Nurturing Birth Certification

A certified doula has been trained and mentored over several months. As part of her assessment for certification she has been individually supported through her first doula experiences by an assessor. She constantly reflects on her practice and continues to develop her skills.

Who can be certified

This certification is open to all those who have completed the birth/postnatal or postnatal course from Nurturing Birth.

How does it work?

A trained doula will have to attend 4 births and/or 4 postnatal women. For each a report will be written which will include the parents views. The doula will then have a conversation with her assessor following her job/report.
Doulas will have to attend the Advanced Birth workshop and/or the Advanced Breastfeeding course. The Advanced Birth workshop can be attended at any time after the doulas has witnessed two births or more. The objective of this workshop is to explore emotions and best practices in their work as birth doulas. We will work on successful and challenging scenarios to see how the birth environment, our own feelings and behaviour as well as the interactions with medical staff affect birth. We will aim to give participants an opportunity to reflect and learn new skills.

Who will assess the birth doula?

Doulas are assessed by a peer who is a very experienced doula herself.

Birth doulas will be asked to write a reflective piece (of a minimum of a page) on their practice after 4 births. Birth doulas will also be strongly encouraged to get at least 1 review from a health professional.

Who will assess the postnatal doula?

Doulas are assessed by a peer who is a very experienced doula herself.

The postnatal doula will need to attend the Advanced Breastfeeding workshop run by a very experienced Lactation Consultant at any point after the end of the doula course.

The postnatal doula will have to write a reflective piece on her practice. Her assessor will be able to decide with her on the appropriate subject: it may be breastfeeding, clients birth debrief, parenting styles.

Is there a code of practice?

Nurturing Birth asks its trainees to sign its code of practice.

What will it cost?

£60 for the birth certification and £60 for the postnatal certification.