Evaluating Doula Certifications

What's important to know?

The doula occupation is unlicensed and unregulated. One way to ensure your doula has met high standards for education, training and experience is to choose a certified doula from a well-known and respected doula certifying organization.

Doulas on DoulaMatch.net have the opportunity to display their certification for your verification.

  • Look for the doula’s certification certificate image on their profile page.
  • Look at the date on the certificate. Is it current?
  • Ask the doula: Are you currently certified? Through which organization?

Doula certifying organizations

The requirements for certifying vary widely between all the doula organizations. It’s impossible to compare each organization when no occupation-wide standards exist for what constitutes a well-trained and credentialed doula.

DoulaMatch.net believes a quality certification program includes these minimum elements:

  • A comprehensive doula training program which includes requirements for in-person classroom work, self-study, and practicum work with minimum hours for each requirement clearly stated.
  • Clearly defined requirements for a doula’s education.
  • Demonstrated doula work experience.
  • Good evaluations from clients and health care providers.
  • Periodic re-certification.
  • Documented continuing education.
  • A publically available code of ethics outlining the doula’s ethical responsibilities to their clients.
  • A publically available standards of practice defining the doula’s scope and limits of their practice.
  • A grievance procedure allowing consumers, colleagues, or care providers to lodge an objection against the organization’s doula if the doula violates the organization’s standards of practice or code of ethics. The goal of the grievance procedure is to uncover the facts of the objection and seek resolution for the injured parties or consequences for the doula, including revoking their certification.

Organizations currently training and certifying doulas:

OrganizationWebsite
A Healthy Birth healthybirthclass.com
A Life of Peace www.alifeofpeace.org
A Sacred Journey Doula Training Program asacredjourneyeducationalfacility.weebly.com
A Woman Who Serves www.awomanwhoserves.com
About Families Doula Training www.coachellavalleyprenatalclass.com
Academy of Certified Birth Educators www.acbe.com
Academy of Natural Birth aconbirth.weebly.com
Active Birth Institute www.activebirthinstitute.com
Akwaaba Wellness www.akwaabawellness.com
ALACE (Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators) www.tolabor.com
Alison.com (Becoming a Birth Doula Course) alison.com
Allo Doula Academy www.allodoulaacademy.org
Amani Birth www.amanibirth.com
Ancient Song Doula Services www.ancientsongdoulaservices.com
ANDO - Associação Nacional de Doulas espacodaraluz.wixsite.com
Apple Blossom Families www.appleblossomfamilies.com
Apprenticeship with midwife, community elder or formal preceptor doulamatch.net
Association for Childbirth at Home, International (ACHI) uia.org
Association for Wholistic Maternal & Newborn Health wholisticmaternalnewbornhealth.org
Auma aumaanya.com
Aunar, Inc. www.school-network.net
Austin Baby Guru austinbabyguru.com
Australian Doula College www.australiandoulacollege.com.au/
Australian Doula College www.australiandoulacollege.com.au
Aviva College avivacollege.org
Awakening the Village Doula Mentorship Program centreforgrowingfamilies.ca
Awen School www.ravenandoak.com
Ayurvedic Postpartum Doula Training ayurvedic-postpartum-doula.thinkific.com
Babymoon Inn babymooninn.com
BEAM Birth Network beambirthnetwork.org
Beauty for Ashes Full Spectrum Doula Training beautyforashesmaternalwellness.com
Bebo Mia www.bebomia.com
Being & Born Doula Training beingandborn.thinkific.com
Beings in Action (BiA) www.jjdoulatraining.com
Bellies of G.R.R.A.C.E.E. Foundation belliesofgrracee.weebly.com
Bellies to Babies Holistic Doula Training belliestobabiesholistic.com
Beloved Roots Birth www.beloved-roots-birth.com
BEST Doula Training bestdoulatraining.com
Big Belly Services bigbellyservices.com
BioNascimento www.cursodedoula.com
Birth and Beyond Resources www.birthandbeyondresources.com
Birth Arts International www.birtharts.com
Birth Beautifully Doula Training Institute www.birthbeautifully.com
Birth Belongs to Women www.birthbelongstowomen.com
Birth Boot Camp birthbootcamp.com
Birth Day Presence birthdaypresence.com
Birth From the Earth birthfromtheearth.vpweb.com
Birth in Color RVA birthincolorrva.org
Birth in the Know birthintheknow.org
Birth Israel birthisrael.com
Birth Learning birthlearning.com
Birth Partners (Doulas of Connecticut) www.birthpartnersdoulas.com
Birth Practices birthpractices.com
Birth Rhythms Saskatoon birthrhythms.blogspot.com
Birth Trust gilbertbirthcenter.com
Birth Ways International birthwaysinternational.ca
Birth With Spirit www.birthwithspirit.com
Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings birthingadvocacy.thinkific.com
Birthing Beautiful Communities www.birthingbeautiful.org
Birthing From Within www.birthingfromwithin.com
Birthing Little Humans Academy birthinglittlehumans.academy
Birthing Project USA www.birthingprojectusa.org
Birthingway College of Midwifery www.birthingway.edu
BirthMatters Doula Training (Monnie Reba Efross Instructor, CA) www.facebook.com
Birthworker Academy birthworker.com
Birthworker Academy birthworker.com
Birthworkers of Color Collective www.birthworkersofcolor.com
BirthWorks International www.childbirthinternational.com
Black Women Do VBAC www.blackwomendovbac.com
Bliss Baby Yoga Holistic Birth Doula Training Course blissbabyyoga.com
Blissful Birthing TN www.blissfulbirthingtn.com
Blooming Lotus bloominglotusbirthingservices.com
Blue Mountain Doula Program bluemountaindoulaprogram.weebly.com
Bridger Birthing www.bridgerbirthing.com
By the Moon - International Holistic Health School www.bythemoon.ca
CAPPA - Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association www.cappa.net
Cardinal Birth cardinalbirth.com
Carriage House Birth carriagehousebirth.com
Cascade Christian Childbirth Association www.christianchildbirth.org
Catholic Doula Program www.catholicdoula.com
Center for Indigenous Midwifery www.indigenous-midwifery.org
Centre of Excellence www.centreofexcellence.com
Centre Pleine Lune centrepleinelune.com
Charis Childbirth internationaldoulainstitute.com
Charlottesville Community-Based Postpartum Doula Training Program sites.google.com
Childbirth Concierge childbirthconcierge.com
Childbirth International www.childbirthinternational.com
Childbirth Professionals International thechildbirthprofession.com
Childlight Education Company childlighteducationcompany.com
Cihuapactli Collective Sacred Community Birthworker Training www.cihuapactlicollective.org
CocoLife Community Doula Training Program www.cocolife.black
College of the Rockies cotr.bc.ca
Colorado Birth and Wellness www.coloradobirthandwellness.com
Commonsense Childbirth Institute www.cci.training
Community Aware Birthworker www.communityawarebirthworker.com
Contemporary Doula International www.contemporarydoulas.com
Cornerstone Doula Trainings cornerstonedoulatrainings.com
