Do Doulas Have Medical Training? What We Are And What We’re Not

This is one of the most common and most misunderstood questions in birth work.

Do doulas have medical training?

The short answer is no but there are some confusing places with this answer.
The more important answer is why that matters and what doulas are trained to do instead.

Understanding the difference between medical care and doula support is essential for clients, families, and new doulas alike. Confusion around this topic is one of the biggest reasons people misunderstand the doula scope of practice. How do we know this happens? Well, sooooo many people say ‘oh, you are like a midwife’ when doulas talk about their careers out in the world. 

So let’s get clear.

What doula training actually is

An online doula training is not medical school, y’all. A Doula certification does not make someone a nurse, midwife, or doctor. Ok, this is where is gets tricky because we have so many nurses and other medical professionals in our doula training so what happens there?? Don’t worry, we will get you some answers.

A doula training focuses on the non medical support when it comes to fertility, loss, pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. That includes emotional support, informational support, physical comfort measures, education, advocacy, and continuity of care.

A birth doula is trained to support a laboring person through things like positioning, breathing, reassurance, information sharing, and helping clients communicate with their care team after doing the educational scaffolding during their pregnancy. 

A postpartum doula is trained to support recovery, feeding, emotional adjustment, rest, and household flow in the weeks after birth. Again, postpartum doulas work on education and prepping during their clients pregnancy if they get hired early enough. 

None of this involves diagnosing conditions, performing clinical procedures, or making medical decisions. As doulas, you understand all the moving parts, and you get to guide clients through their informed decision making process. Doulas are always a resource and never a source – which is the best place to be on the decision making team!

That distinction is the foundation of ethical doula work.

Why doulas are not medical providers

Doulas are intentionally non medical because this allows them to focus fully on the person and their experience rather than clinical tasks. This also keeps doulas from having to be accountable to the very system that is harming families. We are a stop gap which means we are a bridge for the medical systems and our clients, with the interests of our clients being first and foremost for fertility doulas, birth doulas, and postpartum doulas. 

Medical providers are responsible for monitoring health, managing risk, and intervening when needed. Doulas are responsible for presence, comfort, education, safety and support.

When these roles are confused, everyone loses.

Clients may expect doulas to answer medical questions they should not answer. We have hear that some unprepared doulas may feel pressured to step outside their scope. Trust can break down between care teams when there is a grey area in care. This is why a strong training matters! We have been ranting about weekend trainings for years, here is our open letter to weekend training organizations. 

Clear scope protects clients and doulas alike.

If you want to read more about why structure and scope matter in doula education, this article goes deeper into the risks of underprepared training

What doulas are trained to know

While doulas do not have medical training, a good doula training includes strong foundational education. This often includes basic physiology of pregnancy and birth, common medical interventions, informed consent, trauma informed care, communication skills, and systems navigation.

Doulas learn how to explain options rather than recommending medical choices. They learn how to support decision making with their clients instead of directing it. Clients are empowered when they make decisions for themselves and their baby(ies). They are already feeling the pressure from their doctors, doulas are refreshing in holding space for families to look at all the information and then make the best choice for themselves.

A well trained doula can help a client understand what a provider is suggesting and encourage them to ask questions. The doula does not say what the client should do. Full stop.

That line is key to the doula scope of practice.

Certification versus licensure

Another point of confusion is doula certification.

Doula certification is not licensure and it does not grant legal authority to practice medicine. It is a credential that shows completion of an educational program and often includes mentorship, reflection, and supervised experience.

There is no single governing body for doulas. There are a lot of upsides to this because we do not have to report to the very system causing the harm. But one of the downsides is that doula training varies widely in depth and quality.

That is why choosing comprehensive online doula training matters so much. Programs that rush through content or avoid scope conversations leave new doulas unsure and vulnerable.

There are a lot of myths and misconceptions around doula training and we tackle many of them here. 

Unsure how to pick a program, check out this helpful post here. 

What doulas are not

Let’s be explicit.

• Doulas do not diagnose.
• Doulas do not perform medical exams.
• Doulas do not give medical advice.
• Doulas do not replace nurses, midwives, or doctors.

If you see or hear about a doula acting like a medical authority, that is a red flag.

An ethical doula training teaches students how to stay in their lane while still being powerful advocates and supporters.

Why clients sometimes think doulas are medical

Clients often assume doulas have medical training because doulas are knowledgeable and confident. They speak fluently about birth. They understand hospital systems. They use clinical language accurately.

But knowledge does not equal authority or an increase in scope of practice. 

Doulas are interpreters, not decision makers. They help translate information so clients can engage with their medical team more effectively.

That is a powerful skill… Annnnnd it is learned through a strong doula training, not medical school.

How this benefits clients

When doulas stay within their scope, clients benefit in real ways:

• They receive continuous emotional support.
• They feel less alone.
• They are more likely to feel heard and respected.
• There is a decrease of postpartum mood disorders.
• They have more birth satisfaction. 
• They step into parenting feeling powerful and sure.
• There is a decline in postpartum PTSD

And dozens more…

Research consistently shows that doula support is associated with lower rates of intervention and higher satisfaction with the birth experience. Not because doulas provide medical care, but because support changes how people experience stress, pain, and decision making. There is so much flippin’ magic in having a non medical care.

What about medical professionals who are doulas?

Ok, we are seeing a rise in nurses, OTs, physiotherapists, family doctors, chiropractors and other medical professionals who are being trained as doulas. What happens there?

Great question! When someone who holds licences, degrees or certificates with differing scopes and different liability insurance policies, you need to be working within that scope and staying there. So, if you are a nurse who has been hired as a doula, you are working as a doula and you cannot put in an IV or adjust the monitors… even though you know how. When you are acting as a birth doula or postpartum doula, you need to stick to your scope of practice.

If you find yourself in this situation, you can always reach out to your training organization or licensing board to get clarification about what you can and can’t do when working with your clients. 

The bottom line about doula care and medical training

So, do doulas have medical training?

No. And they should not as far as we are concerned.

Doulas have specialized training in support, advocacy, education, and presence which is currently missing in the medical and social service systems. Birth doulas and postpartum doulas work alongside medical teams, not in place of them.

A doula certification is about advocacy and preparation, not clinical authority… phew!

Understanding the doula scope of practice is one of the most important parts of becoming a safe and effective doula. It is also one of the most important things clients should know before hiring support so feel free to clarify when you do and don’t do in your contract. Want help with your contracts? Get the bundle here.

When everyone is clear about roles, birth becomes more humane and autonomous, and less clinical and medicalized.

If you are considering doula training, choose a program that teaches this clearly and confidently. Remember, scope is not a limitation, it is what allows doulas to do their work well. And that clarity is what keeps both families and doulas safe.