Online Doula Training: August 3 - 30, 2026 - SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training, LLC

About the Training

Includes:

SMC Doula Training Manual
Orientation Packet
SMC Full Circle Doula Provisional Certificate*
Certification Packet*
One-Year Provisional Membership to the SMC Doula Network, for ongoing support toward full certification.*
Added to the Find a Doula Directory*
Membership in the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companions Private Facebook Group, for fun networking!*

*Based on successful completion of the training.

SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Doula Online training is a four-week course for dual certification for the labor and postpartum doula. SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training was created in 2002 to train doulas in the legacy of the 20th-century African American midwife who demonstrated traditional and spiritual perinatal care.

The training is designed to build capacity in the Black community, increase the number of doulas of color, and teach the midwifery model of care.

Training Schedule

Week 1: Orientation and Full Circle Doula Care, August 3 – 9, 2026

Week 2: Pregnancy Care and Nutrition, August 10 – 16, 2026

Week 3: Labor and Delivery, August 17 – 23, 2026

Week 4: Postpartum Care & Entrepreneurship, August 24 – 30, 2026

Live Zoom Class with Instructors: Each Week on Wednesday from 11:00 am PT– 2:30 pm PT.

Virtual Graduation: September 2, 2026 – 11:00am – 12:30pm PT

Frequently Asked Questions

All registered learners attending the training receive:

Exclusive SMC Doula Training Manual
Weekly Live Zoom Session during the course where you can interact with instructors
Resource List
Provisional Doula Certificate*
Certification Packet*
One-Year Provisional Membership to the SMC Doula Network, for ongoing support toward full certification.*
Added to the Find a Doula Directory*
Membership in the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companions Private Facebook Group, for fun networking!*

*Based on successful completion of the training.

What topics are covered?

Unique topics include and extend beyond:

Honoring the Legacy of the African American Midwife
African Brith Traditions
Postpartum Care & Belly Binding
Public Health in Maternal and Infant Health
Improving Birth Outcomes
Supporting Fatherhood/Partners and Family
Doula History and the African American Doulas
SMC Doula Scope of Care (SOC)
Pregnancy Support & Nutrition
Medical Terminology
Creating a Business
Working with the Birth Team

Who can attend the training?

The only requirements to enroll in the training are that you (1) are 18 years of age or above, (2) have a high school diploma or GED (3) are interested in supporting women and families before, during, and after birth.

SMC Doulas uses women-centered language and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations.

How should I prepare?

To prepare for the training, please read the required reading before the first day of your course.

What is the required reading?

SMC Full Circle Doula Philosophy, an abstract by Shafia M. Monroe
Download PDF — 10-pages
Listen to Me Good, Life Story of an Alabama Midwife, by Margaret Charles Smith and Linda Janet Holmes
Mothering the Mother, Postpartum Traditions, Recipes and Healing, by Shafia Monroe. You can order here.

Who are the instructors?

Instructors are SMC Certified Trainers who are veteran doulas and midwives. You can learn more here.

When will I receive my manual?

Your training manual will be shipped to the shipping address provided on your registration form.
Please allow 14 business days to receive your training manual if shipped within the United States.
Deliveries outside of the U.S. may be subject to customs and delivery restrictions.
Please allow an additional 7 business days for export deliveries.

What is the value of an SMC Doula Network Provisional Doula membership?

Membership is essential for accessing your training materials and manual after the course ends, staying in touch with your cohort and others through the SMC Doulas Network, receiving support with your certification, accessing additional educational materials to further your professional development as a doula, and having the public find you through doula directory. Membership allows you to grow the doula industry and receive discounts on conferences and some webinars. Learn more here.