Doula Certification
Become a Certified Doula
Train to support families through pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum care, all in one comprehensive certification program.
One course. One certification. A complete foundation for professional doula work.
Birth and postpartum in one course
Flexible online learning
Required real-world fieldwork
Expert educator support
One course, one certification
One Certification From Pregnancy Through Postpartum
The American Doula Academy Doula Certification program combines birth and postpartum doula education into one comprehensive certification pathway. You begin with flexible online lessons covering pregnancy, labor and birth support, immediate and ongoing postpartum care, newborn care and feeding, and professional practice. You then complete required fieldwork, applying what you learned alongside real families, before submitting documentation for certification review.
You do not need to decide whether to become a birth doula or a postpartum doula first. The certification teaches both, so you finish ready to support a family from their first prenatal conversation to the weeks of settling in at home.
- Who it is for
- Aspiring doulas beginning their training, and practising doulas who want a formal credential
- Format
- Online lessons, then required in-person fieldwork
- Credential
- The American Doula Academy Doula Certification, awarded after coursework, assessments, required fieldwork, and approval.
What you'll learn
Everything a Doula Needs, in One Program
Five areas of study make up the online training. Birth and postpartum are taught side by side, because families need both.
Pregnancy & Birth Support
Preparing families for birth, and helping them think through their preferences.
- Pregnancy and birth preparation
- Birth preferences and informed decision support
Labor & Comfort Measures
Labor support, positioning, and emotional support through the birth itself.
- Labor and delivery support
- Comfort measures and positioning
- Emotional support and communication
Postpartum Support
The hours after birth, recovery in the weeks that follow, and how families adjust.
- Immediate postpartum support
- Postpartum recovery
- Family adjustment
Newborn & Feeding Support
Newborn behavior and care, feeding support, and safe sleep education.
- Newborn care and behavior
- Feeding and breastfeeding/chestfeeding support
- Safe sleep education
Professional Practice
Scope, ethics, documentation, referrals, and running a doula practice.
- Professional boundaries and scope
- Documentation and recordkeeping
- Referrals and community resources
- Ethics and professional practice
- Building and managing a doula practice
Online coursework
The Curriculum, in the Order You Study It
Seven module groups take you from the doula role through pregnancy, labor and birth, postpartum care, newborn and feeding support, and professional practice. Open any group for the topics it covers. Lesson-by-lesson detail is in the student system.
Lessons are designed to be completed in short sittings, so training fits around work and family. Your progress is saved, so you come back exactly where you left off, on a phone, tablet, or computer.
Required fieldwork
Real Families, Real Experience
Online training is one part of the program. Certification also requires documented fieldwork with real families in birth and postpartum settings, reviewed by the Academy.
- Support families in real birth and postpartum settings, applying what you learned online.
- Document each experience according to the program requirements.
- Reflect on your practice with guidance from experienced experts.
- Submit your completed documentation for certification review.
The amount of fieldwork required will be published before enrollment opens. Arranging the families you support is part of your fieldwork; educators help you think it through.
- Tuition
- $495-$695, provisional. One tuition for the whole program; the confirmed figure will be published before enrollment opens.
- Online study time
- Typical online study time will be published before enrollment opens. Lessons are short by design, so progress fits into small sittings.
- Fieldwork
- Required. Documented fieldwork experiences with real families in birth and postpartum settings, documented and reviewed. The amount required will be published before enrollment opens.
Expert support
You Are Not Doing This Alone
Ask an educator
Enrolled students can reach experienced birth and postpartum doula educators through live chat during published staffed hours. Live expert support hours will be published before enrollment opens.
Prepare for fieldwork
Educators help you think through your fieldwork and the certification pathway, and you reflect on each experience with their guidance.
Certification process
Five Steps, in Order
One pathway for everyone. Online training is one part of it; certification also requires successful assessments, documented fieldwork, and approval.
Enroll
Create a student account and enroll in the Doula Certification course.
Complete online training
Work through lessons, quizzes, assignments, and practical education at your own pace.
Complete required fieldwork
Gain real-world experience supporting families and submit the required documentation.
Certification review
American Doula Academy reviews your completed coursework and fieldwork requirements.
Become certified
Once all requirements are approved, you earn the American Doula Academy Doula Certification.
Tuition
One Tuition, One Program
$495-$695
Provisional range
One tuition covers the whole program, birth and postpartum training together. The confirmed price will be published before enrollment opens.
Tuition covers access to the online learning phase, course materials, knowledge checks, and expert support during published hours.
Whether certification review or the certificate itself carry any additional cost has not yet been confirmed. Payment plan details will be published before enrollment opens.
Ready to begin?
Enrollment puts the online training in your hands straight away. Fieldwork and certification review follow.
See Doula Certification in the shopQuestions
Common Questions About Doula Certification
More answers live on the FAQ page.
One Course. One Certification. Pregnancy Through Postpartum.
Build the knowledge and practical experience to support families before, during, and after birth.
American Doula Academy awards Doula Certification after coursework, assessments, required fieldwork, and approval.