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In Person and Online Birth Doula Training Workshops
DONA Birth Doula Trainings
DONA Birth Doula Training Workshops
Accelerated DONA Birth Doula Training
Online Birth Doula Training
We are excited to be a part of your birth doula journey!
Doula care is presented as a return to the community-based, woman-centered care that existed prior to the shift from home to hospital births. As such, the training demonstrates how woman-centered support can reclaim a place within medicalized childbirth in Western cultures. Doulas learn about the birth process, medical issues that can arise, ways to support laboring women physically and emotionally, and how to advocate with and for a patient in a hospital environment.
~ Dr. Christine Morton, author of Birth Ambassadors
What You'll Learn During This DONA-Approved Doula Training:
Our doula training goes beyond teaching the essentials of childbirth assistance. You will not only learn the art of supporting birthing families but also explore both historical and modern perspectives on childbirth. Through this comprehensive workshop, you’ll discover the unique role of Birth Doulas and how we can help women and families reconnect with the innate and instinctual wisdom of birthing and parenting.
- Gain the skills to provide effective support during labor, birth, breastfeeding, and the early postpartum period.
- Offer consistent emotional and physical care, empowering mothers and their partners to make informed choices throughout their birthing experience.
- Provide continuous support when medical interventions or technology are required, ensuring comfort and reassurance for your clients.ecessary.
- Conduct professional prenatal and postpartum visits, building trust and rapport with clients.
- Develop and launch your own private doula practice, creating a fulfilling career as a birth professional.
- Learn how to market yourself effectively, positioning yourself as a professional and trusted doula.
Sierra Doula Academy is Different
Evidence Based Birth Doula Training
Doula Mentoring & Coaching
Mentoring and support to birth and postpartum doulas at any stage of their journey.
In-Person & Online Doula Training
Varying options to meet the needs of busy schedules! 4 or 5 day in-person/hybrid workshops or 3-day or 5-week online programs.
DONA Approved Doula Workshop
Our in-person and online doula workshops meet all the requirements to become a DONA certified Doula.
Holistic & Evidence Based
We combine modern sciences with ancient & instinctual wisdom to offer a uniquely holistic experience.
Is becoming a doula the right path for you?
If you feel a deep calling to support families and improve birth outcomes, becoming a doula could be a good fit for you.
Testimonial
Reviews of Our Doula Trainings
Is a Doula Training right for you?
Our Birth Doula Program is perfect for
Aspiring Birth Doulas
Childbirth Educators
Nurses, Midwives & Doctors
Curious Parents
Your Doula Workshop Trainer Can Make All The Difference
Meet Your Doula Instructor
Janine Maitri
- 1982 Became a Childbirth Professional
- 2002 Founded Sierra Childbirth Institute
- 2019 Expanded to offer Doula Services to Sacramento families
- 2025 Changed our name to Sierra Doula Academy
Choose Your Doula Training Package
How Much Does Doula Training Cost?
We offer a few different ways to make it easier to become a doula. Listed here are the range of prices.
See below for each workshops pricing details.
Early Bird
one-time payment 30 days before workshopPay In Full
one-time paymentUnable to pay the full tuition upfront?
Secure your spot with a deposit!Your doula journey starts here
Are You Ready To Become A Birth Doula?
We’re so excited for you to take this journey with us. You’re going to make an impact on many lives.
Upcoming Doula Training Workshop Dates
In-Person Birth Doula Trainings
4 or 5-Day In-Person Workshops in Sacramento, CA | Our Most Popular Training!
5-Day In-person Workshop (Jul 16-20) 2025 | ONE SPOT LEFT! 4-Day In-person Workshop (Sept 25-28) 20254-Day In-person Workshop (Nov 6-9) 2025
In-Person 5 Day Birth Doula Training Investment
- Full Tuition $850
- Early Bird $775 (Only applicable for registrations made at least 30 days prior to the start of the workshop – Registrations submitted at the Early Bird rate after the discount period ends will be invoiced for the difference between the discounted rate and full tuition.)
Unable to pay the full tuition upfront?
To secure your spot in the workshop, simply pay a deposit* of half your tuition today, with the remaining balance due within 10 days before the workshop begins. (An invoice will be emailed to you after you enroll.)
* Deposit $446 (includes a small administrative fee)
Please note: If you’re unable to pay the balance by the deadline, you can apply your deposit to a future workshop in accordance with our tuition transfer policy. (See our Terms & Conditions page.)
