If you are based in or around London and you have been thinking about becoming a doula,
you are in the right place.
The BirthBliss Doula Academy has been running in-person courses across the UK since 2011. Our London courses run over four days and are led by me, Kicki Hansard, personally. You will leave with a solid grounding in birth and postnatal support, a Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support and a community of fellow doulas around you.
If getting away for four days is not possible right now, our self-paced online course covers exactly the same ground and is available to start at any time.
What the course covers
Over four days together we work through everything you need to support women and families well. That includes birth physiology, postnatal support, communication, boundaries, trauma-informed care and the practical side of building a doula practice.
You will also complete pre-course and post-course reflective work. This is not extra homework for the sake of it. It is where the learning settles and where you start to understand not just what to do, but who you are as a doula.
On completing the full course and module work, you receive a Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support.
In person or online?
IN-PERSON DOULA COURSE
In person in London | Four consecutive days
Small group | Intimate venue
I teach every session myself. There is something that happens when people learn together in a room that simply cannot be replicated any other way and that is why I still run these courses in person.
ONLINE DOULA COURSE
Self-paced | Same Content | Start Any Time
The same course content, delivered entirely online. You work through it at your own pace, with access to live Zoom sessions and ongoing community support throughout. There are no deadlines and no pressure.
Why train with BirthBliss?
1,500+ doulas trained
Kicki teaches every course
Training since 2005
Active doula community
I have been a doula since 2002 and have been training doulas since 2005. More than 1,500 people have now trained with BirthBliss and many of them are working as doulas across London and the rest of the UK right now.
I still teach every course myself. That matters to me. You are not handing your training over to someone else's curriculum or a facilitator I have hired. You are learning directly from someone who has been doing this work for over two decades and who will be in the room with you throughout.
After you train, you become part of the BirthBliss community. There is ongoing support, continuing development and a certification pathway when you are ready to keep growing.
What our students say
"YES to becoming a doula. I found the most phenomenal course. My teacher, Kicki Hansard, is sunshine bottled up in human and I adore her."
"Doing Kicki's course was probably the best money I have ever spent. I not only feel well prepared to start my path as a doula, but I feel uplifted as a mother and as a woman."
"Most definitely one of the most inspiring courses I have been on. Kicki has a vast wealth of knowledge and you come away feeling confident for the next step of your doula journey."
Not sure yet?
That is completely normal. Most people who come to BirthBliss have been sitting with this idea for a while before they take the next step.
If you want to get a feel for how I teach and what the course is actually like before you commit to anything, you are welcome to join a free taster session. It is a good way to find out whether this feels right for you, with no pressure either way.