Postpartum Doula Certification?

[BubbleMa]

I want to be a Postpartum Doula.  I know of two certifications (CAPPA and DONA).  Are there others?  Which is the best?  What else can you tell me about becoming and/or being a PP Doula?

[fruitfulmomma]

Childirth International has a program and also has a comparison chart on their site that might be helpful for you. 

I haven't done any training yet so can't speak to that.

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma 

Childirth International has a program and also has a comparison chart on their site that might be helpful for you. 

I haven't done any training yet so can't speak to that.

Awesome!  Thanks. :)

[WildDoula]

In my area, women really don't know about/care to look at certs. Just something to think about. I spent a lot of money on my DONA training, and it was pretty much waste IMO. 

Birth Arts has a PP Doula certification. Demetria is really wonderful.

[motherhendoula]

I got certified through CAPPA years ago - i did the 'distance learning' - it took very little time.  Its true, the training is not especially helpful, i just did it because i live in an area where (i think anyway) people look for certifications - as if i am somehow better than an uncertified doula  - frankly, i don t think thats true but i let popular perception sway me on this one! 

Also, its one way to advertise - i have gotten calls ....like maybe once a year , someone will call me who got my name off teh CAPPA website.  I think i spent $350 on my distance learning kit - it took maybe 4 - 6  months to complete ...and i wasnt really rushing.

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by WildDoula 

In my area, women really don't know about/care to look at certs. Just something to think about. I spent a lot of money on my DONA training, and it was pretty much waste IMO. 

Birth Arts has a PP Doula certification. Demetria is really wonderful.

That's good to know.  I might start out w/o a cert. and see what happens.  I'd hate to spend that much money if it's not necessary.

[WaltzJmp]

I have a bachelor's degree in child development and 6 years of experience working in child development.  I signed up for the Child Birth International training and I am regretting it.  You can learn all of it on your own by reading and being around children.  There is nothing special in the trainings.  I would suggest reading some books on the DONA postpartum doula required reading list and find some moms that want help with their babies.  Don't worry about getting certified unless you find that moms seem concerned.
 

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by WaltzJmp 

I have a bachelor's degree in child development and 6 years of experience working in child development.  I signed up for the Child Birth International training and I am regretting it.  You can learn all of it on your own by reading and being around children.  There is nothing special in the trainings.  I would suggest reading some books on the DONA postpartum doula required reading list and find some moms that want help with their babies.  Don't worry about getting certified unless you find that moms seem concerned.
 

Thanks, that's what I figured.  I've been working in child care since my first job at 16, and baby sitting long before that.  I'm also Montessori trained.  Plus, I have my own children (including a newb, born in May).  I'm also pretty good at running errands and tidying up.  ;)  I started a list of books I want to read.  Lots of breastfeeding books, that's probably the one area I don't have a ton of experience in yet.  I want to be able to help with that, if needed. 

Thanks for all your help mamas!  I'm excited about this new path.  :)

[DoulaGinny]

I'm a CAPPA trained Labor Doula & Childbirth Educator with a B.A. in Psychology-Emphasis in Child-Adolescent Psychology/Development & minors in Early Childhood Education and Marriage & Family Counseling.  I worked for over 8 yrs in Childcare as Curriculum/Developmental Behavior Specialist & Staff Trainer & Teacher.  

After having said that, there are a LOT of things that you NEED to learn on the Postpartum side of things which you need formal Face 2 Face, Hands On training to learn well. Distance learning is the hardest way to learn because you are just reading and doing exercises by yourself.  You need the benefit of a multiple day class with classmates that you can gain perspective from and a trainer you can ask many questions to; with live discussions on important topics like how to get your business started ethically...  Postpartum Depression & other Postpartum Mood Disorders-its more complicated than basic depression... Breastfeeding Support-hands on learning just short of a lactation consultant...   Physiology of Pregnancy & Postpartum Recovery...  Books can only tell you so much.  A lot of the trainers have nursing experience and can also give you more info that way as well.  Many of them have met the authors of these books personally and see them speak on a regular basis.  Check the CAPPA list of Required Reading for the best books to invest in.  (I'm sure they are similar to DONA's!)  Sometimes the newest book or the most interesting sounding title may not have the best info.  And you want to buy/borrow the least amount of books possible to get all the right info!  

CAPPA has wonderful trainers and people at the heard of the organization that will be there for you all the time.  They will friend you on facebook and on the CAPPA site and you can msg them anytime.  They offer trainings all over the country frequently and are constantly asking where they are needed next.  Darla Adler is the Executive Director of Postpartum Doulas at CAPPA and you can find her on facebook easily.  :)  She will openly answer questions for you right now. 

