UNC BirthPartners Volunteer Doulas Page

Become a Doula at UNC Hospitals

Doula Training

Sponsored by: UNC BirthPartners
When: TBA or check the DONA website for training workshops near you.
What is a Doula?

A doula (sometimes referred to as a labor support person):

Recognizes birth as a key life experience and understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of the woman in labor.
Stays by the side of the woman throughout labor.
Provides emotional support, practical comfort measures, and information to aid decision making.
Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth.
Does not replace the woman's partner or clinical care providers.

Doula Course Description

This course is designed to help participants become expert providers of labor support. During the intensive workshop, students discuss the emotional and psychological processes associated with labor and the role of the labor support person prenatally, during labor and delivery, and postpartum follow-up. The course emphasizes the importance of appropriate, culturally sensitive support. Participants also learn how to enable women and their partners to cope with complications in pregnancy, labor, and early postpartum. The doula's scope of practice and ethical standards are described. The workshop does not include training in clinical skills since those are outside the scope of doula practice. This workshop will meet one of the requirements for certification by Doulas of North America (DONA).

Prerequisites for Doula Workshop

The following prerequisites must be completed prior to attending the workshop:

Contact the program manager, Leacey Nyberge for an interview.
Attend a childbirth class series (not as a pregnant woman) taught by a nationally certified instructor
Fill out registration form and send the appropriate fee.
Completion of required reading. (See required reading list below - 4 books total)

Required Reading List

At least ONE of the following:

Baldwin, Special Delivery
England & Horowitz, Birthing from Wthin
Kitzinger, The Complete Book of Pregnancy and Childbirth
Simkin, Whalley, & Keppler, Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn

At least TWO of the following:

Klaus, Klaus, & Kennell, Mothering the Mother
Perez & Snedecker, Special Women: The Role of the Professional Labor Assistant
imkin, The Birth Partner: Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman through Childbirth

At Least ONE of the following:

Harper, Gentle Birth Choices
Korte & Scaer, A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, 3rd edition
Peterson, An Easier Childbirth: A Mother's Guide for Birthing Normally

webmanager: Teresa Howard , UNC BirthPartners Program
hosted by: Nursing Informatics, UNC Hospitals
Last Updated: 21-Nov-2005