Step into the birth room steady, prepared, and trusted.
Birth is a profound life event.
It deserves support that is calm, skilled, and respectful.
The BabyMatters Birth Doula Workshop prepares you to enter the birth space steady, informed, and confident in your role, so families feel supported, respected, and empowered in their choices.
If you feel called to stand beside families during labor, but don’t want to feel unsure or underprepared, this workshop was created for you.
Maybe you’ve been feeling this pull…
You care about how families experience birth.
You’ve seen how intense and vulnerable labor can be.
You know, steady support can change the atmosphere in the room.
And at the same time, you may be wondering:
- Am I truly prepared for something this important?
- What do I actually do when labor gets intense?
- How do I support without taking over?
- What is within my role and what is not?
- Will I know what to say when a family looks to me for guidance?
Many people feel called to the birth room long before they feel fully ready to stand in it.
This workshop prepares you to walk into the birth room grounded in your role, confident in your skills, and ready to support families well.
“I loved the concrete practicing we did as well as the indepth look at how the body works and how to help labor be more effective.” – Birth Doula Student
What a Birth Doula truly offers
A birth doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy and labor.
At BabyMatters, we teach doulas to:
- Remain a steady presence during labor
- Support comfort through movement, touch, and positioning
- Help families understand their options without directing their decisions
- Maintain clear, ethical boundaries
- Collaborate respectfully with medical professionals
You are not there to take over. You are there to strengthen the family’s confidence and experience.
When you understand that distinction, your role becomes powerful.
Why doulas make a difference
Continuous labor support has been studied for decades.
Research shows that families supported by doulas are:
- 28% less likely to experience cesarean birth
- 31% less likely to use labor-accelerating medication
- 9% less likely to use pharmacologic pain relief
- 34% less likely to describe their birth experience negatively
Beyond statistics, families often describe feeling calmer, more informed, and less alone.
The birth room changes when someone steady is present.
Inside the Birth Doula Workshop
Here’s a look at what we cover:
- Working Within the Birth Team
Navigating collaboration with nurses, midwives, and physicians.
- Responding to Unexpected Situations
Staying grounded when birth shifts course.
- Business Foundations
Professional boundaries, client agreements, and sustainable practice.
- Certification Overview
Clear steps toward ICEA Birth Doula Certification.
- The Role and Responsibilities of a Birth Doula
Understanding scope, ethics, and professional identity.
- Building Client Relationships
Preparing families before labor begins.
- The Labor Process
Recognizing what is normal, what is intense, and when to refer.
- Comfort Techniques and Coping Tools
Hands-on practice with positioning, counterpressure, breath support, and movement.
- Communication in the Birth Room
Supporting families through decision-making without directing.
Each section builds on the next, so you develop competence gradually and steadily.
What you will walk away with
This workshop is designed to build both skill and sound judgment.
You will leave with:
- A grounded understanding of the stages of labor
- Hands-on comfort measures you have practiced, not just read about
- Clear language for supporting informed, respectful decision-making
- Confidence in your professional boundaries
- A practical foundation for beginning your work as a birth doula
You will not just observe.
You will practice, reflect, and groaw into the role.
About Debbie
Debbie has spent decades teaching, mentoring, and supporting families and birthworkers.
She brings lived experience, humility, and deep respect for this work.
Students often describe her as a mentor before a teacher.
Someone who helps you trust yourself while you learn.
That is the heart of BabyMatters.
How the workshop works
In-Person Workshops
Length: 3 full days
Teaching style: Hands-on, interactive learning with real-time discussion, shared practice, and supportive connection in the room.
Materials: Student workbook provided
Certification: This workshop is one requirement for the ICEA Birth Doula Certification.
Virtual Workshops
Length: 20 hours of class split into 4-6 sessions.
Teaching style: Guided, well-paced learning with clear explanations, space for questions, and steady support throughout.
Materials: Digital Workbook provided
Certification: This workshop is one requirement for the ICEA Birth Doula Certification.
Investment
In-Person
- $800 Early Bird
- $950 Standard Rate
Virtual
- $600 Early Bird
- $700 Standard Rate
If you would like to host a workshop in your community, our Sponsor/Host Guide explains how to bring a training to your area. You may also contact debbie@babymatters.org for more information
The Pathway to Certification
This workshop fulfills the education requirement for ICEA Birth Doula Certification.
Typical certification steps include:
- Completing the workshop
- Enrolling with ICEA (can be done prior to workshop)
- Completing required readings
- Observing a childbirth education series
- Verifying three labor support experiences
- Passing the certification exam
We walk through this process clearly during training so you understand what comes next.
You will not leave wondering how to proceed.
Explore the BabyMatters Training Paths
Families need support in many ways throughout pregnancy, birth, and the early weeks with a new baby. BabyMatters prepares professionals for several different roles within that journey.
Childbirth Educator Workshop
Teach families how to prepare for pregnancy, labor, birth, and early parenting.
Best for those who enjoy structured teaching and guiding group learning.
→ Learn more about Childbirth Educator Training
Postpartum Doula Workshop
Support families during the first weeks after birth as they adjust to life with a newborn.
Best for those who enjoy nurturing care and practical home support.
→ Learn more about Postpartum Doula Training
Birth Doula + Childbirth Educator Training
Combine labor support and teaching preparation in one pathway.
Best for those who want to both teach families during pregnancy and support them through birth.
→ Learn more about the Dual Training
What Past Students Share
“She helped me see my worth.”
“I felt encouraged, not overwhelmed.”
“It changed how I saw myself.”
“She stayed present and supportive throughout.”
These are consistent reflections, not exceptions.
Common questions
Do I need experience?
No. This workshop is designed for beginners and returning caregivers.
Is this certification?
This workshop begins your path toward ICEA certification and provides clear next steps.
What if I feel nervous?
That’s normal. This is a learning space designed to support you.
What if I’m not sure yet?
You don’t need certainty. You’ll gain clarity through learning.
Birth is not just a clinical event. It is personal. It is physical. It is emotional.
Families remember how they felt in that room.
If you want to be someone who strengthens that memory, this training can help you begin with clarity and confidence.