Hello Colleagues (or future colleagues!)

Professional Courses

Whether you want to become a postpartum doula, add education in lactation or in teaching new parent classes, or want more confidence in working with multiples or preemies, there is a course for you to enrich or expand your professional role.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Start with a foundational training, which is 18-24 hours long. We offer it over 2 days in person or online via Zoom over 3 days.

    Becoming a doula takes a few steps:

    1. Take a training

    2. Complete a reading list

    3. Apply for certification & become certified

    The training will begin the process, and you will follow up with CAPPA to complete your certification.

  • There are no official prerequisites, however there is a Pre-Training Assignment that we ask students to fill out before they attend a workshop. 

    We might require you gather some materials in advance, however the training is open to anyone. This is a lay profession that doesn't require extensive training in other arenas, but is greatly benefited from caregiving experience such as parenting & nannying, or any other healing modalities.

    Getting certified is a longer process however, and the workshop is only 1 step into that process. There will be plenty to do to get certified after the training.

  • Doula work is my life and passion. I have been a postpartum doula for over 24 years, 15 of which have been full time, while supporting my family of 4. I live and breathe postpartum doula work, having served well over 3000 families, and I still love it!

    I teach scenario based trainings where you get to collaborate and practice through the examples we have experienced from real life families we have served in Portland, OR and Vacouver, WA. Real families (although protected for confidentiality) give us the best opportunity to learn skills that you will use and apply in your work. The activities we use are right out of what I see parents needing every week.

    I am also a fun instructor! I don’t like boring education, and I need to have fun as an educator, so I keep things moving! Students say I am responsive to questions, they love my passion and are inspired to get out into their communities. They often say they learned more than they expected, and love the collaborative learning environment.

postpartum doula holding newborn infant during postpartum doula training in Portland Oregon

CAPPA Postpartum Doula Training

Love babies and new parents? If you want to become a professional that serves families after baby comes, this is the training for you. Get started with in-home care nurturing new parents and infants to a harmonious postpartum. This training is an 18-24 hour course taught over 2-3 days in person or virtually via Zoom. $600-$650

Upcoming Training Dates

Oct 3-5, Live virtual | 8:30-4pm PST

  • Cost: $650

  • Early bird $600 (if registered 30 days before training)
    Fee includes training manual, all materials, and ONE YEAR of CAPPA membership

  • Certification is an additional cost.

  • Topics covered in this course include:

    • The Role & Scope of the Professional Postpartum Doula

    • Hormone Changes in Early Postpartum

    • Breastfeeding, Bottlefeeding, and Pumping Support

    • Modern Newborn Care

    • Safe Sleep Support

    • Family Adjustment, including Partners and Grandparents

    • Doula Business Development

  • If you want to find out more about the CAPPA Postpartum Doula certification process, please see the Postpartum Doula section on the CAPPA website for information on certification, membership, and all the benefits!

    You will be looking for CAPPA Academy–this is the certification program for doula and educator trainings.

    CAPPA is the largest childbirth organization in the world, and hosts a low cost conference every year to keep the members updated and relevant. They also have the best customer experience we've ever seen in the birth world, and support their members to their own personal success. We are proud to represent this organization and offer our workshop as the first step.

postpartum doula holding twins in working with multiples course in Portland Oregon

Working with Multiples

This is an advanced training that builds on your postpartum doula or newborn care specialist training. It is a 1 day 8 hour course (or 2 half days to accommodate the overnight workers) that provides a certificate to show new clients your dedication to ongoing education. Premature babies and hands-on tandem skills are covered extensively, including babywearing and feeding positioning. $225-$275

  • Virtual training November 30, 9-6 MST

    $225 virtual

    This will be the LAST live virtual course. We are working on a recorded class that will be available after we record this live one, and it will be self-paced.

