Become a Doula

Doula Training with Melissa Chappell

At Utah Birth Suites in Provo, Utah

BECOMING A DOULA MEANS TO:

Love women through the process. 
Be a witness to the experience. 
Help people find and use their voices.

 

What You’ll Learn at a Doula Training:

  • What is a Doula?

  • The Role of a Doula: What a Doula Does & Doesn’t Do

  • Certification Overview

  • Prenatal Contact and Interviewing

  • Birth Plan Preparation

  • Emotional Support in Labor and Birth

  • Physical Support in Labor and Birth

  • Physical and Emotional Comfort Measures including: Hydrotherapy, Positioning, Counterpressure, Use of Hot and Cold, Massage, Acupressure, etc.

  • Rebozo, with an emphasis on Respect and the Cultural History of the technique 

  • How to Support Difficult Labors

  • Epidurals and Other Medications

  • How to Help Facilitate Rotation and Descent of Posterior or Asynclitic Babies

  • How to Support Women Utilizing Pharmacological Pain Relief

  • How to Facilitate Partner Support

  • Cesarean Sections

  • Vaginal Birth After Cesarean

  • What is the Ideal Birth Experience?

  • What Does it Mean to be a Trauma Informed Doula?

  • Disparities in Birth and How a Doula can Shift the Numbers

  • Breastfeeding Initial Latch

  • Immediate Postpartum Support

  • Processing the Birth Experience with the Mother

  • Labor and Birth Scenarios and Practice

 

About Melissa

Melissa is a state licensed and nationally certified midwife which enables her to bring an expertise to her doula trainings that you won’t often find in other workshops.

Over the course of 21 years, Melissa has trained over 1,300 women to be doulas. Melissa’s workshops are heartfelt and connective. You won’t just learn how to be a doula, you’ll also grow and develop your personal expertise as an advocate, supporter, and champion in other areas of life, as well.

 

 WORKSHOP POLICIES & DETAILS

  1. This is a two-day training held on Friday and Saturday, from 9am to 6:30pm on both days. You are required to attend the whole training in order to receive your certificate.

  2. This training is one of your biggest steps toward certification as a doula. Even if you choose not to get certified, this workshop is the perfect first step on your path to becoming a doula.

  3. At the training, you’ll be provided with delicious lunches and snacks throughout, and you’ll receive a resource book of copy-able handouts and articles for use in your own doula practice.

  4. There is one prequisite to attending this class: You must have a good working knowledge of the basics of birth like station, dilation, effacement, stages of labor, etc. If you don’t, I suggest reading a couple basic birth books before your workshop dates.

  5. Highly recommended but not required: Please watch The Business of Being Born before coming to class. Also another amazing documentary I recommend is These Are My Hours. One other birth documentary I highly recommend: Orgasmic Birth. Several other free birth videos that will help you prepare for class can be found here: thetouchoflife.com (watch a range of different kinds of births).

  6. Non-mobile nursing babies are allowed but please be considerate of other students. Older nursing babies are allowed to visit on breaks but not during class. Dogs are not allowed, unless they are registered service animals.

  7. Workshop fees are non-refundable but can be put toward future training if you aren’t able to attend the workshop you registered for. You must coordinate with me to reschedule, as you will not be automatically added to a new training without chatting with me first.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. This is one of your biggest steps toward certification but there are more steps that we will discuss in class.

  • Yes, attendance at the whole training, including the final hours of the last day are required to earn a certificate.

  • I don’t offer payment plans, but the State of Utah has some assistance for trainings like this. You can find that info here. Another thing I suggest is to begin putting money aside and then register for a training that will be happening once you’ve reached your goal.

  • No. I do not offer refunds because my trainings always get full and a lot of early planning and preparation go into making each training special for the participants. If for some reason you are unable to attend the training, reach out to discuss applying your training fee to a future training.

  • Babies who are not yet mobile and are breastfeeding are welcome to attend. That said, I ask that their caregiver is attentive to others and takes the baby out if they are crying or otherwise disrupting the class. For all attendees, it works best when there’s isn’t a crying baby, so whatever you need to work out to make this an enjoyable learning experience for all would be most appreciated.