This immersive workshop is held at our school in Sacramento, CA. Our July in-person workshop begins with our 2-day Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional course, followed by three days of comprehensive birth doula training. The entire workshop will be held in-person.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in September, this training will transition to a hybrid format. The Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional course on day one will be a single-day online class held over Zoom, and the three day Birth Doula Training will take place in-person at our school in Sacramento, CA.
By attending any of these workshops, you’ll fulfill two key certification requirements with DONA International—the Childbirth Education (CBE) and Birth Doula Training—setting you on the path to becoming a certified Birth Doula.
In this training, you will learn how to:
- Provide trauma-informed care to the families you support.
- Provide skilled support for labor, birth, breastfeeding, and the postpartum period.
- Provide consistent emotional and physical care, empowering mothers and their partners to make informed decisions during their birthing experience.
- Deliver continuous support even when medical interventions or technology are necessary.
- Conduct professional prenatal and postpartum visits to build strong relationships with clients.
- Establish and grow your own private doula practice.
- Market yourself effectively as a professional doula.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
2-Day Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional class | 10am to 5pm PST
- Satisfies the “Introduction to Childbirth” certification requirement with DONA
- Lays the foundation of pregnancy, labor & birth and postpartum education from a professional perspective
- Fulfills the CBE requirement for birth doula certification
STARTING IN SEPTEMBER:
1-Day Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional class | 10am to 6pm PST | HELD ONLINE OVER ZOOM (Same agenda)
DAY 1: Birth Doula Training Workshop | 10am to 5pm PST | HELD IN-PERSON
- History of the Doula Profession
- Scope of Practice of the Birth Doula
- Undisturbed birth
- Instinctual, physiologic birth
- Labor Support Skills– Non-pharmacological
- Comfort Measures for Labor & Birth
Day 2: Birth Doula Training Workshop | 10am to 5pm PST | HELD IN-PERSON
- Hospital births & medical management of birth
- Possible routines & Interventions
- The cascade effect of intervention
- Medical pain management– narcotics & epidurals
- Inductions & augmentation of labor + surgical births
- Birth Trauma– What is it & how doulas can help
- Loss & Grieving– How doulas can help families when they experience a loss
- Racial disparity
- Cultural Competency
Day 3: Birth Doula Training Workshop | 10am to 5pm PST | HELD IN-PERSON
- Prenatal preparation with families + postpartum support
- The on-call life of a Birth Doula
- The business of being a doula
- Marketing & promotion, including getting your first doula clients
- Certification requirements with DONA International
- Workshop closure– Graduation!
Attendance Policy:
All classes must be attended live; recordings are not available.
Missed classes cannot be made up individually—any absence will require re-enrollment in and attendance at a full workshop.
Online Birth Doula Trainings
5-Week Live Online Doula Training
Select a date below to register.
Weekly 5-Week Online Doula Training (Sept 15 – Oct 20) 2025 (No class Sept 24)
5-Week Online Birth Doula Training Investment
- Full Tuition $850
- Early Bird $765 (Only applicable for registrations made at least 30 days prior to the start of the workshop – Registrations submitted at the Early Bird rate after the discount period ends will be invoiced for the difference between the discounted rate and full tuition.)
Unable to pay the full tuition upfront?
To secure your spot in the workshop, simply pay a deposit* of half your tuition today, with the remaining balance due within 10 days before the workshop begins. (An invoice will be emailed to you after you enroll.)
* Deposit $446 (includes a small administrative fee)
Please note: If you’re unable to pay the balance by the deadline, you can apply your deposit to a future workshop in accordance with our tuition transfer policy. (See our Terms & Conditions page.)
This 5-week online course is ideal for those who prefer learning in smaller segments or have weekday or weekend commitments. Our weekly live sessions cover the same comprehensive content as our 3-day and 5-day workshops, but spread out over time—offering greater flexibility to fit your schedule.
In this training, you will learn how to:
Preparing for the Live Online Workshop:
- Ensure you have a quiet, distraction-free environment where you can fully focus. If you have small children, please arrange for childcare during class times to avoid interruptions.
- A reliable internet connection is essential for the entire duration of the course. Missing any part of the live classes may result in forfeiting your certificate of attendance.
- For the best experience, use a laptop or desktop computer. Using an iPad or phone may limit your ability to see all participants and engage in interactive elements like videos and group activities. You can set up a free Zoom account at www.zoom.us.
Attendance Policy:
All classes must be attended live; recordings are not provided.
Missed classes cannot be made up.
Workshop Schedule: Monday & Wednesday | 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm PST | Held live online over Zoom. (Sign up for a free Zoom account at www.zoom.us)
Attendance Policy:
All classes must be attended live; recordings are not provided.
