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Course Description
The Birth Doula Skills Workshop is a 4-day course. The curriculum includes:
- Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, fetal development, labor, postpartum, and breastfeeding
- Components of prenatal care and the midwifery model of care
- Emotions of pregnancy
- Pain management techniques
- Medical procedures used in labor
- Labor variations and complications, including Cesarean birth
- Communication and listening skills
- The emotional and psychological aspects of giving birth and its significance in women’s lives
- The doula’s role, professional ethics, standards of practice, and certification
- Emotional support and physical comfort measures
- Support for difficult labors, Cesarean birth, and vaginal birth after Cesarean
- Newborn care and breastfeeding support
- Values clarification and cultural sensitivity
- Includes Introduction to Childbearing (DONA International certification requirement)
FACULTY: Two DONA International-approved doula trainers (see Simkin Center Faculty) lead each Birth Doula Skills Workshop. Guest lecturers are invited to speak on their areas of expertise. Pregnant women join each class to participate in a discussion of the emotional aspects of pregnancy. The course provides ample time for hands-on practice of comfort measures.
This course is very popular; register early to ensure your space.
NOTE: Completion of Simkin Center's Birth Doula Skills Workshop, or another DONA International-approved labor support course, is a prerequisite for SMS' Midwifery Education Program