Skills You Will Learn
In the course of this weekend workshop & certification program, you will learn to:
Present clients evidence-based research to educate about available options, choices, and alternatives for
the healthiest and safest birth.
Create & preserve a safe birthing environment understanding its importance to the psychological &
physiological process of a healthy, normal birth.
Develop & define the scope of your practice & learn how to create professional protocols for the services
you choose to offer.
Conduct prenatal & postpartum visits, take a comprehensive history, and maintain client confidentiality.
Provide highly effective labor support to your clients by utilizing techniques which can reduce the
mother’s discomfort, promote faster, safer births, & reduce the need for medication & medically
unnecessary interventions.
Support the birthing family when pregnancy or birth doesn’t go as planned.
Communicate effectively & professionally with mothers, partners, families, & medical professionals,
establishing trust & mutual empowerment among the birthing team.
Market & promote yourself as a professional Birth Doula in your community.
What You Will Receive
Your tuition $425* (discounts and payment plans are available; see Tuition and Payment) includes:
Workshop
Attend 3 full days, 26 hours of information, affirmation, and inspiration.
toLabor Program Manual
The toLabor manual contains over 200 pages of worksheets, resources, sample forms, & certification
paperwork.
Activates Membership
Personal Attention, Networking & Support
Receive support from the toLabor staff, local sponsor, and on-line support group.
Referrals
Listing on toLabor’s website to receive online referrals
Certification
Earn internationally recognized certification through completing the requirements. Additional certification
fee required, please contact toLabor office for specifics.
*The tuition represents an investment whose complete return you’ll be able to realize after attending your
first few paid births.
And as a Special Bonus
Past graduates of our training who are current members may attend a workshop again for a reduced rate.
Workshop at a Glance
The toLabor workshop has been designed to encompass a variety of learning styles and includes a strong
emphasis on experiential learning. The experiential exercises provide participants with hands-on practice
using labor support techniques and with an introduction to skills such as palpation of fetal position, during
pregnancy, and an introduction to basic pelvic examination.
A summary of the workshop outline:
Day One ~ Friday 1:00 – 9:30
Registration and Introductions
Defining Our Role
Understanding the Dance of Labor: The 4 P’s
Gate Control: Three Ways to Reduce Pain in Labor
Tools of the Trade: Comfort Measures Using the 5 Senses
Day Two ~ Saturday 9:00 – 6:30
Normal Labor & Birth
Interventions: “Tubes Are Us”
Experiential Learning: Palpation & Heart Tones
Measurements of Well-Being
Breathing, Relaxation & Positions in Labor
Day Three ~ Sunday 9:00 – 7:00
Cesarean Sections & VBACs
Experiential Learning: Pelvic Exams
Birth Scenarios
Ethical Guidelines for Birth Doulas
Designing Your Practice: Services, Compensation, Marketing, Contracts