BIRTH DOULA CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Certification Requirements must be completed and submitted within 2 years of your training.
1. Attendance Requirements
(A) Core Training of 26 hours
• 1 session may be missed and attended (within 1 year) at a future training.
• If you miss more than 1 session, you must enroll in a new training to receive a Certificate of Completion or Certification.
(B) Attend all 3 supplemental classes: Labor Massage, Mind/Body/Spirit, Reproductive Justice
2. Reading Requirements
• Core Reading - Select 1 from each Category listed below
• Submit a 1 page personal response each book. What is your reaction to the material? Do you agree/disagree? Why?
(A) Pregnancy & Birth
- Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
- The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin
- Babies Are Not Pizzas by Rebecca Dekker
- Expecting Better by Emily Oster
- The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland
- Ancient Map for Modern Birth by Pam England
- Optimal Care in Childbirth: The Case for a Physiologic Approach by Goer & Romano
- Having Your Baby: For the Special Needs of Black Mothers-To-Be, from Conception to Newborn Care by Hutcherson with Williams
(B) Doula Profession
- The Doula Book by Klaus, Kennel and Klaus
- Birth Ambassadors: Doulas and the Re-emergence of Woman-Supported Birth in America by Morton with Clift
- The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business by Patty Brennan
- The Doulas: Radical Care for Pregnant People by Mahoney & Mitchell
- The Heart of a Doula by Amy Gilliland
- Birth Work as Care Work by Alana Apfel
(C) Healing from Trauma
- When Survivors Give Birth by Klaus & Simkin
- The VBAC Companion by Diane Korte
- Cut, Stapled and Mended by Roanna Rosewood
- Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self while Caring for Others by Lipsky
- A Good Birth: Finding the Positive and Profound in Your Childbirth Experience by Lyerly
- Survivor Moms: Women’s Stories of Birthing, Mothering and Healing after Sexual Abuse by Spertich and Seng
(D) Reproductive Justice & Cultural Competency
- Killing the Black Body by Dorothy Roberts
- Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes
- Reproductive Injustice: Racism, Pregnancy, and Premature Birth by Dana-Ain Davis
- Reproductive Justice: An Introduction by Ross & Solinger
- Birth in Eight Cultures by Davis-Floyd & Cheyney
- Where’s the Mother? Stories from a Transgender Dad by Trevor MacDonald
- Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood by Eric Rosswood
- Red Medicine: Traditional Indigenous Rites of Birth and Healing by Patrisia Gonzales
- Battling Over Birth: Black Women and the Maternal Health Care Crisis by Oparah, Arega, Hudson, Jones, Oseguera
(E) Postpartum & Lactation
- Breastfeeding Made Simple by Nancy Mohrbacher
- The First Forty Days: The Essential Art to Nourishing the New Mother by Ou with Greeven and Belger
- Latch: A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage by Robin Kaplan
- The Black Woman's Guide to Breastfeeding: The Definitive Guide to Nursing for African American Mothers by Katherine Barber
(F) Films
- The Business of Being Born produced by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- More Business of Being Born (2011) produced by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein
- Microbirth produced by Harman and Wakeford
- Why Not Home? produced by Jessica Moore
3. Proof of current Adult and Infant/Child CPR certification (Neonatal Resuscitation class is strongly recommended, though not required.)
4. Attendance at 6 births (occurring during or after the training) At least 3 births must include at least 1 prenatal meeting, continuous labor support, and at least 1 postpartum meeting within two weeks of baby’s birth.
TEMPORARY COVID-19 ADAPTATION** for all Doula trainees from 2018 –2020:
1 year extension to complete requirements (3 years from date of training) 2 out of 6 families may be supported virtually (trainees 2018-2019) 3 out of 6 families may be supported virtually (trainees 2020 until in-person support resumes) For each birth attended, submit the following: Evaluation of Labor Support Services (completed by client)1-2 page summary of your experience with each family, including specific ways you provided guidance and any challenges you met.
5. Agree to Natural Resources Doula Code of Ethics/Standards of Practice
Submit complete packet of documentation electronically to birthdoulatraining@naturalresources-sf.com. A certification submission-processing fee of $75 is due at the time of submission payable to Natural Resources.
**COVID-19 ADAPTATION ENDS 12/31/2021 and is subject to change based on current health and safety conditions.