  • Lunches are provided and we purchase from places that fit all dietary needs and restrictions. We ask, though, that you bring your own water bottle for refill so that we don’t have to use several plastic water bottles.

  • There are no regulations for doulas because doulas are a non-medical part of the birth team. Some states are considering licensure for doulas but that hasn’t happened as of yet and likely won’t. This means that you can start providing support at any time.

  • Doula Trainee

    “Melissa was an incredible instructor for my Doula training! She has so much knowledge and you can tell she has a true love and passion for what she does. She really created an incredible space for all of us to feel loved and comfortable to not only learn but to feel open to talking about our own experiences and to connect with all of the other doulas in training. I left the training every day full of excitement and gratitude for being able to be apart of her amazing training. I ended the training feeling confident in what I had learned from her in order to start my Doula career.”

  • Tara C.

    “I took Melissa Chappell‘s Doula training a couple years ago. I am a grandmother and having had all C-sections when I was child-bearing age, it was not only informational and educational but very healing to me as a mother. Melissa has a way of endearing people to her and being able to guide them and teach them in a way that is very special. I would recommend her training to anyone who wants to be not only an educated and evidence-based Doula, but also a compassionate and caring Doula.”

  • Alyssa Barnett

    “This doula training by Melissa is absolutely incredible! She brings such a calm, empowering presence with her and teaches you how to do the same for laboring women! There was a great variety in activities, yummy snacks and such a fun group of doulas working together for the same goal. It prepared me super well for my first births as a doula! I highly recommend this training to everyone who has a desire to become a doula!”

  • Allison Carlson

    “I learned more at this doula training than I did in my entire other doula certification. I tell everyone I meet that wants to be a doula to go to Melissa’s training. She teaches hands on tips, business tips, tips about the birth community, etc! Such a valuable training! 🙏🏽🤍”

  • Kendrah Yardley

    “I am so privileged to have been trained as a doula by one of the best midwives in the state of Utah. The things Melissa taught me and continues to teach me are invaluable parts of my approach to being a doula in my own business. Melissa is so knowledgeable and graceful about birth work. She is eager to impart her years of experience to others and she is such a talented teacher. The best part of her training is truly feeling like you matter to this work. Melissa and her team of professionals really make you feel like there is space for you in the birth world. She is intentional when she speaks to others, she is gentle with her words, and she is passionate about evidence based practices. And if you need any more evidence, she’s just a wonderfully bubbly person all around (and she’s an excellent cook!). Even if you don’t end up certifying with DONA, getting trained by Melissa is something you will never regret!”

  • Cassie Ratushniak

    “Melissa and her doula training opened a whole world full of information, experience, support, and love. Melissa teaches you not only what unconditional support, comfort measures, knowledge, and advocacy can do for other moms during pregnancy and labor, but also what it can do for you and your own experiences. I met a wonderful group of supportive women I still stay in touch with, and Melissa provided such a safe and positive environment for us to all be ourselves. If you are thinking of taking Melissa’s training, do it!!!”

  • Camille Osborn

    “After just a couple moments after being in Melissa’s Doula training I felt like every penny of my investment was worth it. She was so educational and inspiring. I left with a TON of practical information and techniques about how I can best show up for my clients. Her experience as a Midwife and a successful business owner was invaluable! A week after training I found my first family to support as their Doula and I got all the resources from Melissa I needed to feels safe and confident supporting this family. If you keep thinking about whether or not this is a good fit for you, I promise it is. I’m confident to say you won’t find anything else like this out there.”

  • Ana Vidal

    “I took the doula training class because for so long I wanted to be a doula but I did it mostly because my friend was doing it. Melissa changed my life that weekend, her knowledge, her kindness and her heart made me see women on another level and appreciate women’s bodies even more, our ability to create, help bring life into the world, care and nurture one another.”

 

ARE YOU READY TO ANSWER THE CALL TO BECOME A DOULA?

Join us at the next DONA doula training!

 
 

February 16-17, 2024 (sold out)

March 22-23, 2024 (sold out)

June 21-22, 2024 (sold out)

August 16-17, 2024 (sold out)

November 22-23, 2024

January 24-25, 2025