In-Person Doula Training: October 31 – November 3, 2024

About the Training

• Gresham, OR
• October 31 – November 3,  2024
• Includes:
  • SMC Doula Training Manual
  • Orientation Packet
  • SMC Full Circle Doula Provisional Certificate (Upon completion)

This is a 4-day (32 hours) in-person doula training for dual certification as a labor and postpartum doula. This training is the first step, and required, to become a certified SMC Full Circle Doula Companion. This is culturally competent training that honors the legacy of the 20th Century African American midwife to improve birth outcomes, increase breastfeeding, and build leadership.

Training Schedule

DAY 1 – Thursday, 9 AM – 6:30 PM: Orientation, SMC Full Circle Doula Philosophy, African American Midwives, U.S. Doula History.

DAY 2 – Friday, 9 AM – 6:30 PM: Prenatal Care, Nutrition, Herbs, Infant Mortality Prevention. 

DAY 3 – Saturday, 9 AM – 6:30 PM: Labor and Delivery, Comfort Measures

DAY 4 – Sunday, 9 AM – 6:30 PM: Postpartum and Infant Care, Breastfeeding, Creating a  Doula Business.

What You Will Learn

The 4-Day training is packed full of learning, sharing, receiving, and creating friendships. Honoring the legacy of the African American midwife we demonstrated how pregnancy support reduces premature births and how postpartum care prevents maternal exhaustion in the postpartum experience, by using resources, and hands-on and culturally competent care.

Unique Topics include and extend beyond

• African birth traditions and postpartum rituals
• Public health in maternal and infant health
• Reducing maternal morbidity
• Improving birth outcomes
• Causes of maternal mortality
• The legacy of the 20th Century African American midwife
• Supporting fatherhood/partners and family
• Belly binding and wrapping
• Postpartum baths
• Herbs and nutrition
• Medical terminology
• SMC Doula Scope of Care
• Advocacy and empowerment
• Systemic Racism in perinatal care
• Professionalism and leadership
• Traditional Midwifery Model of Care

Practice from Cultural Knowledge

Having a dual certification as a labor and postpartum doula is crucial to providing comprehensive care to help a pregnant person throughout the reproductive cycle. Furthermore, when you learn labor and postpartum skills simultaneously, it provides the opportunity to give comprehensive doula care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the training based on?

Our training draws on the centuries-old traditions of African and African American midwives and healers, that kept us connected to physiological birth and the joys of service to birthing women and their families. The training is based on the legacy of the 20th-century African American midwife, public health information, and research-based practices.

The training incorporates lectures, instructional materials, learner interactions, and hands-on learning opportunities to provide a truly holistic training experience. 

Who are the instructors?

Instructors are SMC Certified Doula Trainers who are veteran doulas and midwives.

What books are needed to prepare for the course?

SMC Full Circle Doula Philosophy, an abstract by Shafia 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

These materials are available on Amazon or possibly through your local library.
All the above books and materials should be read before the first day of class. 

How much does the training cost?

Training tuition for SMC In-person Full Circle Doula Companion Training is currently $ 1,623. Email info@smcdoulas.com to inquire about installment plan options.