Gabrial
- In Your Own Time: How Western Medicine Controls the Start of Labour and Why This Needs to Stop by Sara Wickham
- Breastfeeding Made Simple by: Mohrbacher & Kendall-Tackett
- When Survivors Give Birth: Understanding and Healing the Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Childbearing Women by: Simkin and Klaus
- Battling Over Birth: Black Women and the Maternal Health Care Crisis by Julia Chinyere Oparah, Helen Arega, Dantia Hudson, Linda Jones, Talita Oseguera
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Module 2 – Childbirth Education
Watch Birth Boot Camp’s online Comprehensive Childbirth Class and answer the questions. You will find this in your online training portal.
Module 3 – Documentaries
Watch these documentaries and answer questions about them.
- Orgasmic Birth
- Birth Time
- Born Free
Module 4 – Breastfeeding
Watch the Breastfeeding Intensive for Birth Professionals video that’s included in your training.
Module 5 – Support Groups
Attend two pregnancy, breastfeeding, and/or postpartum support groups in your community.
Module 6 – Bloodborne Pathogens
Complete one of the below bloodborne pathogen trainings, pass their test, and purchase the certification.
Module 7 – Community Resources
Compile a list of local resources that will benefit your clients.
Module 8 – Attend 2 Births
Attend 2 different births and record your experience.
Module 9 – Online Training Videos (Online Training Only)
Watch the online training videos in your online portal.
Module 10 – Reflections (Online Training Only)
After completing all of your modules, answer a few essay questions to reflect on everything you’ve learned.
4
Attend In-Person Training/Complete Online Training
If you’ve chosen to attend an in-person training, you will enjoy an amazing 3 days with your trainer and other trainees passionate about birth.
If you are completing the online training, submit all of your completed training modules to our certification coordinator.
5
Receive Your Certification
After completing your training modules, attending your in-person training or completing your online training you will be certified and ready to begin working as a doula!
They Loved Their Training
Become a certified doula and help families have life-changing birth experiences!
FAQ's
What’s Included?
- Instant access to your Training Portal
- Your choice of a 3-day in-person workshop OR fully online, self paced training
- Birth Doula Handbook
- Supporting Arms book (used for clients)
- Training on becoming an amazing birth doula
- Business training
- Samples of our marketing materials
- Support from your trainer and the Headquarters team
- Access to our private Facebook group for trainees
What support is available after I complete my training?
- Access to our Doula Portal
- Access to Birth Boot Camp stock photography to use in your marketing
- A professional account on the Birth Boot Camp store to purchase materials for your clients
- Access to our private Facebook group for all currently certified Instructors and Doulas
- A personalized certificate every year that you recertify
- Invitation to our company wide Retreat every 3 years
- Access to the Headquarters Team
Should I choose the online or in-person training? Which is best?
Both training options are great, one is not better than the other, just what makes the most sense for you!
If you work best with a hard deadline and accountability, enjoy meeting new people, benefit from hands-on training, and have the flexibility to be away for 3 days, then an in-person training would be great for you!
If you have a busy lifestyle, small children, you are a self starter, work best on your own and in your own time, then the online training would be great for you! You have one year to complete the online training once you register.
Consider how you work best and which options best meet your educational needs.
What if I can’t attend the workshop I am registered for?
If you need to change from the workshop you originally signed up for to a new workshop, you will need to notify your trainer and contact the certification coordinator at doulacertification@birthbootcamp.com. There is a $300 transfer fee that must be paid in order to reserve your spot in a new workshop. If it is not possible to attend an in-person workshop, you may choose to switch to the online training and the $300 fee applies. Access to your training portal will be removed until the fee is paid and you choose a new workshop.
How much time will it take to complete the training modules?
The answer to this question solely depends on you and how your life is currently set up. If you have small children, a full time job outside of the home, a busy personal life, brand new to birth work, or a slower reader, it may take 4-6 months to complete all the training modules.
If you are a fast reader, already in birth work and familiar with the material, or have the ability to set aside large blocks of time to work on it, then you may be able to get through the workload within the deadline of 6 weeks before the workshop.
Set realistic goals for yourself. Enjoy the journey of getting certified. Remember, the more prepared you are for the workshop, the better equipped you will be to help couples work towards their amazing births.
Online trainees have one year to complete the training. If you need more time, we offer a 3 month extension for $175.
What do I do with my training modules once I’m finished?
In-Person Training Workshops: Your modules are due to your trainer 10 days prior to the workshop. Your trainer will review your modules and send back any work that needs to be corrected or completed. Revisions are due back to your trainer 2 days before the workshop.
Online Training: Your training modules are due BEFORE your training expires (one year from the date you registered) When you have completed all of your training modules, you will email them to the Certification Coordinator. It can take up to 2 weeks for your modules to be looked over and corrections sent back.
What do I need to bring to the workshop?
Laptop/ipad that can connect to WiFi, notebook for note taking, 2 bed pillows, yoga mat, comfortable clothing, a jacket or sweater, your own snacks and beverages.
How long do I have to complete my certification?
Keep in mind that there is a significant amount of work involved in this training. There are books to read, documentaries and other videos to watch, the bloodborne pathogens trainings, and more to complete. Allow yourself plenty of time to complete all of the modules!
If attending an in-person training, your training modules are due to your trainer no later than 10 days before your workshop.
Do I have to recertify?
Recertification is due each year on March 31st. The fee for recertification is $100. We include several educational requirements that will help you develop as a birth doula as well as grow your business. Recertification will be discussed in detail during your training.
Can I bring my baby to training?
We encourage long-term breastfeeding and want nursing mothers to be included. Training, however, is intensive and requires long hours and a quiet room, so that all who have invested their time and money can hear and participate. Training also requires that all be able to participate in relaxation and various other floor exercises. If you are nursing a baby you must make arrangements to have someone who can bring your baby to you for feedings. Additional space will not be provided at training for your baby and babysitter. This enables both the nursing mother and others in attendance to maximize their workshop experience. You may also choose to pump during training. Please discuss your breastfeeding/pumping needs with your trainer. There are multiple breaks built into the training as well as a 1.5 hour lunch break when you can nurse. Older children are not allowed at training.
