Do I need any prerequisites to become a birth worker?

Not at all! This is a role that people have taken on in their communities for all of human history, though what the role has been called may differ from one cultural/historical context to another. All you need is an open heart and mind, and the ability to think critically and compassionately.

Do I need experience as a doula/birth worker to take your courses?

Our 12-week training programs are appropriate for brand new and experienced doulas - you do not need any experience! Most of our weekend workshops and 4-week continuing education courses do not have prerequisites, though they may be most appropriate for people who are already engaged in related work or study (with or without credentials or certification).

If I sign up for a course and miss a live class, will I be able to watch the replay?

Yes, for those enrolled with us in a live course, the video recording, audio recording and automated, English transcript will be available on your student platform the day after the live call.

How long are live classes?

Classes for our 4 week courses and 12 week trainings are approximately 75-minutes, but may sometimes be longer due to student engagement. Weekend workshops and other trainings that do not follow these formats will always have hours specified.

How long will I have access to the material?

Our 12-week trainings (Full-Spectrum Doula, Childbirth Educator, and Postpartum Doula) come with one full year of access to the materials. If you choose to certify and need more time, we offer a free 6-month extension.

Our workshops and 4-week courses come with one full year of access.

Do you offer certification?

We offer certification for our 12-week training programs.

Do I need to certify?

Certification is always optional.

Will I need to re-certify at some point?

No! When you train and certify with Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, you are certified for life! We offer continued education opportunities for our community of students in order to ensure the integrity of their ongoing study.

Is your training accredited?

Doula work is not currently regulated in a way in which there is one certifying, licensing, or accrediting body. Therefore, all certifying orgs (BADT, Doula Trainings International, DONA, etc.) are stand-alone. You will be a BADT C-FSD if you certify through our full-spectrum doula training, and a BADT C-CBE if you certify through our childbirth educator training.

I’m excited! Can I sign up now?

The majority of our courses are offered during limited enrollment periods. Some pre-recorded courses are available to purchase at any point. The best way to know what trainings are currently enrolling, what is coming up next, and to ensure you get the opportunity to enroll for any/all of the courses that interest you is to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media!

Do you offer scholarships?

Yes! We offer full and partial scholarships for our live trainings during each enrollment period. The window for scholarship applications is limited, so if there is a course you are hoping to access via scholarship, make sure you keep an eye on our email newsletters and social media accounts during the enrollment period as these are the only places we announce dates for scholarship applications!

We try our best to provide some financial support to everyone who completes a scholarship application (as long as they have not already enrolled in the course). That said, we cannot guarantee that you will receive scholarship support or that you will receive the amount of support that you request. We prioritize scholarship applicants that have not received scholarship support from us in the past, applicants that express greater financial need (self-described), and that have historically marginalized identities.

If you have already signed up for a course you will not be eligible for a scholarship. We do not offer scholarships for prerecorded courses.

If I utilize a payment plan, when will the money be taken out of my account? Will it automatically be taken out each month?

We offer payment plans through Stripe, and you will receive an invoice delivered by Stripe for each installment. You can set up a payment method on file with Thinkific that will be automatically charged each month on the same day of the next month as the first payment. 

If I need to change the details of my payment plan, what do I do?

You can change your payment method, make a payment, or edit your personal information directly via your Thinkific account. If you have any issues, please email info@birthingadvocacy.org

I am on a payment plan and I lost access to my student platform, how do I fix this?

If a payment fails, Thinkific will lock you out of your student platform and automatically retry the payment method on file after a few days. If you need to change the payment method before this happens, please do so through your Thinkific account. As long as the payment is successful, your access will be restored. For any other concerns or issues, please email info@birthingadvocacy.org

Do you offer refunds?

We do not offer refunds or reimbursements once you enroll or set up a payment plan, and encourage you to budget accordingly. If life circumstances prevent you from participating in the course as planned, we may be able to extend your enrollment or adjust. You can make this request by emailing info@birthingadvocacy.org