Doula training in the UK - starting your sacred birth journey

A doula can provide emotional, physical and often spiritual support to a pregnant woman through her pregnancy, birth and the post partum period. It is a nurturing and compassionate service that aims to enhance the birth experience for women.

This post highlights the types of Doula training courses available within the UK and what to consider when choosing the right course for you. There are many organisations offering training programs that cater to different needs and philosophies. Doula training can be found both in-person and online, with options for specialising in a certain area of doula practice such as postnatal care.

Some key questions to consider when searching for the right training provider and course for you:

• How long is the training and what fit is best for you - i.e. spread out over a longer period of time or an intensive/shorter period?

• What is the content?

• How is the training provided?

• Accreditation process?

• How does the training and those involved in it's delivery support you during the course and afterwards as you start work?

• What type of community is there that you can be involved with if you feel this is important?

Another key aspect of seeking the right training is cost and payment plan options together with the possibility of financial support to pay for the training. The costs for in person training vary depending on the length of the course and whether the course if provided as a residential or non residential option. Doula UK state that the cost of training can be between £500 and £1500 approximately, depending on how the training is delivered and the content of the course.

The in person 'Doula UK' accredited courses tend to be around 4-5 days in length.

Online courses length/time needed will depend on how many hours you do each week. Some course providers offer blended learning too which means you have the option to attend part of the course in person and complete some of the coursework online.

See the link further below to the Doula UK accredited course providers where you can look through the different options and see which meets your needs (financial, timing and other important factors).

Introductory workshop - a useful place to start

If you are considering the full doula training but are not quite ready to start or would like to know more before making the commitment to a full course, there is the option to attend an interactive workshop online. This is with Doula UK, for the fee of £35 with which is three hours long and limited to 6 participants. Click here to find out more.

You can also try a free online introductory module with Every Birth Matters who are one of the Doula UK approved training providers. This can be done on any device and at your own pace. To find out more, click here.

According to the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, "Doula UK is the leading organisation for doulas in the UK, with a network of over 600 member doulas. Founded in 2001 as a not-for-profit organisation, Doula UK is now working towards becoming a registered charity".

Doula UK approves a number of UK based training course providers which they share on their website here.

After the training has been completed with one of these providers, the individual can become a member of Doula UK and therefore have a listing on the Doula UK searchable database which you can view here.

Each Doula UK member must also go through the mentoring and recognition process and also comply with the Doula UK code of conduct, philosophy and policies. Mentoring costs between approximately £300 and £600 according to Doula UK.

Doulas will also need to commit to continuing professional development (CPD) and it is recommended to have insurance. This is to ensure that the doulas are trained, up to date, experienced and well supported.  Click here to find out more about the guide to mentoring.

There are also training providers and courses through providers not accredited through Doula UK. As a holistic profession, the Doula role is increasingly popular with a wide range of women. Doula UK state in a press release from October 2024:

Over the past year a total of 2,090 births (up from 1,460 in 2020, 1,835 in 2021) were supported by a doula and 1,700 families were supported postnatally, in fact, postnatal doulas clocked up an amazing 70,398 hours of support.

There is no doubt that the doula path is one linked to ancient wisdom and practices which honour the whole process of pregnancy and birth as a sacred one. To highlight this, we asked Kate Woods from Conscious Birthing and Doulas without Borders for a beautiful insight into the depths of what a doula provides and she shares this with us here:

Birth is a holy rite of passage and Birthkeepers and Doulas are skilled at holding the intense energy of this sacred time. We offer an ancient path of walking alongside those experiencing this initiatory journey and cultivate our intuition within our training, alongside developing our voices in advocacy. We walk between the worlds offering birthing women and families a container, an advocate and the medicine of motherly love.  (Kate Woods, 'Conscious Birthing' Founder). www.consciousbirthing.co.uk www.doulaswithoutborders.com

We wish you well with your explorations and future studies. Do let us know how you get on and what you found useful in the post.

Leave a comment

For more resources and to follow our story please click below:

Follow our story