Do I need to be a mother or have given birth to be a doula?
No you do not. Most doulas are mothers but women with relevant experience or a keen desire to help others have become doulas without having children.

Who attends this course?
Many different women! There are "stay at home mums" who want to help and work again, there are ex-midwives and health visitors, reflexologists, homeopaths, nurses, ex-career women, and even more experienced doulas!

Do I need prior diplomas or experience?
No, most women who decide to become doulas have no particular prior training.

When can I start practising as a doula?
Anytime really, most women start right away after the course.

Do you get some handouts during the course?
At the beginning of the course you will receive a large course manual (over 150 pages) with a lot of information to help you in your practice on topics such as obstetric scenarios, breastfeeding, running a small business, marketing your skills, bibliography...

How long is the course?
2 days if you are planning to be a postnatal doula and 3 days if you are planning to be a birth and postnatal doula.

Are there more workshops to attend after the 2 or 3 days?
No. There is an advanced birth course but it is entirely optional.

Do I get a certificate when I have attended the course?
Yes when you submit your post course module.

How much work is required before and after the course?
The short answer is NOT much but... The pre-course module isn't difficult or long but aims to get women more aware of their skills and knowledge and to make them reflect on their own experience. The post-course module consists of answering 3 or 4 case studies, again to help women think about real case situations and how they would deal with them.

Do you offer mentoring for new doulas? And for how long?
Absolutely! And for as long as you feel you need it.

Can I do this course by distance learning?
I am afraid not. A great deal of the benefit of attending this course is the possibility to discuss, exchange and reflect with a small group of doulas. Many women enjoy the time away from their family concentrating on a topic they have a passion for!

In what way is the Nurturing Birth course different from other courses?
On top of teaching basic birth, obstetric and breastfeeding information, we work in small groups and tackle issues which doulas face on a daily basis. We have different exercises to make us think about how we would deal with specific situations. One of the key differences between this course and other courses is that we spend a fair amount of time on discussing the realities of what it is like to be a doula and how to get clients. This is key if you want to have clients knocking at your door! At the end of the course we want women to feel confident and ready to go. The feedback we have received from previous trainees has been exactly that! We are also different from other course organisers as we are the only ones who offer an e-news alert, an on-line forum and trainee placement- see here for more information.