Online Doula Training: December 7, 2026 - January 10, 2027 - 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 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, December 7–13, 2026

Week 2: Pregnancy Care and Nutrition, December 14–20, 2026

Week 3: Labor and Delivery, December 21–27, 2026

Week 4: Postpartum Care & Entrepreneurship, December 28, 2026 – January 10, 2027

Live Zoom Class with Instructors: Each Wednesday from 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM PT

Virtual Graduation: January 15, 2027, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM PT

Frequently Asked Questions

All registered learners attending the training receive:

Exclusive SMC Doula Training Manual
Weekly live Zoom sessions with instructors
Resource list
Provisional Doula Certificate*
Certification Packet*
One-Year Provisional Membership to the SMC Doula Network*
Added to the Find a Doula Directory*
Membership in the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companions Private Facebook Group*

*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 Birth Traditions
Postpartum Care & Belly Binding
Public Health in Maternal and Infant Health
Improving Birth Outcomes
Supporting Fatherhood, Partners, and Families
Doula History and 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 are that you are (1) 18 years of age or older, (2) have a high school diploma or GED, and (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, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.

How should I prepare?

Please read the required materials 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
The Doula Guide to Birth, by Ananda Lowe and Rachel Zimmerman
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. Order here.

Who are the instructors?

Instructors are SMC Certified Trainers who are veteran doulas and midwives. Learn more here.

When will I receive my manual?

Your training manual will be shipped to the address provided at registration. Please allow 14 business days for U.S. delivery. International deliveries may require an additional 7 business days.

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

Membership provides access to materials, certification support, professional community, continuing education, public directory listing, and discounts on conferences and select webinars. Learn more here.