Doula Training
‘Training’ to be a Doula is an unusual term for this journey. Ultimately, the way of a Doula is something that’s usually already there within you, as you're already in service to others in some way. A passion for the miraculous process of birth and the childbearing year, a strong belief in women's natural capacity to bring life through, alongside patience, faith and the ability to remain grounded are some aspects and qualities which you may also recognise in yourself already. One of the wonderful things about this work is that we never truly 'qualify' and we're always on a learning journey, with our clients as our best teachers.
Conscious Birthing Doula Trainings offer you a full and comprehensive foundation for starting to work within this amazing vocation. You don’t need to already be a parent, but you do need to feel called to the work.
We are truly holistic, in that we offer insight into the medical, clinical and institutional models of maternity healthcare as well as exploring choices around freebirth, home water birth, raising questions around how we might support an intended undisturbed labour in a hospital setting and more. We include many techniques and traditions from around the globe that’s we’ve learnt along the way, but remain centred on co-creating an empowered collaboration between us as Doulas and our clients, encouraging them towards their own chosen journey.
Choosing our training means you’ll be looking at your own inherent beliefs around birth and the childbearing year, you’ll learn the value of reflective practice, you’ll feel incredibly welcome, included and emotionally safe. We believe that we’re your Doulas for the duration of your time with us and will actively encourage you to Doula yourself along the way too. We are deeply committed to radical self-care and you’ll be creating a self-care plan to support you in your life and in your practice, during the course.
To 'train' in such a grassroots tradition with us means initially spending time with others who feel passionate about the childbearing year, and sharing your thoughts and feelings around this is just as important as ‘learning’ ways to support, educate and empower the families you will work with. After we've spent time considering our own attitudes and feelings, we begin to put the building bricks of birth physiology, hormonal interplay, techniques for supporting and empowering and many more, into place.
We spend time reflecting on our own birth and postnatal stories or those around us, which serves as a gateway into the subject and we come back to our experiences again and again during the week, reflecting back on the way in which we experience our stories and how they sometimes change and grow as we learn. We gain much from these ‘blueprints’ as we begin to see how they can influence the way in which we might practice as a Doula. The opportunity to initiate a clear path to allow a non-judgemental approach is invaluable.
Conscious Birthing Doula training is truly Holistic, in that we examine the medical models as well as the alternatives and spend time on not just what might happen in a Hospital Birth for example, but how our presence could contribute, or indeed even hinder, labour's progress. We always include Homebirth, Hospital or Birthing Centre choices, transfers to hospital and waterbirth at home or other venues. We discover ways in which to move with grace alongside your client’s team and to establish good relationships within it. We also discuss birth without midwives.
Our TIDE course includes information and awareness on supporting those experiencing disadvantage, often with more complex needs and our Postnatal course offers much depth for supporting those tender days after birth. It’s also a foundation course for beginners, just with added tools.
We examine what it means to be an advocate and learn ways in which to support birthing women and people and their partners during the childbearing year, by means of collaboration and encouraging towards empowerment, as well as spending time looking at traditional comfort measures.
Discussing what you might offer in your Prenatal sessions with a woman/couple, how you might feel at your first birth and what may come up for your client Postnatally for example, allows you to achieve a solid sense of ‘hands on’ information and exploration into the depth of this path. We spend time on the marketing aspect too and discuss ways to start your Practice as a Doula and to network within your community, as well as with other Doulas. We intend to leave no stone unturned and this helps you to leave us feeling curious, confident and excited by your new vocation.
