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What do they cover in DONA doula trainings?

1K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  doulaloriwade 
#1 ·
Hi All :) I am looking for info. on what you learn at a DONA birth doula workshop -- I can't find a list at their site --

I have been to 30 births now, (3 with my own clients, the first 27 as an apprentice doula) and I need to get my certification. I really am vibing with "Childbirth Intl" because they seem to cover such an extensive, wholistic range of subjects associated with being a doula, like communication styles, perception as key to understanding others, and grief/loss. The emotional, deep aspects of support. I really vibe with the way they hook you up with a mentor too and it seems like the course calls for a lot of reflection and so on. The only drawback for me is they aren't very popular, --

I feel like with DONA I'd be more respected re clients wanting to hire me. Most of the doulas in my area are certified thru DONA.

So I guess, can anyone here share with me what you like best about being in DONA and also, what they teach at the workshop and do they cover the topics I mentioned above? And what did you find most helpful and great about the workshops, especially if you had already been to alot of births so didn't necessarily need role-playing anymore? I feel like if I'd never been to any births I'd want to go DONA b/c I'd be unfamiliar with birth, but I'm not. I do like the name recognition and also the fact they send out newsletters if you are a member.

Thanks :)
 
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#2 ·
I think a lot of it depends on who your trainer is. Before you take a training, I highly recommend getting references from a trainer, calling them and asking what they feel like they learned.

The DONA training that I attended was very basic. It was only two days. She spend about half the day on DONA's Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice and a couple of hours of the business side of being a doula.

The trainer talked about her personal experiences being a doula and about clients that she's worked with.

We also watched a couple of Penny Simkin's videos.

They didn't do any role-playing or hands-on practice at our workshop.
 
#4 ·
Thanks for posting this! I actually was concerned about CBI for the same reasons- DONA is much more recognized and popular. I jumped the gun though, and just went with CBI. I just started my training so far and like it. Instead of a newsletter, they have a yahoo chat group and you get daily bulletins. Hopefully CBI gets more popular...
 
#6 ·
I completely agree - you really need to investigate the trainer. When I took my doula training with DONA it was amazing. I left each night with that "wow" affect and left the entire training feeling so empowered. I took my CAPPA training and felt like I didn't learn anything new - there was much less hands on then there was with my DONA training, and I was so disappointed.

Now that can be said about any training and I don't really think it is the organization that makes the training good or bad, but the trainer. The first thing I would do is start by looking at the philosophies of the organizations and see which one fits your style the closest and then from there find a good trainer.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for sharing everyone. I hope CBI gets more popular too. Sometimes I think word of mouth and vibe accounts for more than anything else, so I may just go ahead with my gut and do CBI since it feels like I'd learn so much from that program at this point in my doula-hood.
 
#9 ·
I can't speak for what is covered by DONA, but just wanted to throw out my vote for toLabor/Alace. Their workshop was not only extremely valuable professionally, but also had a huge impact personally and even spiritually- it changed me as a woman, it definitely cemented my calling to birth work. I've heard from several DONA certified doulas that they chose DONA for the name, but then subsequently attended toLabor for the benefit of experiencing their incredible workshop, and because they felt that DONA's acceptance by the medical community comes at the expense of sometimes sacrificing the midwifery model a bit, and is a bit more oriented towards the medical model. (Again, this is just what I've heard from doulas who've trained with both- not a personal observation).

A big plus of toLabor is that the quality of your instructor won't be an issue because they only have two women who lead the workshops. It's definitely an experience and not just an educational workshop.

Good luck making your choice.
 
#10 ·
Hi Ya! I hought I'd add that I took the DONA training workshop in 2006. I took the course from two DONA doula tainers in Peoria, IL. I absolutely loved the workshop. It was a birth awakening experience. (I'm not sure how else to explain that). I know there are a lot of good Doula training projects out there so I wouldn't say it's the ONLY way to go in getting your accredidation, but I will say in my experience it was more than teaching just the basics. During the workshop we even did birth-art with pastels. Our trainer taught us how to use a reebozo as well as other labor relief methods. We watched some really good videos but my favorite was Birth into Being. I highly recommend that one!

Our workshop was three days and we really bonded with one another. I felt really empowered after the experience.

Good Luck with your Doula journey!
 
#11 ·
Day 1:

The role of the doula

Benefits of doula care

Introduction to DONA and local associations

Personal experiences of birth (this was an active listening exercise)

Significance of birth in a woman's life

Penny Simkin video

Predictable challenges of labour, stages and phases

Positions for labour

Caesarean Birth and VBAC (procedure, role of doula, possible feelings of parents on these experiences)

Day 2:

The ideal birth experience, birth plans

Values clarification and sensitive labour support

Challenging births and unexpected outcomes (including perinatal loss)

Your doula business

Prenatal contact and record keeping

Hands on comfort measures (touch, massage, rebozo, gate control theory, double hip squeeze)

Immediate Postpartum

Breastfeeding

Postpartum contact
 
#12 ·
I'm new here, but thought I'd jump in on this conversation. I was certified through DONA and also Cascade Christian Childbirth Assn. Both certifications were different and both were very good. I had an excellent trainer at my DONA training, and did the other training on line, but it was very through. I would definitely agree about the trainer, but also, if you begin to read the required books, it is very helpful. There are all sorts of advanced classes and trainings you can get as well.

Hope this helps.

LORI WADE CD(DONA)

www.knoxville-doula.com
 
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