HomeBirthWise™ Birth Doula Program
The BirthWise™ Birth Doula Program is a "client-centered" training designed to cultivate confidence, creativity, spiritual and emotional awareness around childbirth, as well as teaching skills to support parents through the birthing process. This program is an exploration of the process of birth preparation, labor, delivery and postpartum.
This program is designed for women who want a professional foundation and training in providing specialized services to pregnant women and for professionals who want to integrate the rich diversity of services that Doula work provides into another professional practice of healing or educational arts such as massage therapy, bodywork, aromatherapy, acupuncture, nursing, physical therapy, teaching, counseling, and hypnotherapy.
You will learn:
- How to provide both physical and emotional support to expectant mothers, their partners and birth team.
- Applicable anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
- How to assist the mother in the planning for, creating and maintaining the optimal birth environment which she envisions for herself, her baby and her support team. In addition, you will learn how to assist parents when the unexpected is part of their birth experience.
- Special topics including aromatherapy and other comfort enhancing modalities, movement, stress reduction, pain management, cultural perspectives, sexuality, postpartum transitional stages for families, the role of fathers in the birth environment, challenging births, as well as situations or conditions requiring other interventions.
- Professional studies topics including career and vocational opportunities, guidelines for scope of practice, active listening, networking, referrals, the neccesity for ongoing training and professional support, self&care and prevention of burnout.
BirthWise™ Doula Training Certificate Program
This well rounded professional training has been carefully designed to provide a strong foundation for birth doula work. Focusing on the client¢ered model, students will learn the technical and professional skills necessary for providing physical, emotional and informational support through the birthing process. Students will also have the added benefit of classroom support as well as community interaction.
Level II: BirthWise™ Doula – Specialized Topics
Advanced training topics are presented by professionals from our community. Topics include breast feeding, VBAC, family dynamics, birth trauma, unexpected outcomes, childbirth losses, matters of abuse trauma, understanding newborn communication, and other insights from experienced Doulas.
Prerequisites: Level I completion with instructor’s recommendation to continue. Attendance of a series of childbirth education classes as a Doula. Note: It is also strongly recommended that the student attends a minimum of one birth.
Level III: Postpartum Doula – Mother’s Support
This training provides a wide spectrum of instruction in the art of Postpartum Doula support. Main topics will include facilitating in-home support for new mothers, babies and families; newborn care, breast feeding and bottle feeding support and understanding the postpartum process. Prerequisite: Level I or Instructor approval. Additional Requirements for Certificate of Completion Students must complete all reading assignments, attend three births (two at a hospital) after completing Level I, provide documentation on the approved forms and complete all required written evaluations.
About the Instructors
All Instructors are Professional Doulas and work in our community. Guest Speakers are included to give presentations on topics within their areas of expertise.
Contact the school office to request a descriptive brochure and an application for the Level I, Level II, or Level III training.
Email Us or call us at 831.476.2152
You can also write us at:
Twin Lakes College of the Healing Arts
1210 Brommer Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95062