Courses for Success Birth Doula Online Certificate Course www.coursesforsuccess.com
Cumberland Institute - Birthwork Through Touch: Massage Doula Training cumberlandinstitute.coursestorm.com
Dar La Luz www.susansmartmidwife.com
Day One Doula Collective Community-Based Doula Training (Michigan) www.instagram.com
DFW Community Birth School www.dfwcommunitybirthschool.org
Dolphin Method www.dolphinmethod.com
DONA International-Approved Workshop www.dona.org
Doula Alliance training.doulaalliance.com
Doula Caribe Internacional doulacaribeinternacional.com
Doula Educational Institute doulaeducationalinstitute.com
Doula Love portlanddoulalove.com
Doula Thrive www.doulathrive.com
Doula To Be doulatobe.com
Doula Training Canada www.doulatraining.ca
Doula Trainings International www.doulatrainingsinternational.com/
Doula UK doula.org.uk
Doula-in-training doulamatch.net
DoulaBuilders stlouisdoulas.com
Doulaing the Doula doulaworkshop.com
Doulalink portal.doula.link
Doulas By The Bay www.doulasbythebay.com
Doulas Institute www.doulasinstitute.com
DOULASINC www.facebook.com
DoulaVersity doulaversity.com
Dr. Deu, The Doula www.drdeuthedoula.com
Durham Volunteer Doulas www.durhamvolunteerdoulas.org
Dynamo Doula Training angelagallo.com
Earth Mama Naturals: Black Womban Doula Course www.instagram.com
Earth's Natural Touch Birth Care & Beyond earthsnaturaltouch.com
Ekw'í7tl Collective Full-Spectrum Doula Training www.fnha.ca
Elephant Baby www.elephant-baby.com
Elephant Circle www.elephantcircle.net
Embodied Doula Trainings embodieddoulatrainings.com
EnCircle Doula Training thresholds.info
Expertrating.com Doula Training www.expertrating.com
Family Trees Birth Programs www.familytreesbirthprograms.com
Family Trees Doula School www.familytreesbirthprograms.com
Fanshawe College Doula Studies Program www.fanshawec.ca
For The Village forthevillage.org
Freeborn Doula daynamartin.com
Fruits of my Labor www.fruitsofmylabor.life
G.R.O.W. Doula www.growdoula.org
Genesis Birth Company genesisbirthcompany.com
Gifted Hands Interantional giftedhandsinternational.org
Global Birth Community www.globalbirthcommunity.com
Global Education of the Midwife gemmidwife.com
GoMidwife gomidwife.com
H.E.R.B.A.L. herbal.teachable.com
Haize Hawke Get Rooted Doula Training www.haizehawke.com
Happinest Birth cadymcvay.com
Happy Mama Healthy Baby Alliance motherbabysupport.net
Harambee Village www.harambeevillage.org
Harbor Birth Institute www.harborbirthinstitute.com
Harmony Doula Mentoring harmonydoula.com
Hartland College adventistmidwives.com
HATCH Community www.thehatchcommunity.org
Healing Arts Learning Organization www.healingartslearning.org
HealthConnect One healthconnectone.org
Healthy Birth Hawaii (Hope Medford Holistic Birth Doula Course) www.hopemedford.com
Heart of the Valley Birth and Beyond (Oregon) www.causeiq.com
Holistic Birth and Health www.holisticbirthandhealth.com
Hospital Friendly Doula Training www.hospitalfriendlydoulatraining.com
Houston Pregnancy Massage & Doula Care School www.hpregnancy.com
Hypnobabies www.hypnobabies.com
HypnoBirthing www.hypnobirthing.com
Ibiop Birth Options & Beyond www.facebook.com
Indie Birth Doula Academy indiebirth.org
Indigemama A Cerrar las Caderas indigescuela.com
Indigo Birth www.indigobirth.com
InJoy Birth Mentorship www.injoybirth.com
Innate Traditions Postpartum Care www.innatetraditions.com
Institute of Somatic Therapy www.massagecredits.com
Instituto Transforma Doulas metodoltd.institutotransformadoulas.com
Integrated Birth & Family Alliance www.integratedbirth.org
Intentional Birth Pro www.intentionalbirth.co
International Black Doula Institute www.dmvbirthdoulasllc.com
International Center for Traditional Childbearing ictcmidwives.org
International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) www.icea.org
International Doula Institute http://internationaldoulainstitute.com/
Intuitive Childbirth intuitivechildbirth.org
Intuitive Doula www.intuitivedoula.com
InTune Mother Society timcenter.org
Ivy Doula Association www.ivydoula.com
Jamaa Birth Village www.jamaabirthvillage.org
Kriya Birth Institute kriyabirth.com
Labor Enabler™?Doula Training Apprenticeship Program laborenabler.com
LEAD (Lived Experience Accessible Doula) www.leadoula.org
Life Cycles Doulas buffalodoulacollective.com
Life's little Blessings Doula Training Program www.lifes-little-blessings.com
Lifespan Doulas lifespandoulas.com
Long Island Doula Association, Inc., (LIDA) www.lidoulas.com
Madriella madriella.org
Mama Bamba mamabamba.com
Mama Doula mamadoula.net
Mama Glow mamaglow.com
Mamatoto Village, Inc www.mamatotovillage.org
Manhattan Birth www.manhattanbirth.com
Masters of Maternity mastersofmaternity.com
Maternity Care Coalition (MCC Philadelphia) maternitycarecoalition.org
MaternityWise www.maternitywise.com
Mattie Marie Traditional Birth Studies learntodoula.com
MB&Sphere doula training www.mbsphere.com
Mercy in Action www.mercyinaction.com
Mère et Monde www.mereetmonde.com
Midwest Maternal Child Institute mmcinst.com
Modern Doula Education moderndoulaeducation.com
Modern Doula International moderndoulainternational.com
Monarch Midwifery www.facebook.com
Montreal Birth Companions Doula School mbcdoulaschool.wordpress.com
moonhoney Doula Services www.moonhoneydoula.com
Mother Tree mothertreebirth.com
MotherMe Doulas www.lamazehealthybirthclass.com
MOTHERPATH (The Gathering Place) www.theplacewegather.com
MotherWit motherwit.ca (pdf)
Nafsa Project School www.laylab.co.uk
National Birth & Postpartum Professionals www.natlbirthpostpartumpros.com
National Black Doulas Association www.blackdoulas.org
Natural Resources www.naturalresources-sf.com
Nesting Doula Collective www.nestingdoulacollective.com
New Beginnings Doula Training www.trainingdoulas.com
Newborn Mothers Collective (Postpartum) www.newbornmothers.com
Niara Healing Arts www.niarahealingarts.com
Nite Instititue of Naturopathic Therapies naturopathicinstitute.info
nkshAytkn Indigenous Doula Training bcaafc.com
Northwest Association for Postpartum Support www.napsdoulas.com
Nurture Birth www.nurturebirthdoula.com
Ohio Parenting Collaborative ohioparentingcollaborative.org
Original Instructions School www.originalinstructionsschool.com
Other Trained doulamatch.net
Pacific Rim College www.pacificrimcollege.com
PALS Doulas www.palsdoulas.org
Paradigm Doulas paradigmdoulas.com
Paramana Doula Course www.paramanadoula.com
Parenting Resources Professional Network www.parentingresourcespros.com
Peaceful Birth Company peacefulbirthcompany.com
Placenta & Postpartum Association www.ippatraining.com
Postpartum & Nutritional Doula Training Academy www.pndoulatrainingacademy.com
Postpartum Healing Lodge postpartumhealinglodge.com
ProDoula www.prodoula.com
Purple Lotus Doulas www.purplelotusdoulas.com
Radically Brave Birth Doula Training & Mentorship www.emilystanwyck.com
REAL Doula realdoula.com
ReByrth Doula Training Program blackdoulas.org
Red Mundial de Doula www.redmundialdedoulas.com
Resonance Parenting www.facebook.com
Riverside Community Health BIPOC Community Doula Training rchf.org
Riverside Community Health Spanish Community Doula Training rchf.org
Rocky Mountain Doula rockymountaindoula.com
Rooted Birth rootedbirth.org
Roots of Labor Birth Collective www.rootsoflaborbc.com
Royal Doula Academy royal-doula-academy.teachable.com
Sacred Doula www.sacreddoula.com
San Antonio Birth Doulas (SABD) sabirthdoulas.org
Self-trained More info
Set Apart Collective www.setapartcollective.com
Shafia Monroe Consulting Full Circle Doula Training shafiamonroe.com
Sierra Childbirth Institute sierrachildbirthinstitute.com
Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations (DONA-Approved Workshop) bastyr.edu
Sista Midwife Productions www.sistamidwife.com
Sisters in Loss sistersinloss.com
SisterWeb - San Francisco Community Doula Network www.sisterweb.org
Sokana Collective www.sokanacollective.com
Southwest Technical College www.swtc.edu
Stillbirthday www.stillbirthday.com
Sudharma Birth Services www.sudharmabirth.com
Sumi's Touch www.sumistouch.com
Supported Birth www.supportedbirth.com
Sweet Stella’s www.sweetstellas.com
Tewa Women United - (Yiya Vi Kagingdi Full Spectrum) tewawomenunited.org
The Baby Mavens thebabymavens.com
The Bee Mom Project thebeemom.com
The Birth Coach Method birthcoachmethod.com
The Birth Well www.thebirthwell.com
The Bradley Method of Husband-Coached Natural Childbirth www.bradleybirth.com
The Doula Academy www.thedoulaacademy.org
The Doula College thedoulacollege.com
The Doula Company www.thedoulaco.com
The Elite Doula & Co Training Academy www.theelitedoulaandco.com
The Gathering Place (MotherPath Doula Training and Certification) www.theplacewegather.com
The Matrona www.thematrona.com
The Midwifery Institute midwiferyinstitute.com
The Nesting Instinct nestinginstinctkw.com
The Newborn Care Training Academy newborncaretraining.com
The Newborn Care Training Academy newborncaretraining.com
The Organization of Labor Assistants for Birth Options & Resources (toLabor) www.tolabor.com
The Pelvic PT Doulas www.thepelvicptdoulas.org
These Are My Hours www.thesearemyhours.com
Tiny Love Doula Certification tinylovedoulas.com
toLabor www.tolabor.com
Traditional Childbirth Arts www.tdmabirthkeepers.com
Train With Kira www.trainwithkira.com
Twin Lakes College of the Healing Arts www.twinlakescollege.org
Ubuntu Wellness Academy www.ubuntuwellnessacademy.com
UC San Diego Health health.ucsd.edu
Urban Baby Beginnings urbanbabybeginnings.org
Uzazi Village www.uzazivillage.org
Uzazi Village uzazivillage.org
Vine of Life Doula Training www.vineoflifemidwife.com
Virtuously B'Earthed Doula Services www.virtuouslybearthed.com
Warm Welcome Birth Services www.warmwelcomebirth.com
Well-Rounded Maternity Center www.well-roundedmaternity.com
Whole Body Pregnancy Postpartum Doula Training www.wholebodypregnancy.com
WISE Community Doulas www.wisecommunitydoulas.org
Wise Woman Way of Birth www.birthtakesavillage.com/doula-curriculum/
Womb Intensive Systematic Holistic Care (WOMB-ISH) www.womb-ish.com
Women Honoring Women www.honoringwomen.com
Women Honoring Women honoringwomen.com
Wrap Around Baby Care www.wraparoundbabycare.com
Zaagi'idiwin Full Spectrum indigenous Doula Training www.facebook.com