Doula Course
Frequently Asked Questions
Ah, you're curious about our BirthBliss Doula Academy Doula Course, aren't you? Brilliant!
We've gathered some of the most commonly asked questions to give you a quick lowdown. But hey, if you've got a query that's not covered here, don't hesitate to drop us an email. We're all ears!
Frequently Asked Questions
When you train with The BirthBliss Doula Academy, you receive ongoing support throughout your doula training and beyond.
During your course, you are supported by experienced BirthBliss facilitators who are available to answer questions, clarify coursework, and support your learning as you move through the programme. We understand that everyone’s journey into doula work is different, and support is tailored to help you progress with confidence.
As a student, you also become part of the wider BirthBliss doula community. This offers opportunities to connect with other doulas, share experiences, and learn from one another in a supportive and respectful environment.
After completing your training, continued support remains available. BirthBliss graduates have access to ongoing CPD sessions, community connection opportunities, and optional mentoring and coaching. Many doulas value this continuity of support as they begin working with clients and developing their doula business.
At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, we believe that learning to support others works best when you feel supported yourself. Our approach reflects the same care, presence, and respect that doulas bring to the families they support.
At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, we believe doula training is about more than learning information. It is about bringing out the qualities that are already within you.
Many people are drawn to doula work because they naturally carry empathy, compassion, and a deep care for others. These qualities cannot be taught from a textbook, but they can be recognised, nurtured, and strengthened. We believe that great doulas are often born with these instincts, and our role is to help you trust them.
Our doula course is designed to support you in developing these natural strengths while building a strong, evidence-based understanding of pregnancy, birth, and postnatal support. You will gain practical knowledge, confidence, and clear tools to support women and families, as well as guidance on how to create a sustainable and fulfilling doula business.
Throughout your training, you will be encouraged, supported, and challenged in thoughtful ways.
Our aim is to help you step into doula work feeling grounded, capable, and clear about the kind of doula you want to be.
You do not need formal qualifications to work as a doula in the UK. Doula work is not a regulated profession, and there is no legal requirement to hold specific qualifications or have a healthcare background.
That said, training matters.
While anyone can call themselves a doula, completing a recognised doula training course gives you the knowledge, confidence, and understanding needed to support women and families safely, ethically, and respectfully.
At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, our doula training is designed to support you in learning about birth and postnatal care, boundaries, communication, emotional support, and working alongside maternity professionals. You will also explore what it means to offer non-judgemental, woman-centred support and how to build confidence in your role.
Many families actively look for doulas who have completed professional training, and many doulas value the structure, support, and community that training provides as they step into this work.
Being a doula is about who you are as much as what you learn. Training helps you bring those qualities into practice with clarity, care, and responsibility.
There are currently no statutory regulations for working as a doula in the UK.
After completing your doula training with The BirthBliss Doula Academy, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. This certificate recognises that you have completed a comprehensive, in-depth doula course covering birth and postnatal support, boundaries, communication, physiology, emotional care, and ethical practice.
Once you have received your Certificate of Completion, you can join The Doula Directory. This allows families to find trained doulas who have completed doula training and who align with the BirthBliss philosophy of personal choice, thoughtful support, and professionalism.
Some doulas also choose to join Doula UK. To do so, Doula UK requires doulas to complete a recognised mentoring programme. We offer our own pathway for this through the BirthBliss Doula Academy Certification Programme.
The Certification Programme is designed to support doulas as they consolidate their learning, gain confidence through supported experience, and deepen their understanding of the role. It includes structured guidance, reflection, connection, and ongoing learning, supporting doulas to grow steadily and responsibly in their work.
Both birth doulas and postnatal doulas offer non-medical support, but their roles focus on different stages of the journey into parenthood.
A birth doula supports women and their partners during pregnancy, labour, and birth. This support often includes emotional reassurance, practical comfort measures, and helping parents feel informed and confident as they prepare for birth. During labour, a birth doula offers continuous presence, calm support, and practical help, while working alongside midwives and other maternity professionals.
A postnatal doula supports families after the baby is born. This support focuses on the early weeks and months at home and may include emotional support, newborn care guidance, infant feeding support, light practical help, and creating space for rest and recovery. Postnatal doulas support the whole family as they adjust to life with a new baby.
Some doulas choose to specialise in one area, while others offer both birth and postnatal support. At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, our training covers both birth and postnatal care, allowing you to explore each role and decide how you would like to work.
Both roles are centred on listening, presence, and respect for personal choice. The difference lies in when the support is offered and what families need most at that time.
The time it takes to become a doula depends on the training format you choose and the pace that suits your life.
Our in-person doula courses are delivered as four days of intensive, immersive training, giving you a strong foundation in birth and postnatal support in a short, focused period of time.
Our self-paced online doula course offers more flexibility. Some students complete it in 2 to 4 weeks, while others spread their learning over several months to fit around work, family, or other commitments.