I decided to get certified because  1.) I believe in training and learning as a foundation for experience-  and  2.) As a mother I looked for Doulas who were certified for the same reason that many women today do- to make sure they have had some kind of good foundation of learning to back up what they say they can do.  Its so much more than just tidying up and running errands.  There are child development, sibling development and relational issues, marriage & family issues, physical, mental, and emotional issues for the whole family that you may be dealing with- not just mother and baby.  You need to be fully prepared for anything that could happen, no matter how unexpected and that's where good training comes in.

Hope this helps.  You'll be like the lifeguard of the new family for a period of time and that means special training - including CPR/First AID ect...  Just wanted to get you to think about it thoroughly.  Doulas of all types have an enormous responsibility.  a Precious New Family is in our hands!

~Gin

[Meksmama]

I just took Doula Trainings International's postpartum doula training (3 day) I still have 9 months left to complete certification with my mentor. ( teleclasses, reading requirements, essays, and other requirements.)  It is pricey however you never have to get re-certified. So no membership fees (as of now). It was a wonderful 3 day training and I am excited to be starting this journey with them!

http://www.doulatrainingsinternational.com/

[Oread]

I am doing a DONA training because I plan on going into midwifery and many of the programs I have been looking at (Bastyr and Midwives College of Utah) require DONA training specifically. If that isn't a concern of yours though, I think any of the other programs would probably work just as well. 

[Lynsahm]

I agree, specific experience with assisting breastfeeding moms is essential. Also, recognizing signs of depression and anxiety is a must. PP Doulaing isn't childcare, it is caring for the PP mom. Active listening, hands on breastfeeding help, these things do need some specific training. When women are paying for PP Doula services ($35/hr and up in my area) they are expecting a professional who can provide them with everything they have read about.

That said, Birth Arts Intl has excellent programs with no additional fees.

[meb1240]

I did the DONA postpartum doula workshop and I think that the most important part I got out of the workshop was information on the business side of things. So I found it helpful to take the workshop, but I haven't decided on becoming DONA certified yet. So it is definitely an option to take the workshop through DONA and not get certified immediately, or at all. 

[KSDoulaSara]

I do some postpartum doula work already but I would like to be certified. I am planning to do the postpartum training from Birth Arts as soon as I can afford it.
 

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by Meksmama 

I just took Doula Trainings International's postpartum doula training (3 day) I still have 9 months left to complete certification with my mentor. ( teleclasses, reading requirements, essays, and other requirements.)  It is pricey however you never have to get re-certified. So no membership fees (as of now). It was a wonderful 3 day training and I am excited to be starting this journey with them!

http://www.doulatrainingsinternational.com/

I am certifying through DTI, too, though I took one of their first training courses before it was streamlined to a 9-month process (or less), so it's taken me longer. I have been really happy with the mentorship, skills and training, reading, and business pieces.

[Meksmama]

Originally Posted by Neuromancer 


I am certifying through DTI, too, though I took one of their first training courses before it was streamlined to a 9-month process (or less), so it's taken me longer. I have been really happy with the mentorship, skills and training, reading, and business pieces.

Yes! I love the mentorship piece that I don't believe any other certification programs have.

[doulatwinners]

I started out without a certification and felt like i was doing a disservice to moms by not being formally trained. i also felt a little like i was "cheating" by charging slightly under what other, certified doulas in my area were charging. more and more often, moms started asking about my training and if i had completed a certification course, so I figured it was a good time to become official and more professional.

I took the dona training and was shocked at how little I learned. I can actually say there was nothing I learned new. I was really disappointed because when all was said and done, I had spent several hundred dollars in just a name and no additional skills. I finished my certification, and was surprised when a mother asked me why I would go with them, since she was told they were subpar. Whoa.

Then a good friend decided to host a training for MaternityWise. She asked me to help her and we began talking about joining together to make a partnership.
I helped her host the training in my husband's office building and took the workshop myself.
I really appreciated that the price included everything. there werent multiple steps, just an easy registration and all inclusive price (which was way less than dona's added up!) oh, and they paid for lunch all 3 days!

It was a combo workshop, with labor and postpartum, and I really enjoyed it. Our trainer was super experienced, very passionate and the 3 long, packed-full days were fairly easy to get thru and I laughed more than in any class I've ever taken before. It was so much fun. Who knew learning at this age could be fun! Haha. And yes, I learned many new skills, and learned so much more about the mechanics of birth and breast feeding, I am considering doing their lactation course.

The main downside was the longer days, as it was 10 hours for 3 days, but in the end, I paid much less than if I had taken both somewhere else and I got it all done in those 3 days and it all flowed together with business education at the end - which we really needed! No need to do another workshop later. The only other complaint I have is that I wish we had more local contacts from this organization. I know they are growing quickly, and maybe we just need to step up and become the leadership locally, but I have never felt so aligned with other doulas, philosophically speaking. I just want to be around more of these women! MaternityWise is very pro-mother and very logic-minded. It's owned by its members, so there's no conflict of interest as with other organizations. I just wish there were more!! I realize there are tons of MW doulas in NY, Baltimore/DC, California, and such, but they need to do more workshops in Florida!