Online or in-person doula training: which is right for you?

There is something lovely about setting aside time to learn about work you feel drawn to, whether that means arriving in a room with a small group of future doulas or settling down at home with a notebook and your first online lesson. You begin to give some attention to an idea that may have been sitting quietly in the back of your mind for years.

Choosing how to study is part of making room for that idea in your life. You might welcome four days away from your usual routine, with time to practise together and let conversations develop. You might prefer to learn at home, taking a subject at a time and returning to it when you have had space to think.

I teach both ways at BirthBliss and value what each makes possible. I have seen how a conversation around the table can help something fall into place and how having time between online lessons can lead to thoughtful questions and a deeper understanding. As you consider the two courses, it helps to think about how you enjoy learning and what you can comfortably make room for at the moment.

What do the two courses have in common?

Our online doula course and in-person doula course follow the same core BirthBliss curriculum. Both explore birth and postnatal support, communication, infant feeding, supporting families through loss, professional boundaries and the practicalities of beginning your doula business.

Throughout the training, we also spend time considering what it means to support another person. That includes recognising your own beliefs and experiences, listening with an open mind and understanding how to be helpful while respecting a family’s choices. These are things you will continue to reflect on throughout your work as a doula.

Both courses are accredited by FEDANT and lead to the same Diploma in Birth and Postnatal Doula Support, once you have completed the course requirements and reflective work. Whichever way you train, you become part of the BirthBliss community and receive six months of free membership of The Doula Directory when you graduate.

You can then begin working with families when you feel ready and explore the optional BirthBliss Certification Programme as you develop your experience.

What is it like to train in person?

The course takes place over four consecutive days, from Monday to Thursday, with no more than eight participants. A small group gives us time to get to know one another and allows everyone space to contribute, ask questions and practise the skills we are exploring.

Much of the learning happens through our conversations. Someone might ask a question that helps another person make sense of something they have been wondering about, or share an experience that opens up a discussion none of us had anticipated. There is time to practise massage, movement and positions for labour together, with opportunities to ask questions as you go.

I have always valued this part of teaching. People arrive with different backgrounds and experiences and gradually become more comfortable sharing their thoughts. There is often laughter and sometimes emotion, particularly when a subject touches on something personal. You choose what you feel comfortable sharing and there is room to listen as well as speak.

For some people, setting aside four days makes it easier to give the learning their attention. Being away from their usual routines allows them to become absorbed in the course and spend time with others who share their interest in doula work. The relationships formed during those days can also become a valued source of friendship and support afterwards.

The in-person course costs £848 and includes access to the online course, so you can revisit subjects once you are home. You can find upcoming dates and venues here.

What is it like to train online?

The online course allows you to work through the learning in your own time, without needing to arrange travel, accommodation or several days away from home. There are eight modules and 149 lessons, which you can complete at a pace that fits your life.

You might study regularly in the evenings or set aside a few hours at the weekend.

Some people have a period when they can give the course plenty of attention and finish within a few weeks. Others take several months, allowing the learning to sit alongside work, children and everything else that needs their care. There is no deadline and you have lifetime access to the material.

That space between lessons can be helpful. You may find yourself thinking about something while going about your day, noticing a response in yourself or returning to a subject with a question you did not have the first time. Reflection is an important part of doula training and online learning gives you the freedom to spend longer with the subjects that need it.

Practical support is explored through video demonstrations and guided exercises, including massage, movement, positions for labour and early feeding support. You can pause a demonstration, practise and watch it again as often as you need.

You can also join our live Doula Days on Zoom before you have finished the course. These give us time to talk through questions, explore the work together and hear from other students. You are part of the BirthBliss community from the beginning, with opportunities to connect as your learning develops.

The online course costs £648, payable in full or through six monthly payments of £108, with no additional charge for paying in instalments.

How do you decide which course would suit you?

It can help to think about occasions when you have enjoyed learning something new. Perhaps talking a subject through helps you understand it, or you appreciate being able to ask a question as soon as it occurs to you. You might prefer time to read, watch and reflect before joining a discussion. Many of us enjoy a mixture of these things and find that our preferences change depending on what else is happening in our lives.

Your practical circumstances deserve equal consideration. Attending a course involves the fee and any arrangements you need to make around work, travel or childcare.

Studying online may make training more manageable financially and give you greater flexibility, although you will still need to find some time and attention for the learning.

If you begin online and later decide you would like to attend in person, you can upgrade by paying the difference between the course fees. You retain your online access, so you can continue using the material before and after we meet.

You can also compare both courses here if it would help to see the details together.

Can online learning prepare you for doula work?

I understand why people ask this. Doula work involves being with people, often at times when they feel vulnerable, and it is reasonable to wonder how studying at home can help you prepare.

During the online course, you explore how to listen, communicate, offer practical support and recognise the boundaries of your role. You consider situations you might encounter and reflect on how your own experiences could influence your response. The demonstrations, exercises and live discussions give you different ways to engage with that learning.

Attending in person gives you the experience of practising and discussing these things with a small group in the room. Online learning gives you more control over the pace and the opportunity to revisit the teaching whenever you need. Each offers something valuable.

Your understanding will continue to develop when you begin supporting families. A conversation may stay with you or an experience may raise questions you had never thought to ask during training. Having somewhere to bring those questions is part of continuing to care for yourself and your work, which is why the BirthBliss community and opportunities for further learning remain available after your course.

If you would like to talk it through

You are welcome to join a free taster session, where you can meet me, ask questions and get a feel for how I teach. Sometimes a conversation helps you work out what you need from a course and which approach feels manageable.

If you are still exploring the possibility of becoming a doula, my guide to becoming a doula in the UK and article on how long doula training takes may help. If you feel ready to choose, you can explore the online course or look at our next course dates and consider how you would like to begin.