After completing your training, many doulas continue their learning through mentoring or a structured Certification Programme, supporting them to build confidence and gain real-life experience.
In many ways, becoming a doula does not have a clear end point. It is a role where learning continues through every conversation, every family, and every experience. Ongoing learning, reflection, and curiosity are part of what keep doula work thoughtful, responsive, and meaningful over time.
Doula training in the UK typically costs between £500 and £2,000, depending on the course provider, format, and level of support offered.
At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, we offer two flexible doula training options to suit different learning styles and budgets:
Self-paced online doula course £648, or six monthly payments of £108
In-person doula training £848, with the option to spread payments over three or six months
Both options include lifetime access to course materials, access to our private BirthBliss community, and a six-month free listing in The Doula Directory, helping families find trained doulas once you complete your course.
Research consistently shows that what makes the biggest difference is having doula support, not how long or expensive the training is. Even shorter, well-designed courses prepare doulas to offer the emotional and practical support that is proven to improve outcomes. Studies show that women supported by a doula are more likely to report positive birth experiences, experience fewer interventions, and have improved breastfeeding outcomes.
It is also important to understand that doula support is not clinical. Evidence shows that having a medically trained doula does not improve outcomes because the benefits of doula care come from continuous presence, emotional reassurance, practical comfort, and advocacy. Doula work is about relationship and support, rather than medical expertise.
At BirthBliss, our focus is on offering accessible, high-quality training that prepares doulas to support women and families with care, confidence, and respect.
Yes. Training to be a doula online is one of the most flexible options available.
Our self-paced online doula training course allows you to learn at your own pace, from anywhere in the world. You can fit your studies around work, family life, and other commitments, without needing to travel or take time away from home.
Online students are still very much part of the BirthBliss community. You will be invited to live Zoom sessions, have access to our private Facebook group, and be able to take part in additional events and learning opportunities that support connection, discussion, and deeper understanding.
Online doula training with BirthBliss combines flexibility with thoughtful support, allowing you to learn in a way that feels steady, connected, and well supported.
Doula work can be a deeply meaningful and rewarding career for the right person, but it is not a one-size-fits-all role.
Many people are drawn to doula work because it centres on human connection, listening, and supporting women and families at important moments in their lives. Doulas often describe their work as purposeful and fulfilling, particularly when they value flexibility, independence, and relationship-based care.
At the same time, doula work requires emotional awareness, good boundaries, and a willingness to keep learning. It is usually self-employed work, which means managing your own time, income, and availability. Some doulas work full-time, while many combine doula work with other roles or responsibilities.
With thoughtful training, realistic expectations, and ongoing support, doula work can develop into a sustainable and satisfying career. At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, we focus on helping people understand not only what doula work involves, but also whether it fits their life, values, and long-term goals.
A good doula career is built steadily, with care for both the families you support and yourself.
Choosing the right doula training course is less about finding the longest or most expensive option and more about finding a course that aligns with your values, learning style, and goals.
When comparing doula training courses in the UK, it can help to consider:
Philosophy and values Look at how the course talks about women, birth, and personal choice. A good doula course should emphasise listening, non-judgemental support, and working alongside maternity professionals rather than positioning doulas as experts or decision-makers.
Depth, not overload Doula work is not clinical. A strong course focuses on emotional support, communication, boundaries, birth physiology, and postnatal care, without overwhelming you with medical detail.
Support during and after training Ask what support is available while you are learning and once the course ends. Ongoing community, mentoring, or further learning opportunities can make a big difference as you grow into the role.
Flexibility and accessibility Consider whether in-person or online training suits your life. The best course is one you can realistically complete without stress or pressure.
Transparency A good course should be clear about what it offers, what it does not offer, and what comes next after training.
At The BirthBliss Doula Academy, we encourage people to choose training that feels grounded, respectful, and sustainable.
The right course is one that supports you to become the kind of doula you want to be, while giving you the confidence and clarity to support women and families well.
It can seem logical to want to shadow an experienced doula when you are starting out. In practice, this is rarely how doula work happens.
Doulas are self-employed professionals, which means there is no formal structure or obligation for one doula to invite another to observe their work. Families also choose a doula based on trust and relationship, and that relationship is confidential.
There are important boundaries to consider. Birth and postnatal support involve highly personal moments, and confidentiality is central to ethical doula work. In birth settings, the number of people present is often limited, and even in home births, additional observers can affect how safe and relaxed a woman feels. Birth physiology shows that feeling watched or observed can interfere with the hormones that support labour and may influence how birth unfolds.
Doula work is also deeply personal. Each doula brings their own presence, communication style, and way of supporting families. Shadowing another doula can sometimes lead to comparison or self-doubt, rather than helping you grow into your own way of working.
For these reasons, The BirthBliss Doula Academy does not encourage shadowing as part of becoming a doula. Instead, we focus on helping you build confidence, clarity, and trust in your own voice. Through training, mentoring, and community support, you are supported to establish your business and support families in a way that feels authentic, ethical, and sustainable.