International Doula Institute

Contact Us Today! (484) 278-1648

Secure Your Spot — Apply Now!
  • Home
  • Admissions
    • Doula Scholarship
    • Who We Serve
    • Tuition Costs
    • Register Now
    • Financial Assistance
    • Application Process: 2 Easy Enrollment Steps
    • Login To My Courses
  • What Is a Doula?
    • What is a Birth Doula?
    • What is a Postpartum Doula?
    • Scope of Practice
    • Would You Be a Good Doula?
  • About our Programs
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Birth Workers
    • Birth Doula Certification Program
    • Postpartum Doula Certification Program
    • Prenatal Yoga Instructor Certification Program
    • Certified Breastfeeding Counselor Program
    • Certified Childbirth Educator Program
    • Certified Perinatal Nutrition Educator
    • Curriculum Contributors
    • Countries We Serve
      • USA
      • Doula Training in Canada
      • India
      • China
      • England
      • Italy
  • What You Get
    • How To Get Certified As a Doula
    • Doula Certification Required Readings
    • School Tour
  • FAQs
  • Blog
You are here: Home / Become a doula / Why a Doula Should Consider Becoming a Childbirth Educator

Why a Doula Should Consider Becoming a Childbirth Educator

July 20, 2024

childbirth educatorDoulas and childbirth educators are both essential experts for childbirth. They each provide unique support and guidance to expectant parents. This is why the International Doula Institute certifies many birth experts, as each role completements others.

While doulas offer continuous physical, emotional, and informational support during labor and birth, childbirth educators focus on preparing parents for the birthing process through comprehensive education and skill-building.

Doulas also provide basic prenatal preparation. However, most doulas provide two 2-hour prenatal visits which are also meant to cover personal preferences, birth plans, etc., and may not leave enough time for truly comprehensive childbirth education.

So, why should a doula consider becoming a childbirth educator? Lots of reasons!

When a Doula is Also an Educator – Comprehensive Preparation for Expectant Parents:

Doulas who become childbirth educators can offer expectant parents a holistic approach to childbirth preparation. By combining hands-on support during labor with comprehensive education families learn more including:

  • What to expect during labor
  • Childbirth techniques and options
  • Coping strategies
  • Potential interventions
  • Informed decision-making

So, doulas-turned-educators empower parents to navigate the birthing process with confidence and knowledge. Many doulas encourage the parents they support to take comprehensive childbirth education, however, this is not available in all areas. When a doula becomes an educator, they can easily offer both services to their clients.

Continuity of Care

As both childbirth educators and doulas, these experts can establish a deeper connection with expectant parents. They can provide continuity of care throughout the childbirth journey. Do you want to offer the families you support continuity of care? Becoming a childbirth educator is a great way to do so!

When parents are navigating pregnancy in our modern model of maternity care, continuity of care is often lacking. Many practices, even midwifery ones, include multiple providers. Having a doula and childbirth educator who is the same person allows for a chance at continuity of support.

Starting from childbirth education classes, where parents learn about labor stages, comfort measures, and birth preferences, to the labor and birth itself, where doulas offer continuous support and advocacy, this seamless transition ensures consistent guidance and support for expectant parents.

Childbirth Educators and Doulas Enhance Advocacy and Empowerment:

By combining the roles of doula and childbirth educator, birth experts can amplify their advocacy efforts. They can empower parents to become active participants in their birth experiences. As a doula, you know how important supporting parents in advocacy is. Becoming a childbirth education can help you support them even more!

Childbirth education equips parents with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions. Doula support facilitates spaces where their preferences are more likely to be respected and their voices are heard during labor and birth.

This collaborative approach fosters a sense of empowerment and confidence for expectant parents throughout their birth journey. It is often even more beneficial when the support prenatally and during birth comes from the same person. Continuity of care and support matters!

Diversification of Services – Be a Doula and Childbirth Educator

Offering both doula services and childbirth education classes allows birth experts to diversify the support they offer. With multiple ways to support families, they can cater to a broader range of families.

While some parents desire the hands-on support of a doula, other parents do not or may not have the means for it. By also providing comprehensive childbirth education, you have an additional way to support families which benefits your role as a birth expert as well as helps your community.

Alternatively, not all parents need comprehensive childbirth education. Some parents work in maternity, might be an educator themselves, or have previously given birth. By offering doula support, an educator can expand their offerings.

Doula support is also unscheduled and on-call. This unpredictable nature can make it difficult to support many families. By providing childbirth education, you can expand the families you support and how much you provide services.

