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Step 1: Signing up

You have decided to take the next step in your doula journey by joining the BirthBliss Doula Certification Programme.

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You can choose:

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• Birth Doula Certification

• Postnatal Doula Certification

• Both pathways, if you support families during both birth and the postnatal period

 

Cost: £40

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This programme leads to certification as a BirthBliss Doula. It recognises that you have gained real-world experience, worked professionally with families, and taken time to learn, reflect, and grow into your role with support alongside you.

 

Step 2: Welcome and first contact

Within 7 to 10 days of signing up, you will receive a welcome email from Siobhan Smith, Head of Certification.

Siobhan will arrange a short, friendly call with you to talk through:

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• What the programme looks like in practice

• What support is available to you

• How working with a Doula Coach works

• Any questions or thoughts you may have at the start

 

This call is about making sure you feel clear, supported, and settled before you begin.

 

Step 3: Meeting your Doula Coach

After your welcome call, you will be matched with a Doula Coach who will support you throughout your early work with clients.

If there is a coach you would like to work with, you are welcome to let Siobhan know and she will do her best to accommodate this.

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Your Doula Coach is there to:

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• Talk things through with you after each job

• Help you make sense of your experiences

• Offer reassurance, perspective, and encouragement

• Support you as you grow in confidence and understanding

 

Payment: You pay your Doula Coach £60 per reflective session. Payment is made directly to your coach before each session takes place.

 

Step 4: Staying connected

Once you begin booking clients, it is important to keep your Doula Coach informed about each birth or postnatal job you take on. This allows your coach to support you from the beginning rather than only afterwards.

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Between jobs, you are encouraged to stay in touch with your coach. These conversations often become the most valuable part of the journey, helping you carry learning forward into your next experience rather than holding everything alone.

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Your coach is your steady point of contact for guidance, reassurance, and support throughout the programme.

 

Step 5: After each job

After completing a birth or postnatal job:

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1. Within two weeks, complete your Job Record Sheet and send it directly to your Doula Coach.

2. Invite your client to share feedback. You can do this in whatever way feels most natural to you, for example during a visit, by message, or by email. This also helps you practise gathering testimonials for your business.

3. Once feedback is received, share it with your Doula Coach.

4. Arrange your reflective conversation with your coach within two to four weeks and pay for the session before it takes place.

 

You manage all client feedback yourself. This keeps the process GDPR compliant and ensures that your Doula Coach does not contact your clients directly.

 

Step 6: Completing your required experience

To become a Certified BirthBliss Doula, you will complete the following supported experience.

 

Birth Doula Certification

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• Support four births

• One birth may be for a friend or family member

• Up to two births may be charity-supported

• Not all four births can be unpaid

 

Postnatal Doula Certification

• Support four postnatal clients

• Each client relationship must include a minimum of five visits

• A mix of daytime and nighttime work is ideal

• If you only offer nighttime or online support, you will receive certification specific to that work, such as:

  • Certified Night-time Doula

  • Certified Online Antenatal or Birth Doula

 

These experiences are not assessments. They are opportunities to learn, gain confidence, and deepen your understanding while being supported along the way.

 

Step 7: Final reflection and certification

After completing your fourth birth or postnatal job, you and your Doula Coach will have a final conversation together, looking back over your journey, learning, and growth.

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Your coach will then complete a Certification Recommendation Form and submit it to Kicki Hansard, Founder of The BirthBliss Doula Academy. Kicki reviews the recommendation and makes the final certification decision.

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Once approved, you will receive your BirthBliss Certificate and your certification will be celebrated publicly.

 

Financial overview

• Programme sign-up fee: £40

• Reflective sessions: £60 per job, paid directly to your Doula Coach

 

You only pay as you work. There are no hidden costs.

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These sessions are an investment in your development as a doula. You are encouraged to include this cost within your client pricing and record it as a business expense.

 

In summary

The BirthBliss Doula Certification Programme is a supported journey, not an assessment.

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It exists to give you space to grow, learn, and gain confidence while working with real families, knowing you are not doing it alone.

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Your Doula Coach walks alongside you throughout the process, offering steadiness, perspective, and encouragement.

This is where experience meets support, and where doulas are held while learning how to hold others, as you step into your role as a Certified BirthBliss Doula.