ONLINE
Birth & Postnatal
Doula Course
BIRTH AND POSTNATAL DOULA TRAINING YOU CAN COMPLETE FROM HOME.
Learn at your own pace with the same core BirthBliss curriculum as our in person training, with the flexibility to fit your learning around work, family and everyday life.
Complete the course and reflective work to receive the BirthBliss Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support.
£648 IN FULL | OR 6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF £108
There is no additional charge for paying in instalments.
I want BirthBliss training to be priced fairly while giving as many women as possible the opportunity to train as a doula. This is why I offer a six month payment plan at no additional cost.
Still researching your options?
Read our Complete Guide to Becoming a Doula in the UK for a clear explanation of training, qualifications, certification, costs and starting your doula business.
What are the best online doula courses available in the UK?
There are several online doula training courses available in the UK and the best one for you will depend on how you want to learn and the kind of support you are looking for.
When comparing online doula courses, look at who teaches the course and their experience, what the curriculum covers, whether the training is independently accredited or recognised and what qualification you receive when you complete it.
It is also worth looking beyond the course itself. Find out whether you will have access to your trainer, opportunities for live learning and connection with other doulas and support once you begin working with families.
The BirthBliss self paced online doula course covers both birth and postnatal doula support and leads to the BirthBliss Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support. The course is independently accredited by FEDANT and students have opportunities to join live online sessions alongside their self paced learning.
There is no single online doula course that will be right for everyone. Compare the curriculum, trainer experience, accreditation, learning format and ongoing support before deciding which course feels right for you.
Learn in a way that fits
around your life
Online learning gives you the space to study when and where it suits you. You can pause, reflect and return to the material as your understanding grows, rather than having to take everything in over four consecutive days.
You are not learning alone either. Alongside the self paced course, there are opportunities to join live BirthBliss sessions on Zoom, ask questions and connect with other students and doulas within the BirthBliss community.
Work, family or caring commitments
Fit your training around your life rather than having to set aside four consecutive days.
Learn at your own pace
Take time to stop, think, make notes and revisit subjects before moving on.
Cannot easily travel
Complete your BirthBliss training wherever you live, in the UK or overseas.
Same core curriculum, greater flexibility
The online and in person courses follow the same core BirthBliss curriculum and lead to the same Diploma. What changes is how you choose to learn.
Can online doula training really prepare me?
You may be wondering whether an online course can give you the knowledge, practical understanding and confidence you need to begin working as a doula.
The self-paced course follows the same core BirthBliss curriculum as our in person training and leads to the same Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support. You will learn about birth and postnatal support, communication, professional boundaries, infant feeding, trauma awareness, loss, reflective practice and the practical side of beginning your work as a doula.
With the online course, you have more time to work through each subject at your own pace. You can pause when you want to think about something in more detail, return to earlier lessons and revisit the course as your knowledge and experience grow.
You will also have opportunities to join live BirthBliss sessions on Zoom, ask questions and meet other students and doulas within the BirthBliss community, so your training is not limited to working through the course on your own.
What you will learn
Doula training is about much more than learning what happens during labour.
You are learning how to be alongside another person during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period without taking over their experience or making decisions for them.
Throughout the course, you will explore practical doula support alongside communication, listening, boundaries, reflection and the relationships that sit at the heart of this work.
The course covers both birth and postnatal doula support, giving you a broad foundation from which to begin working with families.
01
Understanding Doula Support
Explore the role of the doula, professional boundaries and the principles of emotional, practical and informational support.
02
The Birth Journey
Develop your understanding of labour and birth, the physiology of birth and the doula's role throughout the birth journey.
03
Comfort, Pain and Birth Challenges
Explore practical comfort measures, movement and positioning alongside ways of remaining supportive when birth takes an unexpected direction.
04
Postnatal Support
Learn about recovery after birth, emotional wellbeing, practical support and the transition into parenthood.
05
Infant Feeding
Develop a sound foundation in infant feeding, early feeding support and understanding when additional or specialist support may be needed.
06
Communication
Explore listening, language, difficult conversations, working with partners and professionals and communicating in ways that respect another person's choices.
07
Supporting Families Through Loss
Approach pregnancy loss, stillbirth and the death of a baby with sensitivity while understanding the doula's role, appropriate boundaries and the importance of specialist support.
08
Starting Your Doula Business
Explore consultations, finding clients, agreements, fees, boundaries and the practical foundations of beginning your work as a doula.
What is included
8 learning
modules
A comprehensive programme covering birth, postnatal support, communication, infant feeding, loss, professional practice and starting your doula business.
145+
lessons
A mixture of teaching, video, reading, practical learning and opportunities for reflection.
Lifetime access
Your learning does not disappear when you finish. Return to the course material whenever you want to revisit a subject or refresh your knowledge.
Live Zoom Doula Days
Join live sessions where you can ask questions, explore aspects of doula work and learn alongside other BirthBliss students.
