Becoming a doula means turning a passion into a career. Once you’re ready to take the leap, the first step is finding a doula training near you. You’ve likely search “doula training near me” hoping to find the next perfect training workshop.
However, what if you could get top quality training from the comfort of your own home? At the International Doula Institute, you can complete your doula training with top professionals including physicians, midwives, nurses, and of course, doula trainers.
Best of all, it’s designed to fit into your busy schedule. You can get a top comprehensive and interactive training without having to travel.
What Is Online Doula Training?
The once popular weekend workshop still has its pros, but with the advancement of technology, online training is growing in popularity.
Online doula training allows you to get all the information you’d learn at a workshop in the comfort of your own home. It also includes ongoing interactive support as you complete your reading and research requirements. Most weekend workshops do not offer this ongoing support.
With online doula training, you’re able to find a doula training near you without searching different organizations and schedules. Best of all, you get ongoing peer support that lasts beyond a 3-day workshop.
The International Doula Institute offers peer and professional support in an online student group. Your learning groups also allow you to engage in conversation with fellow students working at the same pace you are.
Is There A Doula Training Near Me Year-Round?
One of the most amazing things about online doula training is the ability to start as soon as you’re ready. Many workshops book out weeks and months in advance. It makes it difficult to squeeze into your already busy work schedule and lifestyle.
With IDI’s comprehensive online training, you’re able to begin your doula training whenever you’re ready. We begin new learning groups monthly, allowing you to begin and work at your own pace – with lots of peer support!
We know the excitement of a workshop and getting to spend a few days with like minded individuals. However, with today’s busy lifestyle, travel difficulties, and even current Covid-19 restrictions, online training means nothing stands in your way.
In fact, our trainings are quite popular with new moms who are ready to become doulas but find in-person workshops challenging with a new baby. We also have a perfect self-paced program for busy professionals such as nurses, teachers, and more.
No matter your professional background, parent status or schedule, online doula training is always available.
Is There A Doula Near Me For Support?
When you’re jumping into a new career it can feel overwhelming to choose a career that’s frequently independent. Who do you learn from? How do you find support?
How do you find a doula near you? With the online support provided by the International Doula Institute, you’re almost guaranteed to find someone in your region. And best of all, you needn’t find someone in your same city to get support.
Our seasoned doulas, advanced students and doula trainers are all available to support you during your online doula training.
Will I Build A Better Network Going To A Doula Training Near Me?
A lot of doula work happens through initial networking. It’s easy to assume it’s important to go to a workshop in your area in order to network with others. However, that’s rarely the case because:
- Many trainers travel
- Workshop attendees are often from other cities and states
- Only brief connections are usually made
- There’s not a whole lot of time to socialize
Getting to know other doulas in our online support group is a wonderful way to network. Rather than meeting just 5-10 new doulas, you’ll be in a group with thousands! The ability to network in a large group means making connections all over.
This is especially wonderful if you’re someone who might move throughout your doula career. Military spouse? No problem. If you end up in a new city you might already know fellow doulas in the area.
There are great things about in-person workshops but with IDI you’re able to quickly network with doulas all over the world. It isn’t uncommon for a doula to search for a fellow doula in another city for her sister, cousin or friend. Being in a large group allows you to help other doulas support parents all over the world.
What Are The Benefits Of An Online Doula Training?
It can be difficult to navigate all your training options. After all, you’re hoping to turn your passion into a career! Definitely not a time to settle.
An online doula training has many benefits. For instance, rather than being exposed to just one doula trainer, you’re accessing lessons from other professionals, even physicians!
Other benefits include:
- The ability to start when you’re ready
- Work at your own pace
- Have ongoing peer support
- Access to doula trainers well beyond just a 3-day workshop
- You can go back and review lessons
- This multimedia training is designed for all learning styles from audio, to visual and even tactile learning and more
- A variety of assignments can help you find your strengths and weaknesses and help you develop into a truly skilled doula
- Fit doula training into your work schedule, kids’ schedules, partner schedule, etc.
- Network with doulas from around the world
- Access to curriculum designers to ask questions, get clarification and more
- Learn about birth culture all over the world to help you become a well-rounded doula
- Gain an internationally recognized certification through the International Doula Institute
As you can see, there are significant benefits to online doula training. While it isn’t an in-person “doula training near me” search result, online doula training is right inside your own home! I don’t think you can get any closer to your region than your very own living room.
Postpartum Doula Training Online
At the International Doula Institute, we provide both birth and postpartum doula trainings. Both programs are designed by skilled doulas, nurses, nutritionists, lactation professionals and even physicians. We ensure both doula programs incorporate up-to-date evidenced based information as well as understanding traditions behind birth and postpartum care.
While our birth and postpartum curriculums vary based on specific learning objectives, both are equally designed to provide the best trainings available.
An in-person postpartum doula training allows for some discussion and hands on support. However, much of postpartum care is learning about normal physiological changes for both mother and baby. It’s also learning how to provide non-judgmental and practical support.
With an online training, you’ll be able to discuss and learn in-depth knowledge about physiological changes, maternal mental health and how to support newborns. With our online peer support, you’re able to ask and discuss these topics with fellow doula students and seasoned doulas alike.
It’s important to be able to take your time to process all the information you learn. With our comprehensive training, you not only learn about doula care, you learn how to apply it to your doula business. It’s one thing to understand physiological changes, but it’s vital to learn how to use that information to best support your clients.
Is It Better To Go To A Doula Workshop or An Online Training?
There are pros and cons to every doula training. However, the biggest perk to choosing IDI’s online training program is quality.
With our multimedia and comprehensive training, you leave your training completely qualified to support doula clients. With expert guidance and peer support, not only are you qualified, you can be confident in starting your doula practice.
It’s rare we can turn a passion into a viable career but with our doula training we help make that possible for you. Regardless of where you live, your work schedule and your home life, our programs are designed to work for you.
Whether you want to become a birth doula, postpartum doula, or both, our online doula training will prepare you. Attending a doula workshop is fun, but it won’t necessarily mean you’re ready to dive into doula support. With a comprehensive reading list and interactive curriculum, you will truly feel prepared to support your future clients.
Ready to get started? Don’t hesitate. We are here to help you transition from passion to career. From birth doula to postpartum and more, IDI is here for all your training needs. Register now!
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...