Where Do I Begin?
Everyone starts in a different place but most people know a lot more than they think they do. If you’ve always been interested in birth, you’ve probably listened to a few birth stories, read some articles and seen some videos. That’s great because that’s exactly what you’ll continue to do to prepare for the training! But now you’ll have more direction and focus. If you have any questions at all, please email – I want you to feel confident and enthusiastic from the very beginning.
Do I need to have completed a childbirth class?
It depends on your goals and knowledge level. Participants get the most out of the workshop when they have a working knowledge of childbirth and its related procedures. For people who are not interested in doula certification, and who know the concepts on the list below, it is not necessary to take a childbirth preparation course.
Most people take the Introduction to Childbirth for Professionals course since it is designed to fit with the training curriculum and is required for CAPPA and Doulaing The Doula Birth Doula Certification. Plus it gets excellent ratings! In the doula training, I will discuss how a doula helps a laboring person who has an epidural. I will not cover information that would be in a childbirth class, such as epidural administration, side effects, or when someone can receive an epidural in labor.
If you are uncertain about your readiness, download the pretest from the Course Preparation page and use it as a checklist. If you are still questioning, please do not hesitate to or phone, I am willing to help. People from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds have been trained to be successful doulas. You can too!
What Am I Expected To Know Before The Training?
These concepts are important to know before attending and are covered in the Childbirth for Professionals class. A good way to assess your understanding is to explain each of these concepts to another person (by writing or talking). If you can do that in an organized way, your working knowledge is where it needs to be.
- Anatomy of the reproductive system
- Physiology of pregnancy, birth, postpartum
- Definitions of medical terms regarding labor
- Common procedures and tests used during normal birth, their risks and benefits
- Intravenous pain medication, administration and effects
- Epidural pain medication, administration and effects
- Procedures for a cesarean birth
- Normal newborn appearance and procedures
- Basic relaxation techniques and comfort measures for labor
- Benefits of human milk for babies
You cannot over-prepare for this workshop! Nurses with twenty years experience find they learn a lot that they didn’t know before. However, the beauty of the training is that people who have never been to a birth or had a child have a fulfilling and moving experience. If you are uncertain about your readiness, please do not hesitate to or phone me, I am willing to help.
Amy managed to work in the social and political context of doula work while still keeping it heart centered. I learned so many concrete skills to use in other aspects of my life. This training was so much more than I expected it to be.
