Doula Training

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Hybrid Birth Doula Training - December 2025

Training Schedule

Mandatory Pre-Work

Live Online Sessions:

Dates: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, December 15 - 18, 2025

Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm CST

Platform: Canvas and Zoom

In-Person Hands On Training Day:

Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025

Time: 10:30 am - 5:30 pm CST

Location: AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana Wellness Center

Gentilly Shopping Center

3155 Gentilly Boulevard

New Orleans, LA 70122

Mandatory Pre-Work

In addition to the live online sessions and the in-person training day, participants will receive access to their self-paced online coursework approximately two weeks before the first Zoom session. This coursework is mandatory and must be fully completed before the start of the first live virtual session to ensure you are prepared to participate fully in the training.

You should plan to dedicate 8–12 hours to completing these modules. We strongly recommend setting aside time each week leading up to the first session so you can stay on track and get the most out of your training experience.

Important: If you do not complete all pre-coursework by the first live session, you will not be permitted to continue in the training program. This will be treated the same as failing to attend the training entirely and will be considered a breach of your service commitment, requiring reimbursement of the full scholarship amount or forfeiture of any fees paid.

Course Cost

Mandatory Pre-Work

Your Commitment

A $500 donation and a 1 year service commitment is required to reserve your place in this comprehensive training.

If you need financial assistance, please consider applying for our scholarship program. Scholarship recipients will be required to complete 2 years of active service to MHN for 50% discounted tuition ($250 value), or 3 years of active service for 100% discounted tuition ($500 value).

The link to the scholarship application form can be found within this registration form. During registration, you will be given the option to apply for a scholarship or complete your payment in full.

Please note: Your spot in the training is not reserved until you have completed checkout, either by submitting full payment or by using the promo code provided if you are awarded a scholarship. Until this final step is completed, your place in the class remains unconfirmed and may be released to another participant.

Your Commitment

Registration Instructions

Your Commitment

As part of your scholarship and training with Mary’s Hands Network, you will serve as an active member of a birth doula team, typically made up of 2–3 volunteers. Each team works together to provide comprehensive, wrap-around support for families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

For each client you serve, you will be expected to:

Attend at least 3 client visits, either virtually or in person, Actively communicate with your team and client at least every two weeks, providing updates, offering encouragement, and addressing needs as they arise.
Respond promptly to messages from your client, team members, and MHN administrative staff to keep care consistent and coordinated.
Be on call for birth support, committing to 6–8 on-call shifts, each 12 hours long, during the client’s “birth month” (two weeks before and two weeks after their due date).

Registration Instructions

REGISTRATION OPENS OCTOBER 3, 2025

Please fill out the registration form carefully and accurately to reserve your spot in Mary’s Hands Network Birth Doula Training. You must complete all required sections of this form before proceeding. At the end, you will be asked how you want to proceed with your registration:

Option 1: Pay Now – You will move directly to the final page to complete your registration and secure your spot.
Option 2: Apply for Scholarship - You will be directed to a page with scholarship instructions and a link to our separate scholarship application form. If you are awarded a scholarship, you will receive a promo code. You must then return to this registration form and complete your registration using that code to officially secure your spot in the training.

Application for scholarship will close Sunday, November 9, 2025 at 11:59pm. Scholarship announcements will be made November 14, 2025.

Apply Now

Birth Doula Training

What's covered in class?

Are you passionate about supporting families during childbirth and committed to advocating for equity and change in birth work?

Our Hybrid Birth Doula Training, accredited by the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA), is designed for people who want to:

Learn best practices in labor and postpartum support,
Promote fairness and dignity for all birthing families, and
Make a meaningful impact in their communities.

Whether you’re exploring birth work for the first time or ready to take your skills to the next level, this program will give you the knowledge, confidence, and hands-on experience to support families through one of the most transformative times in their lives.

What You’ll Learn

Mary’s Hands Network’s volunteer doula training is comprehensive and evidence-based, covering everything you need to begin serving families as a birth doula:

Doula Role & Responsibilities: Understanding the scope of practice and how to serve families ethically and effectively.
Anatomy & Physiology: Pregnancy, labor, and birth explained in practical terms.
Labor Support Techniques: Physical, emotional, and informational support for families.
Pain Management Options: Natural comfort measures and understanding medical interventions.
Cultural Competency: Serving families with sensitivity and respect.
Communication Skills: Building strong, collaborative relationships with families and healthcare providers.
Breastfeeding & Postpartum Care: Laying a foundation for healthy, supported transitions after birth.
Ethics & Professional Standards: Maintaining integrity and trust in your doula practice.
Navigating the Healthcare System: Understanding policies, advocacy, and how to be a bridge between families and providers.
Self-Care for Doulas: Managing stress and preventing burnout while serving others.

What to Expect as a Mary’s Hands Network Doula Volunteer

Once you complete your training with Mary’s Hands Network, you’ll be welcomed into a growing and supportive network of volunteer doulas ready to walk alongside birthing families in your community. As a trained MHN doula, you’re not expected to jump in alone—we operate in teams of 2–3 doulas, so you’re never carrying the responsibility by yourself.

After Training: Getting Started

Once your training is complete and you’ve submitted your availability form, you’ll be added to our active volunteer pool. When a client is due in a month you’ve marked as available, the MHN Volunteer Coordinator will reach out to invite you to join a doula team. After confirming your participation, you’ll receive a “Meet Your Doula Team” email introducing you to your teammates and shortly after, a second email introducing you to your matched client.

From that point forward, you and your team will begin supporting the client together.

Meeting Your Client

Support begins with a virtual meeting, ideally scheduled within one week of being introduced. This meeting helps you learn about the client’s birth goals, clarify your role, and schedule two in-person prenatal meetings. The first in-person meeting typically happens in a public location, such as a coffee shop or library. The second meeting may happen at the client’s home depending on their comfort level, gestational age, and doula availability.

During these meetings, your team will help develop a personalized care plan, explore comfort techniques, and finalize the on-call schedule for the birth month.

Being On Call

You’ll be on call for a four-week window, beginning three weeks before the client’s estimated due date and ending one week after. Your team will decide in advance who is available when, so that one doula is always reachable if labor begins. Each birth is attended by one doula at a time, with others available for backup or transitions as needed.

Postpartum Support

Within 72 hours of birth, you or one of your teammates will reconnect with the client to offer immediate emotional support, check on their recovery, and provide any needed guidance or referrals. Then, you’ll schedule one to two in-person postpartum visits, typically between weeks 2–5 and 5–8. These visits focus on rest, nourishment, infant feeding, and emotional wellbeing.

After the final postpartum visit, care is gently transferred to the MHN administrative team, who will continue to check in at key milestones and connect the client to long-term resources and community events.

Your support as a volunteer doula has a lasting impact. You’ll walk with someone through one of the most meaningful experiences of their life—and you’ll do it alongside a team of doulas who care deeply about community, compassion, and equity.

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Hybrid Birth Doula Training - December 2025

Training Schedule

Mandatory Pre-Work

Mandatory Pre-Work

Mandatory Pre-Work

Mandatory Pre-Work

Mandatory Pre-Work

Course Cost

Mandatory Pre-Work

Your Commitment

Your Commitment

Registration Instructions

Your Commitment

Registration Instructions

Registration Instructions

Registration Instructions

Birth Doula Training

What's covered in class?

What You’ll Learn

What to Expect as a Mary’s Hands Network Doula Volunteer

After Training: Getting Started

Meeting Your Client

Being On Call

Postpartum Support

Photos from Training

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