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TRAININGS & CLASSES

Certification Trainings

Global Birth Community offers trainings to become a certified Birth Doula and a certified Postpartum Doula & Newborn Specialist. What is unique about our trainings is that we boldly stand on the foundation of Christ, seeing birthwork as a field of ministry. So, inside our trainings, you will not only find practical, proven techniques of how to help women during labor or during the tender weeks of their postpartum period, but also ways to support new moms and their families spiritually during this vulnerable time. 

Both of our online trainings are offered several times throughout the year and can be booked online. They are each four weeks long and include both weekly live Zoom meetings as well as take-home work and assignments. Check out this year's training schedule below.

Trainings List

Cross-Certification

We have a heart for ministry and missions which can present birthwork differently than you may have been previously trained. We welcome you to explore with us how birthwork is ministry as a cross-certification option for your current doula practice. We have live classes and an online portal for all the course materials and homework that you will have access to. In addition to the sections of our class on business and ministry as a doula, we also have all of our students take a short birth-related bloodborne pathogen training to keep you healthy and safe while you serve others. You have access to the whole program but are only required to complete those three sections (business, ministry, and BBP) for cross-certification. 

To complete your cross-certification with us, you will need to:

  • Provide proof of past training or certification within the last 5 years

  • Provide proof of attending 3 births in the last 24 months (parent or staff signature)

  • Complete ONLY the required online course materials for cross-certification, including

    • Ministry as a doula

    • Business as a doula

    • Birth bloodborne pathogen training

  • Write a 3-page paper about either your

    • Past doula experience and why you became a doula, or

    • Your favorite birth topic​

Our cross-certification fee is $299.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a Christian doula training? Is the training pro-life?

Yes, we believe that God is the creator of all life starting from conception. We believe that God created men and women. Women were created uniquely to be able to give birth. We are a pro-life training!

What is the difference between a birth doula and a postpartum doula?

A birth (labor) doula comes alongside the mom during pregnancy, birth, and early postpartum. They help to prepare the mom for the birth and can help with the immediate after. These doulas usually work with a client from any time in the birth to the first 2-6 weeks postpartum. Postpartum doulas come alongside the mom and family after the birth. A postpartum doula helps the family thrive into the new season of motherhood. They can help with caring for the mom, the newborn, the house, or any combination of those. Each client wants support with different things, so it does vary.

What makes this training different?

Our trainings view birthwork as ministry. We know that the season surrounding new life is an important time in a person's life as they seek spiritual things. We use traditional language such as “man and woman,” “women give birth,” etc. Also, a percentage of the profits of the Global Birth Community go to train up believers in other countries to become doulas, so that they can come alongside growing families as the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.

How often do you offer the trainings?

We offer our birth doula training every few months, and we follow that up with our postpartum doula training. A lot of our students take advantage of the “Bundle Deal” and take both classes back-to-back.

We also like to offer at least one in-person training per year. This is usually in Indiana during the summer. We also have 1-2 international trips where we offer training in other countries.

If I do the “Bundle Deal” can I take the courses in any order?

Yes, we offer birth and then postpartum just because it’s a natural transition. You can most definitely start with the postpartum course and then take the birth course.

Do you offer refunds?

If you will be unable to complete the training due to time/circumstances, or, you find the the training is simply not what you were looking for you, you may request a credit toward a future training date or a full refund (minus the non-refundable deposit for payment plans) within the first week after the first scheduled live training call.

For example, if your class's first live training call is scheduled on Monday, October 1st, you may request a credit toward a future training or full refund up until 11:59pm on Sunday, October 7th.

After that, no refunds will be available.

Do you offer scholarships?

We want to make our doula training as accessible as possible. We offer a discount to anyone who is a full-time missionary. We also offer other discounts based on a case-to-case basses for those in full time ministry or those who work with nonprofits. You are always free to reach out on our Contact page and let us know your situation.

How do the live classes work? What does a "flip classroom approach" mean?

We have a hybrid approach which we think is the best of both worlds. We have scheduled live classes that are 2 hours each. You then have about 1.5-2 hours of homework that you need to complete each week between live classes. Most of the homework includes prerecorded videos that you watch through our online classroom portal.

The flip classroom means that you do the homework prior to the live class. This way the live classes go over the materials that you just covered ahead of time.

How often do I have to re-certify, and what is the cost?

Once you become certified, you are certified for life. This work is different with each family you serve. This is a job that you are always going to be learning and growing. We believe that you will be empowered in the training and in your work and will not need us to make you grow in your skills and knowledge. We trust that you will continue to grow if you are passionate about this work.

Can I become a Doula Trainer?

Yes, we would love to chat if you are interested! We are working on rolling out a trainer program in the near future!

What if I want to cross-certify? What if I never certified with my training organization?

We offer a special deal to those wanting to cross-train or certify with us who have previous training and experience. We have a short list of what you need to submit as proof. We know that sometimes needs and desires change and sometimes that means changing the training organization one associates with.

Educational Courses

(coming soon!)

Several times per year, Global Birth Community offers a variety of educational classes designed to prepare families, new mothers, and teens for the journey of motherhood and parenting. In the past, Shanna has offered classes like Evidence Based Birth and Childbirth Education classes for her certified doulas and their clients, as well as a class for young women to learn about fertility. All the classes that are offered are founded on the Biblical truths of the Christian faith and honor birth and parenthood as God designed it to be. 

We are still building out the 2024 class schedule, so please subscribe to our email list to get updates about this year's educational classes.

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