FAMILY DOULA TRAINING

Become a certified doula to support your friend or family member. Ideal for Lovers, Partners, Spouses, Parents, Grandparents, Aunties, Siblings, Cousins and more!

New Classes Begin Fall & Winter 2025!

"Birth belongs to the family, and doulas belong to the community-not the system."-Okunsola M. Amadou

Families are meant to be sacred, safe and caring spaces for everyone-especially pregnant mothers and new babies. The culture, heritage and wisdom of childbirth is historically woven into the fabric of every family, held in place by the elders. At Jamaa Birth Village, we've heard from Nanas, GG's and Grandmas that that wisdom, as well as the family's midwives and doulas have been lost in many family lineages due to the systemic erasue of Grand midwives and our the birthing culture of African, African American and Indigenous families. Jamaa Birth Village stands as a bridge to reestablish the family lineage of birth workers-including doulas.

If you feel called to be a doula in your family, serving those who you love and care for the most, throughout the perinatal journey, then this training is for you. This training is prepared to activate and awakening the gifts and skills relating to childbirth that already exist in your family line. This training also prepares you for practicing during modern times relating to home, birth center and hospital care.

Topics to be covered are:

Cultural and heritage based birth companion care based on African American folk healing, practices and ways
Normal physiologic experiences throughout the perinatal period
Common complications throughout the perinatal period
Healing and prevention modalities
Comfort measures
Creating the blueprint plans for the family giving birth
Navigating the murky waters of the medical industrial complex
Advocating & Elevating during challenges
Foodways & More....

Who Should Apply?

Elders- Great Grandmas, Grandmas, Aunties and more. It's important that the matriarchs and leaders of the family who once held this knowledge and wisdom, receive access to this knowledge and wisdom again to restore the family lineage and preserve the cultural heritage of birth companion care.
Lovers, Partners & Spouses: You are the closest to the person giving birth, knowing what brings them joy, comfort, peace, and ease. We need you to know all things about being a doula, from conception, to loss to birth, to postpartum and parenting.
Sisters, Cousins, & Siblings: Whether you were born through the same parents, family line or through marriage, you share a common core thread with your family member planning to birth. It takes a family to support the birthing of a new family, and with your knowledge, wisdom and support as a doula in your family, you can play a role alongside the elders and partners in taking care of the mother and newborn(s).
Godsisters & Godmothers: You're family, spiritual and sacred family, and you, out of everyone, need to be grounded in what the childbirth experience is and how you can support the new parent and newborn as a doula

This is a 3-day in-person and virtual training, elevates the birth companion and family care skills that family members already have.

This training is free and scholarship based and for people who are serious about rebuilding their family lineage of birth workers. Maximum of 3-family members per training.

YOU WILL BE WELL VERSED IN:

Birth Rights, Advocacy, Respecting Family Privacy & HIPPA Compliance
Preconception & Prenatal Care and Wellness
Labor & Delivery support, comfort, complication navigation, and the clear understanding of informed choice for their clients
Lactation and postpartum wellness for women & postpartum people, babies and families
Cultural congruence, Reproductive Justice, the foundation and application of cultural ceremonies and traditions from varying ethnic backgrounds
Business Sense and community enhancement
Individual and personal celebration, self-care inner-outer wellness

Ready to begin your Doula journey?

Costs & Details:

Doula training scholarships are available for Missouri residents only.

For those who can afford to pay, Doula training costs are $2500 to be paid in full, 10-days before training.

Learn more & register

New doula training dates coming soon! Complete the application below:

APPLY NOW

Required Course Prerequisites

This is the only Doula training in the nation preparing students for excellence with foundational maternal health prerequisites, prior to beginning the official doula training.

Hybrid Learning

Doula training students will experience both live virtual learning and in-person hands on learning and practice sessions, with national, senior level, advanced and experienced Doula trainers.

Doula Exam

An exam will be provided at the end of training to ensure the success of each Doula.

Optional mentorship

Each Doula student will have an opportunity for optional mentorship, with a pre-approved Elder-Senior Doulas post doula training.

Certification

A 2-Year Certified Doula Certificate & Doula Collective Membership will be granted to Doula graduates.

Family Doula Kit

Each Doula graduate will receive a family doula startup kit with the basic essential tools you need to support your family member as their doula.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I need to complete the Doula certification process?

You will need to first complete the doula application and registration form, review the virtual overview discussing course requirements and have consistent access to a laptop/pc, wifi, Microsoft word or google docs, transportation and dedication to get the doula training & certification process completed.

Once the registration process is completed, you will be assigned to an upcoming training. You will need to complete the online prerequisites, attend live virtual training sessions, attend an in-person training session, and the final doula exam.

How do I qualify for the scholarship?

Scholarships are available for low-income people or for those whose household income to expense ratio is over the national average, providing a barrier to pay doula training tuition. As well, if there is limited access to Doulas in your community, you may also qualify for a scholarship. To qualify, you would first need to complete the application and review the virtual course requirements sent via email post registration.

How do I re-certify as a doula?

After training how will I be assigned a doula mentor?

How can I go about getting a job as a doula?

Is there funding for women of color to receive free doula care? I work with many low income pregnant women who would greatly benefit.

The state of Missouri now reimburses for doula care for individuals who are eligible for Medicaid. We have the “Sankofa Doula Program” that covers full doula care support through generous donors for those who have proof of limited/ no income (the examples are listed on the form when clients book a consultation). We don’t always have funding but we do try to cover all or some of the cost depending on funding.

We also have a sliding pay scale for all doula care based on household income as well. I would suggest directing patients to the website to schedule a “begin your care virtual appointment “ which will allow the Program Coordinator to assess which would work best for the client and the form allows them to upload the necessary documents.

DOULAS TRAINED SINCE 2016

Friday I walked into my first day of Doula certification training not knowing what to expect. We graduated yesterday, and today I am having withdrawal symptoms. I miss being surrounded by their love. I miss seeing the happiness and sadness on their beautiful faces. I miss hearing their personal struggles. I missed how the room naturally filled with love. I miss those warm hugs. I miss the loudness. I miss how Ms. Tru looked at us with pride. I miss how they loved & respected me. I miss all of those strangers that became my tribe.

- New Doula Sharon

I’m on cloud nine right now I can’t even fall to sleep you’re an amazing inspirational instructor can’t wait to do more work with you’re so dope BOSS!!!!!

- Micai

I took Jamaa's doula class. It was life changing for me and so many other people that were in our class. Thank you Okunsola, you are amazing."

- Kimberly Winston

Jamaa Family Doula Training

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Why Do You Want to Become a Family Doula?

Are there any doulas or midwives currently active in your family?

Were there any previous doulas or midwives in the lineage of your family? If so, what are their names and the year/location that they practiced in?

Is someone in your family currently pregnant or postpartum?

What is your main role in the family to the ones you seek to serve as a doula?

Please share your experience with supporting family members with childbirth.

Do you plan to attend in-person in St. Louis or virtual?

How did you hear about this event?

Thank you for registering! Please share anything else that you feel we should know.