BirthBliss community
Online training does not mean learning on your own. You become part of the wider BirthBliss community, with opportunities for connection, continued learning and support.
The Doula Directory
All BirthBliss graduates receive six months free membership of The Doula Directory, giving you somewhere to begin building your professional presence and helping families find you.
The option to upgrade
If you begin online and later decide you would like to attend the in person course, you can upgrade by paying the difference in course fees.
What happens after the course?
Completing your course is the beginning of your doula work rather than the end of your learning.
Receive your Diploma
Once you have completed the course requirements and reflective work, you will receive the BirthBliss Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support.
Begin working as a doula
Your Diploma allows you to begin putting your learning into practice, finding clients and building experience with families.
Six months on The Doula Directory
All BirthBliss graduates receive six months free membership of The Doula Directory, helping you begin creating a professional presence and making it easier for families to find you.
Choose Certification if you want it
If you would like structured support as you begin working with families, you can continue through the optional BirthBliss Certification Programme.
Certification involves practical experience with real clients alongside further reflection and professional support.
Your Diploma and Certification are not the same thing.
The Diploma is awarded when you successfully complete your BirthBliss doula training. Certification is an optional next stage for those who want to continue developing their practice with additional guidance as they gain experience.
Learn with Kicki Hansard
Kicki Hansard has been a doula since 2002 and has been teaching doulas since 2005. She founded The BirthBliss Doula Academy in 2012 and has personally trained more than 1,500 doulas.
She is the author of two books on birth and postnatal support and was named Doula of the Year in 2009.
Her teaching has developed through more than two decades of supporting families, educating doulas and continuing to learn from birth workers, researchers and educators in the UK and internationally.
BirthBliss was created to offer a high standard of doula education while protecting something that can easily become lost when we concentrate only on knowledge and techniques, the quality of the relationship between a doula and the person they are supporting.
The online course makes that training available to people who cannot attend an in person course or who learn better when they have more time to absorb, revisit and reflect on what they are learning.
What our online students say
Maryam Ghauri
Thank you Kicki and BirthBliss! The online course was so full of valuable information and I keep going back to the Modules for reference. I especially appreciate the constant reminders from Kicki that I am already capable and knowledgeable, and should focus on being myself and staying genuine! I am very much enjoying every step of setting up my business and know that I will have all the support and guidance I need from Kicki and BirthBliss! Thank you!
Rowan Stead
The Online training course is a brilliant foundation for doula students. I found the content very informative and in-depth. The course itself was very well designed and allowed me to digest the information in my own time. I love that I am able to revisit the course content to refresh myself. The course gave me lots of inspiration for further learning and fuelled my passion to help families.
Kelly Woolhouse
I can’t recommend this online course highly enough! After spending a long time researching different training providers, I chose BirthBliss because their ethos and values seemed a perfect fit for me and it turned out to be the best decision. The course offers an incredible depth of content, all delivered in a clear, accessible way. Now that I’ve completed the training, I feel confident and well equipped to build my doula business. The ongoing support from Kicki and the wider BirthBliss doula community is amazing, it’s so reassuring to know I’m part of such a supportive network.
Questions you may have
How it works after you enrol
Enrol → work through the modules at your pace → join Doula Days → complete reflective work → receive the Diploma → optional Certification Programme if you want coaching as you gain practical experience.
Course fee:
£648 Pay in full when you enrol | Or 6 monthly payments of £108
(Course fees will increase in 2027)
Your course fee includes the complete online BirthBliss training programme, lifetime access to your course material, live learning opportunities, access to the BirthBliss community and your Birth and Postnatal Doula Diploma when you successfully complete the course requirements.
You will also receive six months free membership of The Doula Directory after graduation. If you would like to experience BirthBliss before deciding, you are welcome to come along to a free taster session first.
Is This Course Right for You?
This online course is best completed on a computer or laptop, rather than a phone or tablet. You’ll need to be comfortable using basic computer functions, like logging in, navigating websites, playing videos, downloading PDFs and typing up your reflections.
The course is delivered in English, both written and spoken, so you’ll need to be able to read and understand English to fully take part.
You’ll also need:
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A stable internet connection
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The ability to manage your own time and learning at your own pace
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A quiet space where you can focus, especially during the more reflective or emotional topics
If you’re unsure whether this course is right for you, feel free to get in touch. We’re happy to help.
Online Learning | Same BirthBliss Standards
Studying online does not mean studying alone. Our self-paced doula course is built on the same curriculum and values as our in-person training, empathy, practical skills and honest preparation for working with families.
To see exactly what is covered, read the full course curriculum. When you finish, you receive the same Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support as in-person students who complete the reflective modules.
Some doulas prefer face-to-face learning. If that is you, browse in-person dates and venues across the UK.
Not sure which format fits? Book a free taster session, it is a gentle way to explore whether BirthBliss feels right for you.
After your course, you may wish to continue with our Certification Programme. Common questions about certification