Become a certified full-spectrum birth worker: trained, mentored, and connected to a community that has your back.
70+ core hours, 30+ specialty hours of self-paced, evidence-based training across pregnancy, birth, postpartum, feeding, and loss – with live weekly mentoring calls and a community that stays with you long after certification.
From $150/month, or $850 in full · 14-day refund or transfer policy
“I've taken other doula trainings, but this one stood out for its inclusivity and real-world focus.”
– Leah S., Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula
Led by Lorie Michaels, CD(DONA), LCCE, CLC, PMH-C
20+ years supporting families and birth workers
Rolling enrollment: start whenever you're ready
Certification & Medicaid pathways recognized in multiple states (see map below)
Doula Training
Who this is for
Birth workers passionate about deep, evidence-based learning and advocacy – whether you're brand new or years into this work.
Maternal health advocates who want to feel supported and held while they train and build their practice.
People who believe in building up the birth workers around them – because a rising tide lifts all boats.
What You'll Learn
Full-spectrum means the whole childbearing year – and the whole person in front of you.
01
Pregnancy & birth support
Physiology, stages of labor, comfort measures and positioning, navigating high-risk and unexpected scenarios.
02
Postpartum & newborn care
Healing and recovery, feeding and lactation foundations, infant behavior, recognizing warning signs and referring within scope.
03
Full-spectrum competencies
Loss, abortion, and difficult outcomes; inclusive care for Indigenous and LGBTQ+ communities; anti-racism as a core certification requirement.
04
Professional practice
Contracts, scope, documentation, ethics – and how to prepare for Medicaid and insurance-based reimbursement.
How It Works
Learn at your own pace
Start any time and learn physiology, stages of labor, comfort measures and positioning, navigating high-risk and unexpected scenarios.
Come together every week
Live Monday-night mentoring calls with Lorie, guest educators, and your cohort – bring your real questions.
Certify with your state along the way
Many states set their doula certification bar below CFSD's full program length. If yours does, request a letter documenting your completed hours, get certified with your state, and start accepting Medicaid and insurance clients while you finish the rest of CFSD.
Community holds you beyond graduation
Earn your BirthPro certification and stay connected through the graduate community. Maintaining connection is key to doula sustainability.
Tuition
Full-Spectrum Birth Work Training
$850
in full · or 6 monthly payments of $150
Everything included:
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60+ hours of self-paced modules across the full spectrum – birth, postpartum, fertility, loss and abortion support
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Live weekly mentoring calls with Lorie and guest educators
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Certification as a BirthPro Full-Spectrum Birth Worker – no additional certification or processing fees, ever
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Anti-racism module, guest faculty sessions, and CEU opportunities
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Lifetime access to the graduate community, WhatsApp group, and mentoring
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14-day refund or transfer policy
Same access from day one, whichever payment option you choose. Secure checkout.
Only need postpartum?
The Postpartum Pathway is available separately for $550 – most students choose full spectrum, since $300 more certifies you across everything, and anything you've paid applies if you upgrade.
Scholarships:
limited seats each quarter, prioritized for BIPOC applicants, veterans and military spouses, and birth workers serving rural, Indigenous, or underserved communities.
You Won't Do This Work Alone
Most birth workers burn out within two to three years, largely because they do this work in isolation. BirthPro was built to change that. Every Monday night, our community comes together live: students, graduates, and mentors in one room, working through real questions from real practices.
Your community stays with you long after training ends.
Graduates keep lifetime access to the private community, WhatsApp group, and mentoring calls.
Meet Your Lead Trainer
Lorie Michaels CD(DONA), LCCE, CLC, PMH-C, Body Ready Method® Pro, Spinning Babies® Certified Parent Educator, Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner, Postpartum Healing Lodge Doula, Evidence Based Birth® Instructor, Body Ready Birth® Instructor, Restore Your Core® trained, BA Psych, AA Chemical Dependency Counseling, DLI Korean Linguist
Lorie has spent 20+ years supporting hundreds of families and training the next generation of birth workers – as a doula, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, and perinatal mental health specialist. An Army veteran and former counselor, she brings deep expertise across birth physiology, postpartum healing, emotional wellness, and reproductive justice.
Her approach blends evidence-based practice with inclusive, culturally humble care – so you feel confident, prepared, and supported from day one. As a certifying body recognized in multiple states, BirthPro certification is Lorie's personal signature on your readiness.
“Lorie brings wisdom, compassion, and practicality to every conversation. Her mentorship gave me the courage to step into doula work fully prepared.”
– Brandi P.
“This training gave me the confidence to step into postpartum work right away.”
– Maria R., Postpartum Doula Graduate
“The guided sessions kept me accountable, and the self-paced modules meant I could move at my own rhythm.”
– Danielle K., Doula-in-Training
A Note on Fit
Our programs are grounded in birth equity, full-spectrum care, and inclusive community-building. If you're unwilling to support LGBTQ+ families, affirm abortion as part of reproductive care, or examine personal and systemic biases – including racism, transphobia, and cultural appropriation – this may not be the training for you. We welcome all who come with openness, humility, and a commitment to learning in community.
Questions, Answered
Is BirthPro certification recognized in my state?
How long do I have access?
12 months of modules; lifetime community
What are the certification requirements?
To earn your BirthPro Full Spectrum Birth Worker Certification, you’ll need to:
✔️ Complete all required modules within 12 months of your start date
✔️ Provide hands-on support for 3 birth experiences and 2 postpartum families (volunteer or paid; birth and postpartum support may occur with the same family) Support must be completed within 2 years of start date.
✔️ Complete "Black Brilliance: A Culturally Responsive Anti-Racism Doula Training" module
✔️ Hold a current Infant/Child CPR certification
✔️ Complete and submit the BirthPro client documentation form for each family supported (forms and guidelines provided)
✔️ Participate in weekly mentoring calls as part of your certification accountability structure
My state's doula certification requirements are lower than BirthPro's program length. Can I start working sooner?
CFSD is built to go well beyond what most states require for doula certification, so many students reach their own state's threshold before they've finished the full program. Once you hit that point, request a letter documenting your completed hours, and you can begin your state certification process while you keep working through the rest of CFSD at your own pace.
States currently set up for this: Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, New Hampshire, Kansas, California, Delaware, and New York. If your state isn't listed, reach out and we'll check where things stand.
We do the initial research on each state's requirements, but requirements change. Confirm your state's current rules directly with the relevant board or agency before submitting anything.
How does recertification work?
12 CEUs every 3 years – no fee
Can I upgrade from postpartum-only to full spectrum?
yes – amount paid applies
Do I need experience to start?
no – experienced? see Advanced Standing
How do payment plans work?
6 × $150; full access from day one
What if it's not right for me?
14-day refund or transfer policy
Do you offer scholarships?