Missed classes cannot be made up.
3-Day Accelerated Online Doula Training
3-Day Accelerated Live Online Workshop (Aug 22-24) 20253-Day Accelerated Live Online Workshop (Oct 24-26) 20253-Day Accelerated Live Online Workshop (Dec 5-7) 2025
3-Day Online Birth Doula Training Investment
- Full Tuition $650
- Early Bird $585 (Only applicable for registrations made at least 30 days prior to the start of the workshop – Registrations submitted at the Early Bird rate after the discount period ends will be invoiced for the difference between the discounted rate and full tuition.)
Unable to pay the full tuition upfront?
To secure your spot in the workshop, simply pay a deposit* of half your tuition today, with the remaining balance due within 10 days before the workshop begins. (An invoice will be emailed to you after you enroll.)
* Deposit $325 (includes a small administrative fee)
Please note: If you’re unable to pay the balance by the deadline, you can apply your deposit to a future workshop in accordance with our tuition transfer policy. (See our Terms & Conditions page.)
This online workshop is held live over Zoom and provides the same valuable content as our in-person workshops– from the comfort of your own home!
The workshop kicks off with our mandatory Pre-Workshop Virtual Meet-up the evening before the workshop starts (see Daily Agenda for hours.) Then on the first day of the workshop, the Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional course will provide a strong foundation for your doula education. By the end of the 3-day workshop, you will have completed two key requirements for birth doula certification with DONA International: the childbirth education and doula training components.
In this training, you will learn how to:
To prepare for attending this live online workshop:
- Make sure you have a quiet, undisturbed environment where you’re not preoccupied or distracted by driving, riding in a car, walking, interacting with others, etc. If you have small children, please have a care person to attend to them to avoid distractions.
- You’ll need to have a reliable Internet connection for the duration of the entire online course. Missing any portion of the live virtual workshop may result in forfeiting your certificate of attendance.
- Please use a laptop or desktop for the best experience. If you try to use an iPad or phone you will not see all group participants and may miss interactive elements like videos and small group activities. You can sign up for a free Zoom account at www.zoom.us
Classes must be attended live | Classes are not recorded | Attendance at the Pre-workshop Meet-up is mandatory
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE:
Day Before: Pre-Workshop Virtual Meet-up — 6:30 – 7:30 pm PST. All class participants and your trainer will meet virtually over Zoom the evening before the training begins to go over what to expect from the training and take time for personal introductions. This is a mandatory meeting, so please plan accordingly. (Sign up for a free Zoom account at www.zoom.us)
Day 1: Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional | 10 am to 6:30 pm. (Lunch break: 1:30-2:30 pm.)
- Satisfies the “Introduction to Childbirth” certification requirement with DONA
- Lays the foundation of pregnancy, labor & birth and postpartum education from a professional perspective
- Fulfills CBE requirement for birth doula certification
Day 2: Birth Doula Training | 9 am to 6:30 pm (Lunch break: 1-2 pm)
- History of the Doula Profession
- Scope of Practice of the Birth Doula
- Undisturbed birth
- Instinctual, physiologic birth
- Labor Support Skills– Non-pharmacological
- Comfort Measures for Labor & Birth
Day 3: Birth Doula Training | 9 am to 6:30 pm (Lunch break: 1-2 pm)
- Hospital births & medical management of birth
- Medical pain management– narcotics & epidurals
- Inductions & augmentation of labor + surgical births
- Birth Trauma – What is it & how doulas can help
- Loss & grieving – How we can help families when they experience loss
- Racial disparity + Cultural Competency
- Prenatal preparation with families + postpartum support
- The on-call life of a Birth Doula
- The business of being a doula + Marketing & promotion
- Workshop closure– Graduation!
Attendance Policy:
All classes must be attended live; recordings are not provided.
Missed classes cannot be made up.
Attendance at the Pre-Workshop Meetup is mandatory.
ROM
Is a loved one asking you to support them during birth, or are you just curious about doula work? Our Birth Support Basics workshop is the perfect introduction!
