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Finding the Right Doula Training
When you’re searching for the right doula training, it can feel overwhelming. There are so many doula schools promising certification, mentorship, and a path to practice. But when you strip away the marketing, what really matters is the lived experience of students who have walked that path before you. Their voices carry the truth of what doula schooling feels like, how it changes lives, and what kind of support you can expect on your journey from doula in training to doula mentor.
At bebo mia, we believe testimonials aren’t just “reviews.” They are proof of transformation. They are the lived reality of people who took a leap of faith into a new career, often while balancing families, jobs, or healing their own birth experiences. They are also one of the most important tools for those wondering how to find a doula in training or a doula mentor to walk alongside them.
Honestly, we wrap up the semester with tears in our eyes when we listen to the stories of healing and profound change for our students. It is pure magic. And this magic takes time, something that doesn’t happen in a weekend training.
There are incredible initiatives that come from our students, such as Alyssa Coleman’s Nature retreats to prevent PMADs in pregnant folks.
Why Student Voices Matter
Research shows that doulas make measurable differences for families. A Cochrane review found that continuous support during birth leads to shorter labors, a 25% reduction in cesarean births, fewer interventions, and higher satisfaction (Cochrane, 2017). Medicaid-funded doula programs have demonstrated cost savings of around $1,000 to $1,600 per birth, while also lowering cesarean and preterm birth rates.
These numbers are powerful… but what do they mean for someone just starting doula schooling? They mean that when you choose a training program, you’re not just picking a course. You’re stepping into a community that will shape how you show up for birthing families and how you grow into a doula mentor yourself.
As Karalyn Fite shared, “One of the things I love the most about bebo mia is the support and encouragement you get not just during the training, but beyond. They truly care about your success as a birth worker and the person you are as an individual.”
The Search for the Best Doula School for You
Many of our students describe the same feeling: searching for doula schools online, only to feel overwhelmed by surface-level options. Grace Cunningham said, “When I first started looking into becoming a doula, everywhere I looked for training was so surface level. Through this course, it went beyond the surface and dove deep to equip you the best way possible.”
The search alone can be stressful…We blogged about this last month!
That depth matters. Birth work isn’t just about swaddling, contractions, or postpartum visits. It’s about navigating family dynamics, recognizing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), understanding reproductive justice, and supporting every kind of family.
Bre Cain put it beautifully: “For me, getting a doula certification was less about the piece of paper and more about feeling equipped to help my clients. Not only do I feel equipped, I feel like I’ve joined a lifelong community that wants me to succeed.”
Doula in Training: What the Journey Feels Like
Being a doula in training is exciting, but it can also be vulnerable. Many people begin this journey unsure if they are “enough.” That’s why community and mentorship are so vital.
Ashley Huntley shared her experience: “I just finished the MSP 3-in-1 doula course and it was one of the most amazing and supportive experiences. The level of education was beyond what I hoped for. Between the live classes, guest lectures, and study sessions, there was always something to look forward to. Bebo mia is progressive, with no gendered language in their materials, and classes touching on different families and bodies.”
Testimonials like Ashley’s remind us that doula schooling isn’t only about gaining skills, it’s about unlearning systems of oppression, building inclusive practices, and being held by a group of peers who understand your calling.
Being with a group of folks who ‘get it’ and are birth nerds (or learning to become one), is a pretty exhilarating experience for adults. Plus, you make loads of new friends which can be tricky to do later in life… you know, after high school or college.
From Learner to Doula Mentor
The journey doesn’t stop at certification. With the right foundation, many doulas move into mentorship themselves… guiding new doulas, teaching classes, or creating programs in their communities.
Kelly Stein reflected: “I got more than I ever hoped for. I got a community, a virtual little haven of driven supportive soul sisters. Their inclusivity and unwavering support for BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disabled communities is unmatched. If you’re considered minority, trans, disabled, or scared to start your journey as a doula, this is definitely the place for you.”
These graduates don’t just leave with knowledge; they leave with a network, a business strategy, and the confidence to support others. That’s how doulas become mentors… not through a title, but through lived experience and the ripple effects of community.
Fun fact: within bebo mia, we hire from our alumni, so the job opportunities are wonderful after training and certification. Or core instructors have come up from students, to mentors, then on to teachers over the years. It is awesome to watch and leads to a really incredible community experience.
How to Find a Doula in Training
For expectant parents, testimonials also answer a different question: how to find a doula in training who can provide affordable, compassionate support. Many students at doula schools begin working with families before graduation, offering care at reduced rates while building experience.
Ana Robinson said, “Choosing bebo mia was one of the best decisions I could have made. If you are looking for more than just a class, this is the right place for you. These people have become friends. The amount of support is unreal.”
By connecting with doulas in training, families receive dedicated, informed support, while students gain the real-world experience they need to step fully into the role of doula mentor.
We have a directory that will help you get found and help parents from affordable doula care if you would like to do reduced rate services while being a doula in training. ProTip: You do not have to do reduced rate, or free care, while being a student doula. If folks can afford your services, then please invoice them for your time. Care work is real work! If you would like to work with under resourced communities, do sliding scale once you are more established. Hear more about setting up your sliding scale here.
A Community Rooted in Inclusivity
Across hundreds of testimonials, certain themes repeat: inclusivity, empowerment, trauma-informed care, and a commitment to social justice.
As Nativa Kesecker shared, “Out of all the doula trainings I came across, theirs is by far the most comprehensive, inclusive, and supportive that I found. The training was thorough and diverse, covering a wide range of information not only around fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, but around business, mental health, and social justice as well.”
That matters. Because being a doula is not just about attending births, it’s about dismantling systems that fail birthing people, offering non-judgmental support, and building sustainable careers rooted in justice.
Why Testimonials Should Guide Your Choice
If you’re weighing different doula schools, listen closely to the voices of those who have been where you are. Their stories hold more weight than any course outline or marketing brochure.
Jessica McAllister said it best: “Everyone is so encouraging and supportive! I’ve never felt like I belonged to a community more than when I took the chance with bebo mia. Each instructor, mentor, and guest speaker makes such an important contribution to your education. I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to learn here.”
The message is clear: the right doula training doesn’t just prepare you for work. It transforms you into someone who can hold space for families, and eventually mentor others to do the same.
Your Next Step
If you’ve been searching for the right doula schooling, wondering whether you’ll belong, or asking yourself how to find a doula in training to walk beside you, let these voices guide you. The testimonials of our students prove that transformation is possible, support is real, and the journey from learner to doula mentor is within reach.
Join the Maternal Support Practitioner (MSP) Program today and take the first step into a community that will equip you not only with skills, but with the courage, compassion, and confidence to thrive as a doula.
Because testimonials don’t just matter, they show you the future you’re stepping into.
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