We are proud to offer two in-person trainings for Birth Arts International!
All trainings are led by Kate Dewey, Certified Birth Doula Trainer for BAI

Birth Doula Skills Workshop

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What are the logistics of this training?
The basic skills of the birth doula are taught over the course of two full days. We will break for lunch on both days for about an hour.  Following this training, you will be enrolled in the online classroom where you will complete the certification requirements.

What will we be covering?
The in-person training goes in-depth, exploring labor and birth from the perspective of the Birth Doula. We explore the scope of the doula and how to support our clients in every stage of their transition to parenthood. Students will learn about pregnancy, the stages and phases of labor, the postpartum period and how we might fit into the picture for each of those times. There is also an extensive discussion about how to set up a successful doula practice. Birth Arts strives to "doula the doula" and this training is the first step. Individuality is vital in the world of birth support. 

Will I leave this training certified?
No, but you will leave equipped to attend your first few births as a doula though, and we encourage you to dive in!  Following your training, the online classroom is where you will go to complete the requirements. We do knock out a few of the requirements in class, and you will get documentation of that in your training from your trainer. 

What are the upcoming dates for these trainings?

Click here for the blog posts about the BAI Birth Doula Skills workshops

Advanced Doula Trainings:
Grief and Loss for Birth Workers

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What are the logistics of this training?
This is an additional "advanced doula training" that is sometimes offered in conjunction with the Birth Doula Skills workshop. Attending this class will enroll you in the online classroom for Grief and Loss doulas and you can move forward towards your extra certification in bereavement work at your own pace. 

What will we be covering?
We will be addressing "Grief and Loss" and how it affects a pregnancy or arrival of a child. Not specifically the death of a baby, we will expand outward into the larger experience of grief and how that can shadow the plans around a birth. How might grief show up in a pregnancy? Will past losses in the life of the birthing family affect this transition into parenthood?  We will then explore pregnancy loss in all it's forms. Planned terminations, unexpected stillbirth and everything in between. How can we as birth team members support our clients as they walk this path? How can we practice self-care so we don't get bogged down in the sorrow?

This sounds too hard, I don't know if I want to do grief work...
The reality of birth work is that you cannot avoid grief. We as doulas are beside birthing families as they stand at the veil between life and death. Unexpected stillbirth can happen at any birth, and tragic outcomes are sometimes unavoidable. Grief is everywhere in life anyways, and a good portion of your clients will have lost their own parents prior to their pregnancy and that grief can influence how their parental identity is shaped. Being prepared is the best way to support your clients!

Semi-Private Training Interest Form