Birth Support Basics: Essential Labor Support Skills for Friends & Family
Investment $275.00
Location: Online
2-Day Online Course March 8-9 2025 (1 PM -5 PM)3-Day Evening Course April 30, May 7 & 14 (6 PM – 8:45 PM)
Location: Online
- Family & Friends who want to offer emotional and physical support to a loved one during childbirth
- Partners who want to play an active and informed role in the birthing process
- Aspiring Doulas looking to start their journey with foundational skills before investing in a full doula training
- Essential Labor Support Techniques: From comfort measures to breathing exercises
- Effective Communication: How to be a strong advocate for birthing parents
- Creating a Calm Birth Environment: Learn how to foster relaxation and reduce stress
- Supporting the Birth Partner: Tips for helping both the birthing mother and their partner through the process
- Introduction to Doula Work: Explore the role of the doula and the value that knowledgeable support has for laboring mothers during their birth experience
Birth Doula Training Frequently Ask Questions
After you finish your doula training workshop your trainer will have you register your workshop with DONA International. This is done in class at the end of the workshop, with the guidance of your trainer, and only takes a few minutes. Once you register your workshop, your certification packet will be emailed to you. There is no cost for this packet. Here are the requirements for certification, which can be completed in any order and at your own pace, but need to be completed and your application submitted to DONA within 3-years of attending your workshop:
- Attend a DONA-approved birth doula training workshop that’s at least 16-hours, like the one we offer at SDA. The workshop can be held in-person, online, or can be a hybrid workshop.
- Attend a childbirth education class. This must be as a doula student, not for education as a pregnant person. Our birth doula workshops at SDA include this in the curriculum—each training begins with this class.
- Attend a lactation class that’s specifically for perinatal professionals and at least 3-hours in length, like our Essential Breastfeeding Skills for Doulas & Birth Workers class at SDA.
- Complete reading assignments: 4 books + 2 Position Papers.
- Complete a self-assessment questionnaire.
- Create a resource list of providers and services in your community.
- Attend and document 3 births as primary labor support (after you have attended your workshop.)
- Purchase a DONA membership and pay the certification application fee.
- Fill out the application, compile your application paperwork, and submit to DONA for approval. You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been received and another email once it has been given to an application reviewer. Generally this process takes anywhere from 3-8 weeks.
- Celebrate your certification!
Our doula workshops are never recorded, and all classes must be attended live (online or in-person) to receive a certificate of attendance. Missed classes and portions of missed classes cannot be made up. If you miss attending part of a class, or an entire class, you may be dropped from the course and will need to attend a new course in its entirety. If this occurs, you will be given the option to attend the same online workshop at SCI at no additional charge, but you will need to attend the entire workshop and not just the missed portion. (Please note: This policy does not pertain to in-person workshops or classes at SDA. Be sure to read over our Terms & Conditions page.)
Yes, we include the “Intro” class, although at SDA we call this class Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional. Our workshops all begin with this CBE class and are followed by the doula training workshop. This means you’ll leave our birth doula workshop with both certification requirements fulfilled. After you complete the workshop you will be able to begin attending births right away while you work on your other certification requirements with DONA.
Our birth doula training workshops do not include the breastfeeding class in the curriculum– you will need to attend a separate class to fulfill that requirement. We offer that class with our 3-hour Essential Breastfeeding Skills for Doulas & Birth Workers class. This class is currently only offered in-person at our school in Sacramento, but we’re happy to provide you with resources for online breastfeeding classes. The breastfeeding class is included in the curriculum of our postpartum doula training workshops.
Workshop days are shorter in the 5-day workshops-- 10am to 5pm, vs. 9am to 6:30pm for the 3-day workshops, with start time of 10am on the first day. The curriculum in our 3-day birth doula workshop is exactly the same as the 5-day workshop, but since there are 6 more hours of workshop hours in the 5-day, the pace is a bit slower and we have the time to dive a bit deeper into some topics. To make up for this, the trainer sends out additional, optional, self-study material for the 3-day workshops so students won't miss anything. Also, more time is spent on Q&A and hands-on learning in the 5-day-- role play, small group discussion, etc. We also currently only offer our 3-day workshop online, and only offer our 5-day workshop in-person. Please note: Starting in Sept. 2025 we are shifting our 5-day training to a 4-day hybrid training, with day one held online and days 2, 3 and 4 held in-person.
$650-$850, depending on the training workshop you choose. Enrolling 30 days before a workshop is scheduled to begin, qualifies you to choose our 'early bird' tuition.
We currently only offer our 5-day workshops in-person, and our 3-day and 10-week workshops online.
Yes. You’ll be emailed a certificate of attendance after attending the entire online doula workshop or given one at the end of the in-person workshops. If you attend our birth doula workshop, you’ll also receive a certificate of attendance for the childbirth education portion of your training. If you attend our postpartum doula workshop, you’ll also receive a certificate of attendance for the breastfeeding portion of your training.
A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their client before, during and after childbirth. Read the full blog post: “What is a Doula”