Expert Growth and Development

Becoming a childbirth educator in addition to being a doula presents opportunities for expert educational growth and development. Doulas can expand their knowledge base, enhance their teaching skills, and stay updated on current childbirth practices and research.

As you’ve learned as a doula, continuing education is an important part of being a birth expert. This continuous learning journey not only benefits expectant parents but also enriches your own expertise and practice as a doula and educator.

The integration of doula and childbirth educator roles offers a synergistic approach to supporting expectant parents through the childbirth journey. Ready to get started? Register today!

Aliza Juliette Bancoff
Author: Aliza Juliette Bancoff

Aliza Juliette Bancoff is a well-known doula and doula trainer who has been providing doula services to families for over a decade. She is the founder of Main Line Doulas, a doula group providing doula support in the great Philadelphia area for the last decade, the International Doula Institute, which provides online doula training and lactation training and certification programs and  the International Breastfeeding Institute which provides lactation training and certification.   She is the co-founder of United Birth, a company devoted to increasing access to doulas across the country to make the perinatal time safer both physically and emotionally. “Every birthing person deserves access to quality doula support. And we are working to make that a reality across the country. The work we are doing to get doulas to every birthing person will decrease the black infant and maternal mortality rate significantly by 2030.” Says Bancoff. Aliza is known for her compassionate and empowering approach to doula work, and she has been featured in numerous media outlets, including United Nations Maternal Health Report,  Parent Magazine, CafeMom, theBump and many more. Aliza's journey into doula work began when she gave birth to her first child and felt a strong calling...

Search

Contact Us Today!
(484) 278-1648

Important Links

  • Secure Your Spot: Enroll Now!
  • Register Now
  • Online Learning Portal Login
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Doula

Testimonials

Tracy tells us,
“This course was informative and educational. I enjoyed learning how to become a doula.”

Patricia shared, 
“This course was great. I loved how easy it is to use, as someone who is not very technologically inclined. The coursework was challenging and I learned so much. My instructor was always very easy to reach and very responsive to any issues I had. I loved being able to work at my own pace and skip around a bit. Videos are hard for me as I am very self-conscious so it was nice to be able to postpone them for a bit until I could really practice and feel my best. ”

Judith shared, 
“The instructors and course materials/videos were all so wonderful and informative. I truly feel very well equipped with all the knowledge and tools I now have to start as a full spectrum doula with multiple certifications under my belt. Thank you, IDI, from the bottom of my heart. My true passion is blossoming before my very eyes!”

Miranda tells us, 
“I started my training at IDI almost a year ago. The courses have given me exactly what I needed to become a confident doula! After looking at several different doula training programs I decided on IDI because I have two young children and could work at my own pace online. I also really liked that the curriculum was contributed to by different backgrounds and trainings, not only from one perspective. This program has offered more to me than I ever could have thought! Not only have I learned how to support Moms and families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum but I’ve been given tools in growing my reach and communication… just to name a few. There’s also huge support from other doulas in the program. I recommend this program to future doulas!”

Mary says, 
“Started my journey (with admitted fear) only a month ago and felt immediately at ease! This program is very fluid. Work at your own pace. Easy to reach help and support the whole way through. Everything you need to know to hit the ground running with confidence once certified.”

Brenda tells us, 
“My name is Brenda and I have been studying with IDI for a while now, looking forward to the Postpartum course also. I have found the studies, books, and information to feel well rounded in information and comprehensive. I love all the books they have chosen for my studies. Also, the opportunity to be hands-on with the additional class, interviews, videos, and Moms-to-be. This is a part of the program that brings all the reading, studying…everything to light! The teachers are kind, understanding and obviously VERY experienced and can guide and support me throughout this wonderful journey of certification to be a “Doula” I’m so happy I chose IDI to be my training! Thank you!!!! I look forward to the future!♡”

Joyce says, 
“I love being a student with IDI!”

Laura tells us,
” Easy to do at my own pace, good supplemental readings. ”

Hannah tells us,
” Hey this is Hannah! I’m SOO excited to have finished my courses & have become a CERTIFIED DOULA! I almost can’t believe I have that title, with my name!!! This has been a lifelong dream. I’m very grateful to have been able to do it online, as I am a stay-at-home mom to 7 amazing children. It was very convenient for me to work on, as I had quiet time, during my little’s naps. Having been through labor, birth & breastfeeding stages of my life, helped tremendously. However, it was a very practical course & easy to understand the instructions. I highly recommend IDI to anyone who is interested in becoming a doula!! Thank you, IDI!!! ”

Tatyana says,
“I enjoyed everything about this course. Very informative and detailed.”

© 2025 · International Doula Institute | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy |