Articles on doula training, certification, recognition and building a practice from Birth & Baby University.
Doula certification programs train you to provide non-clinical support during birth or postpartum. While certification isn’t legally required, it builds credibility, opens doors to employer-benefit platforms and Medicaid reimbursement, and provides structured training in…
Read the article: Doula Certification Programs Explained: Types, Formats & CredentialsBecoming a doula involves five key steps: choose your specialty (birth, postpartum, or other focus), complete comprehensive training through a recognized program, obtain certification, cover practical prerequisites like CPR, and build your practice through…
Read the article: How to Become a Doula: A Step-by-Step GuideParents love newborn reflexes. The startle that flings the arms wide, the tiny hand that clamps around a finger and the head that turns toward a touch on the cheek are all things families…
Read the article: The Science of Newborn Reflexes and What They Tell Us About DevelopmentA client who wanted an unmedicated labor asks for an epidural. Another planned a vaginal birth and now faces a cesarean. A third changes her mind about a hospital-based plan halfway through the night.…
Read the article: How to Support a Client Whose Birth Preferences Change UnexpectedlyFew things frighten new parents more than a sudden, vivid thought of something terrible happening to their baby. They often keep it secret from fear of being judged or reported. Understanding perinatal OCD, and…
Read the article: Understanding Perinatal OCD: Symptoms, Misconceptions, and Appropriate ReferralsSafe sleep is the one topic on which a postpartum doula's accuracy matters most. Each year in the United States about 3,500 infants die of sleep-related causes, and many of those deaths happen in…
Read the article: Safe Sleep Recommendations: What Every Postpartum Doula Must KnowPlacenta previa and placental abruption are both associated with bleeding in the second half of pregnancy, but they are different conditions with different warning signs and risks. Doulas do not diagnose either. They do…
Read the article: Understanding Placenta Previa and Placental Abruption: Essential Knowledge for Birth WorkersEpidurals attract more myths among doulas and clients than almost any other intervention: that they cause cesareans, ruin breastfeeding or harm babies. Some concerns have an evidence base that has changed, others are unproven.…
Read the article: Epidurals and Birth Outcomes: Separating Evidence From Common MisconceptionsNewborn breathing is loud, fast and uneven, and it often looks alarming to parents who have never watched a baby sleep. Postpartum doulas spend long stretches near sleeping babies, which means they are often…
Read the article: Understanding Normal Newborn Breathing Patterns and Warning SignsFamilies ask doulas questions that sound medical: "Should we agree to the induction?" "Is this normal?" "What would you do?" The doula's job is neither to answer as a clinician nor to leave the…
Read the article: How to Support Informed Decision-Making Without Giving Medical AdvicePage 18 of 23
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