In Person and Online Birth Doula Training Workshops

DONA Birth Doula Trainings

2 women during doula training

DONA Birth Doula Training Workshops

This comprehensive and holistic in-person 5-day workshop begins with our 2-day Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional class followed by 3-days of Birth Doula training.

Register for:
Birth Doula Training role play foot massage

Accelerated DONA Birth Doula Training


This 3-day faster-paced in-person birth doula training provides the same valuable content as our 5-day in-person workshop.

Register for:
Online doula training

Online Birth Doula Training


Our 3-day Accelerated and 10-Week Evening courses are held live online over Zoom and provide the same valuable DONA approved content as our in-person workshops – from the comfort of your own home!

Dates & Register:

We are excited to be a part of your birth doula journey!

Doula care is presented as a return to the community-based, woman-centered care that existed prior to the shift from home to hospital births. As such, the training demonstrates how woman-centered support can reclaim a place within medicalized childbirth in Western cultures. Doulas learn about the birth process, medical issues that can arise, ways to support laboring women physically and emotionally, and how to advocate with and for a patient in a hospital environment.

~ Dr. Christine Morton, author of Birth Ambassadors

During this DONA Approved Doula Training
you will learn how to:

In addition to learning the Art of Childbirth Assisting, our unique doula workshop provides an exploration of historical and conventional paradigms around childbirth. You’ll learn the special role of Birth Doulas and how we can help women and families return to the ancient wisdom and instinctual nature of birthing and parenting.

In-Person DONA Doula Training
During the birthing process the doula plays an invaluable and unique role as protector, supporter, advocate, and general assistant. Graduates of this program will be able to offer services in their community for assisting with births in a hospital, birth center, or at home. This training often becomes the foundation upon which many childbirth professionals, including midwives and nurses, build their career.
Sierra Childbirth Institute​ is Different

Evidence Based Birth Doula Training

Doula Mentoring & Coaching

Mentoring and support to birth and postpartum doulas at any stage of their journey.

In-Person & Online Doula Training

Varying options to meet the needs of busy schedules! 3 or 5 day in-person workshops or 3-day or 10 week online programs.

DONA Approved Doula Workshop

Our in-person and online doula workshops meet all the requirements to become a DONA certified Doula.

Holistic & Evidence Based

We combine modern sciences with ancient & instinctual wisdom to offer a uniquely holistic experience.

Is becoming a doula the right path for you?

If you feel a deep calling to support families and improve birth outcomes, becoming a doula could be a good fit for you.

Testimonial

Reviews of Our Doula Trainings

Melanie JeffsMelanie Jeffs
21:07 01 Jul 24
I loved doing the doula training with Janine! She is an excellent teacher!
Karissa WhartonKarissa Wharton
12:35 25 Jun 24
Review edited from 1 to 5 stars because the organization reached out to me privately and offered a solution. One of my favorite things in life is being able to move from a space of conflict to one of productivity, and Janine ensured just that by handling this complaint in a professional, helpful, and empathetic way. I’m excited to start my course today and learn!Original review: I’m sure the classes and team are great, but unless you have open availability for class date reschedules don’t spend your money here. They often have to change class dates due to low attendance, with a non existent refund policy that sets the expectation that you change your personal calendar to make it fit for whatever random date they choose. I’ve paid in full for the intro course and am now out the full cost.
Anna Durdant-HollambyAnna Durdant-Hollamby
00:23 09 Jun 24
Absolutely loved the birth doula training that I did with SCI and the wonderful Janine. The space itself is so warm, inviting and welcoming and Janine and her co-facilitator brought so much experience, wisdom and insight into the classes. I am a recent Sacramento transplant and SCI was one of the first places that I felt truly at home. The material was engaging and very well paced over the few days. I also really appreciated the inclusivity and intentionality of the language and the connections with the other lovely participants with whom did the training. It was a 10/10 experience and I very much hope/plan to do more training with them in the future. I wholeheartedly recommend SCI to anyone who wants to learn about becoming a doula, parent-educator, parent themselves or general birth practitioner. Also these are amazing classes for anyone who wants to engage with life and its transitions esp around pregnancy and birth more deeply. Thank you Janine, Brooklyn and SCI practitioners/colleagues.
Cassie RayCassie Ray
11:59 08 Jun 24
Sierra Childbirth was such an impactful part of my beginning journey as a doula. I loved all of the personal experience and hands on learning I received.
Serene DeCampSerene DeCamp
23:51 07 Jun 24
SCI delivered a wonderful, comprehensive birth doula workshop for myself and several others a few years back. I highly recommend this institute upon starting your doula journey!
Tonya BridgesTonya Bridges
22:13 07 Jun 24
Sierra Childbirth Institute has fantastic teachers and community for aspiring birth workers. They have provided excellent classes, mentorship and programs which have greatly boosted my Doula skills!
Elizabeth JoyElizabeth Joy
20:23 10 Apr 24
Everything done at Sierra Childbirth Institute is done with excellence. The amount of experience and expertise Janine has is evident in her trainings (I've done three now) and she is great with communication as well. Highly recommend.
Maria LevertMaria Levert
14:15 31 Jan 24
Great space! I have taken a few classes here and it’s always super cozy and comfortable. They always have tea available which is a major plus for me! The space is large enough to teach a small yoga class even and any other class that doesn’t require too much movement. Definitely looking forward to the next time I get to take a class here!
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Is a Doula Training right for you?