    • Postpartum emotions and hormones

    • Special considerations for premature babies

    • How to support a twin mother nutritionally

    • Swaddling options for twins/preemies 

    • Challenging scenarios for experienced doulas

    • The prenatal interview

    • Welcoming the family home

    • Planning to feed 2 or more

    • Setup & equipment

    • Scheduling and routines

    • Tandem baby wearing safety

new parent educator discussing infant care practices with new mom in Vancouver Washington

CAPPA New Parent Educator

Looking to teach classes, either in a group or private format? This workshop can help you build your class, customize the knowledge and skills you bring to parents, and monetize it to serve your community. This is a 2-3 day in person or virtual training via Zoom. If babies are your thing, and inspiring parents to work as a team is your goal, you will love this training that will help you equip others with your special baby whispering skills. $625-$725

More Information

  • Nov 2-3, 2024 Live Virtual 9am-6pm EST

    January 10-12, 2024 Live Virtual (3 days) 8:30-4 pm PST

    Virtual options: $625 (30 days before training), $675 after deadline

    IN PERSON options available to book (usually 8:30-6:30, weekends are best)

    IN PERSON Cost: $675 (30 days before training) $725 after deadline

  • Because there is more to Prenatal Education than childbirth! New Parent Educators can be found helping educate new families in a variety of different settings. Many work at hospitals teaching Baby Care classes, some work in community clinics that support new parents, and others work within care provider offices or in private settings. Several are teaching exclusively online as entrepreneurs. They all share the common goal of assisting and equipping families to make educated decisions about their babies.

    If you are looking to add New Parent education to your childbirth or breastfeeding classes--and want a certification that illustrates your commitment to non-judgmental, evidence-based education--the New Parent Educator program is for you. 

    This course brings many different baby and parent professionals together, and creates the most dynamic and fun training as you practice teaching, learn new approaches for student engagement, and challenge yourself to write the beginnings of a curriculum for your own classes.

    • The Newborn – Characteristics, Procedures, Feeding, and Care

    • Parental Relationships After Baby

    • Evidence Based Practices

    • Teaching to Adult Learners

    • Curriculum Development

    • Soothing the Newborn

    • SUIDS/SIDS and Safe Sleep

    • Postpartum Expectations for the birthing person

    • Postpartum Expectations for the Partner/Non-Birth Parent

    • Preparing the Home and Family

    • Specialty Class Ideas

    • Practical application of Scope of Practice, Ethics, and Integrity

    • Business development, marketing, and networking

    • CAPPA certification and policies

lactation educator supporting new mom while breastfeeding in Portland Oregon home

Lactation Updates for Doulas & NCS

As postpartum professionals we deal with breastfeeding & pumping families every day. Lactation is one area we always need updating to gain knowledge that will help our clients. In this 6 hour workshop, we will use a scenario based learning approach to review hands-on skills like hand expression, engorgement relief, clogged duct treatment, reverse pressure softening, the new recommendations on flange guidelines and inflammatory mastitis, plus bottle & breast transitions that stay inside the scope of a postpartum doula. Taught by an IBCLC that is also a postpartum doula, we offer this lactation update to review difficult conversations about issues like tongue and lip tie, D/MER, colostrum harvesting, and other topics doulas often encounter. Designed for professionals who want to provide up to date information while supporting the feeding plans from IBCLC’s. CEU’s available. $250-$295

More Information

    • Dec 14th 9 am to 3 pm MST (live virtual)

    • Jan 18th 9 am to 3 pm PST (live virtual)

    • $250 virtual, $295 in person

    • Certificate of Attendance provided

    • 6 Nursing CEU’s available for $25

    • D/MER

    • Hand expression

    • New protocols on inflammatory mastitis

    • Engorgement relief

    • Clogged duct treatment

    • Reverse pressure softening

    • New recommendations on flange guidelines

    • Bottle & breast transitions

    • Oral restrictions & bodywork

    • Colostrum harvesting

    • Practice stations so you can hone your skills

newborn sleeping silently in postpartum mom's arms

Working with Preemies

Tiny babies require special skills! If you are intimidated by working with babies before their due date, have no fear. Doulas, NCS, and nannies often find they are working with teeny tinies coming home at 34-38 weeks, and even some before 34 weeks. These babies are a different breed, often come with heightened parental anxieties, and can be tricky to feed and monitor. Show your clients you are ready and confident to help them in their earlier than planned days. Virtual, self-paced. $67 (You can watch this on a quiet overnight shift.)