To become a birth doula, you take an approved doula training, complete a few education requirements, attend births, and then apply for certification. You do not need a medical background, and you do not need to have given birth yourself.
I have been training doulas since 1994 and have trained more than 10,000 of them. I have also attended more than 1,500 births. This page walks you through each step in the order you will do it, along with how long it takes and what it costs.
Most people who ask me how to become a doula are starting from zero. That is a fine place to start.
The steps to become a birth doula
Step 1. Decide which kind of doula work you want to do
Birth doulas support a pregnant person and their family through labor and birth. Postpartum doulas support families at home in the weeks after the baby arrives. The trainings and certifications are separate, and this page covers birth doula work, which is what I teach.
Think about the schedule before you go further. Birth doulas are on call for weeks around each due date, and labor does not keep business hours. You will do well in this work if you like working closely with people and can support choices that differ from your own.
Step 2. Choose your certifying organization before you choose a training
Many people pick a training by price or by date. Some of them find out later that it does not lead to the certification they need.
If you want to work with Medicaid or insurance programs, the certifying organization matters, because each program decides which certifications it accepts. I train for DONA International, the first and largest doula certifying organization. Once you are certified, DONA certification can help qualify you for Medicaid in states that cover doula care, and for TRICARE.
You can check your state on my Medicaid by state page. I also wrote a longer piece on how to pick the right doula training.
Step 3. Take an approved birth doula training
A DONA approved birth doula workshop is at least 16 hours of instruction.
My training is taught live online. You work through birth and client scenarios, practice in role plays, and watch demonstrations. On the last day, you coach a live person through an active labor practice while I observe on Zoom.
You learn comfort measures, positions, breathing, and hands-on labor support. You also learn how to work with families professionally, how to start finding clients, and how to set your fees. You can see the full outline on my birth doula training page.
Step 4. Complete the childbirth and lactation education
DONA requires an introduction to childbirth course and lactation training in addition to the workshop. Many trainings leave you to find and pay for those on your own.
In my training, Introduction to Childbirth and Lactation for Birth Professionals are both included in your tuition. You get a separate certificate for each one, which is what state credentialing programs ask to see.
Step 5. Start attending births
You finish training with a certificate of completion, and you can begin working with clients right away. Certification comes later, after you have attended births.
The births you attend after your workshop count toward certification when you document them the way DONA asks. DONA asks for three births, with at least 15 hours of continuous in-person labor support across them. For each birth you keep a record, get a signed release from your client, and collect evaluations. Your certification packet explains exactly what to collect, so read it before your first birth.
I tell every class to price their first birth at least as high as what they paid for training.
Step 6. Apply for DONA certification
When your births and paperwork are complete, you submit your certification packet to DONA. You need to be a DONA member to submit, and the packet is due within three years of your workshop. The current list of requirements is on DONA’s birth doula certification page.
After that, you recertify every three years with continuing education.
My graduates work through these steps with support. I host a live group Q&A every week, and you can bring your certification questions there for as long as you are doing this work.
How long does it take to become a doula?
The training itself is the short part, and you can begin working with clients as soon as you finish it.
I teach the same class in three formats, so you can pick the one that fits your schedule and the way you like to learn. There is a 3 day intensive, a 5 day intensive, and a 5 week class with shorter sessions.
Certification takes longer, because it depends on attending births, and births happen on their own schedule. DONA gives you three years from your workshop to submit your certification packet. I have had people finish in as little as 3 weeks.
Some people come to class ready to go. Others know they will take a slower path and wait to take clients, for example until a child of their own is a little older or until after a move. Three years leaves room for either one.
My class is geared toward you getting your first client and attending a birth, and my weekly Q&A stays open to you after you graduate.
How much does it cost to become a doula?
My birth doula training is $650, or $610 if you pay in full 30 or more days before your start date. That tuition includes the workshop, Introduction to Childbirth, and Lactation for Birth Professionals.
You do not have to pay it all at once. I offer monthly installments with no fees, a limited number of scholarship seats, and SpouseWorks (formerly MyCAA) funding for eligible military spouses. The details are on my payment plans and scholarship pages.
Certification has its own costs, which you pay to DONA. These include your DONA membership and your certification packet. Plan for those when you compare trainings, and check what each training includes, because the childbirth and lactation courses are often sold separately.
Keep in mind that you charge the first clients you work with, and that money can pay for your certification. Other companies ask for the money up front. I want you out working as soon as possible, because that is where your confidence comes from.
Common questions about becoming a doula
Do I need a medical background to become a doula?
No. Doulas provide physical, emotional, and informational support. They do not provide medical care. Most people in my classes have no healthcare background.
Do I need to have given birth?
No. You do not need to have given birth, and you do not need to have attended a birth before training.
Can I become a doula online?
Yes. My training is taught live on Zoom, with role plays, demonstrations, and small group discussion. On the last day you practice hands-on labor support with a live person in the room with you.
Do I have to be certified to work as a doula?
You can begin working with clients once you complete your training. Certification matters most if you plan to credential with Medicaid or an insurance program, since those programs set their own requirements. Many families also look for a certified doula when they hire.
Training gives you a certificate of completion. Certification comes afterward and shows that you meet professional standards through experience and continuing education. DoulaMatch has a clear explanation of the difference.
Certification also affects your income. DoulaMatch data shows that certified doulas make more per client and are hired more often. Even if you do not want to work with health insurance or Medicaid, you can still accept FSA and HSA payments.
How much do doulas make?
It depends on where you live and how you practice. You also set your fee yourself. DoulaMatch publishes average birth doula fees by state, so you can see what doulas near you charge. In its January 2026 report, state averages ran from $825 in South Dakota to $2,587 in California. Those averages include doulas who list a fee of $0, which pulls the numbers down. In many states, the top of the range is $5,000. A 2019 analysis of 9,710 active doulas on DoulaMatch.net found that DONA certified doulas charged 24% higher fees than doulas without certification.
What if I am not sure doula work is right for me?
That is common at this stage. Read through my doula training questions, or look at what other doulas say in the reviews.
Your next step
If you have read this far, you already know more about the path than most people do when they register.
The next step is to look at what my training covers and pick a date that works for you. You do not need birth experience, clients, or a business to begin.