Our Birth Doula Program is perfect for

Aspiring Birth Doulas

Childbirth Educators

Nurses, Midwives & Doctors

Curious Parents

Your Doula Workshop Trainer Can Make All The Difference

Janine Maitri, DONA Doula Trainer California
Meet Your Doula Instructor

Janine Maitri

Janine has been a childbirth professional since 1982 when she became passionate about helping to improve maternity health care in our country. She started her work as a childbirth educator and birth assistant (now known as doulas), and has witnessed and participated in the evolution of the doula profession since its beginning.

Choose Your Doula Training Package

How Much Does Doula Training Cost?

We offer a few different ways to make it easier to become a doula. Listed here are the range of prices.

See below for each workshops pricing details.

Early Bird

one-time payment 30 days before workshop
$ 650-850
  •  

Pay In Full

one-time payment
$ 720-850
  •  

Payment Plans

Payment Plans are available for all trainings. Tuition may be divided between either 2 or 4 payments.
  •  
* Payment plans need to be complete within 3 months of enrollment date. If you need smaller payments over more time (e.g. starting with a smaller deposit), we’re happy to accommodate as long as payments are finished within 3 months of enrolling.
Your doula journey starts here

Are You Ready To Become A Birth Doula?

We’re so excited for you to take this journey with us. You’re going to make an impact on many lives. 

Upcoming Doula Training Workshop Dates

In-Person Birth Doula Trainings

In-Person 5-Day Doula Training

2 women during doula training

In-Person 3-Day Doula Training

Birth Doula Training role play foot massage
Online Birth Doula Trainings

Weekly 10-Week Online Doula Training

Online doula training

3-Day Accelerated Online Doula Training

Online doula training

Birth Doula Training Frequently Ask Questions

After you finish your doula training workshop your trainer will have you register your workshop with DONA International. This is done in class at the end of the workshop, with the guidance of your trainer, and only takes a few minutes. Once you register your workshop, your certification packet will be emailed to you. There is no cost for this packet. Here are the requirements for certification, which can be completed in any order and at your own pace, but need to be completed and your application submitted to DONA within 3-years of attending your workshop:

  • Attend a DONA-approved birth doula training workshop that’s at least 16-hours, like the one we offer at SCI. The workshop can be held in-person, online, or can be a hybrid workshop.
  • Attend a childbirth education class. This must be as a doula student, not for education as a pregnant person. Our birth doula workshops at SCI include this in the curriculum—each training begins with this class.
  • Attend a lactation class that’s specifically for perinatal professionals and at least 3-hours in length, like our Essential Breastfeeding Skills for Doulas & Birth Workers class at SCI.
  • Complete reading assignments: 4 books + 2 Position Papers.
  • Complete a self-assessment questionnaire.
  • Create a resource list of providers and services in your community.
  • Attend and document 3 births as primary labor support (after you have attended your workshop.)
  • Purchase a DONA membership and pay the certification application fee.
  • Fill out the application, compile your application paperwork, and submit to DONA for approval. You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been received and another email once it has been given to an application reviewer. Generally this process takes anywhere from 3-8 weeks.
  • Celebrate your certification!

Our doula workshops are never recorded, and all classes must be attended live (online or in-person) to receive a certificate of attendance. Missed classes and portions of missed classes cannot be made up. If you miss attending part of a class, or an entire class, you may be dropped from the course and will need to attend a new course in its entirety. If this occurs, you will be given the option to attend the same online workshop at SCI at no additional charge, but you will need to attend the entire workshop and not just the missed portion. (Please note: This policy does not pertain to in-person workshops or classes at SCI. Be sure to read over our Terms & Conditions page.)

Yes, we include the “Intro” class, although at SCI we call this class Childbirth Education for the Birth Professional. Our workshops all begin with this CBE class and are followed by the doula training workshop. This means you’ll leave our birth doula workshop with both certification requirements fulfilled. After you complete the workshop you will be able to begin attending births right away while you work on your other certification requirements with DONA. 

Our birth doula training workshops do not include the breastfeeding class in the curriculum– you will need to attend a separate class to fulfill that requirement. We offer that class with our 3-hour Essential Breastfeeding Skills for Doulas & Birth Workers class. This class is currently only offered in-person at our school in Sacramento, but we’re happy to provide you with resources for online breastfeeding classes. The breastfeeding class is included in the curriculum of our postpartum doula training workshops. 

Workshop days are shorter in the 5-day workshops-- 10am to 5pm, vs. 9am to 6:30pm for the 3-day workshops, with start time of 10am on the first day. The curriculum in our 3-day birth doula workshop is exactly the same as the 5-day workshop, but since there are 6 more hours of workshop hours in the 5-day, the pace is a bit slower and we have the time to dive a bit deeper into some topics. To make up for this, the trainer sends out additional, optional, self-study material for the 3-day workshops so students won't miss anything. Also, more time is spent on Q&A and hands-on learning in the 5-day-- role play, small group discussion, etc.

$650-$850, depending on the training workshop you choose.

Yes. 3-day in-person: $725.00 – $795.00 | Online: $650.00 – $720.00

Yes. You’ll be emailed a certificate of attendance after attending the entire online doula workshop. If you attend our birth doula workshop, you’ll also receive a certificate of attendance for the childbirth education portion of your training. If you attend our postpartum doula workshop, you’ll also receive a certificate of attendance for the breastfeeding portion of your training.

A doula is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their client before, during and after childbirth. Read the full blog post: “What is a Doula

Still Have Questions?

Connect with us and we can share more about our Doula Trainings.

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