Hear from one of our program sponsors:

"When we launched a community doula program focused on Black and Brown families in our area, there were several boxes we knew needed to check — evidence-based, engaging, and reputable were a few. Jessica's birth doula training meets the requirements. The levels of integrity, transparency, care and thoughtfulness are unparalleled and woven through every aspect of the workshop. Our inaugural cohort of doulas, which included wide rage of mindsets and perspectives, determined after their workshop that Jessica was THE trainer, and should be our trainer for all training going forth. The information presented is current and impactful to the times we live. The atmosphere she sets is caring, engaging and inclusive! Her LOVE for the work is infectious and our community is growing stronger as a result."

- Kimberley Sims, program coordinator, How You Birth (Muskegon, MI)

Birth Doula Workshops

Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition of Charlevoix, Emmet & Northern Antrim Counties

This four-day birth doula workshop focuses on preparing doulas to support families during pregnancy, birth and the immediate postpartum time. Doulas learn to offer physical support, emotional support, information and advocacy, as well as how to support the client's partner through the birth process.

As a DONA approved birth doula workshop, it qualifies doulas to begin the certification process with DONA International. In states with Medicaid coverage for doulas, DONA International is generally on the list of approved training organizations. In Michigan, our training qualifies doulas to join the Michigan Medicaid Doula Registry (only the training is required, not full certification).

The workshop includes all three elements doulas need for eventual certification with DONA International:

• intro to birth for doulas (like attending a childbirth education class)
• the birth doula workshop
• lactation for doulas (basics that a doula needs to know to support families)

Funders should also consider whether they'd like to fund the full certification process for those who move forward with their work, along with ongoing mentoring, billing support, and other considerations. (We've got a budget planning template for you!)

Hear from an attendee:

Jessica is a beautiful and passionate person. It was a privilege to have her as an instructor. I feel as if I was blessed to be trained by the best. Jessica was able to break down each section and provide realistic application and evidence based knowledge. She listened to our concerns and encouraged us where we had doubts or uncertainty. There were some hard things for us to talk about as Black women and she gave us space and acknowledged those times and displayed great empathy. I hope to be able to walk with the level of passion and knowledge she has. I am inspired to be my best doula self and I know that I will be from the training I received and the connections made during this training. It exceeded my expectations. I am so grateful that this training was provided in a much needed space. I feel seen, heard and that I belong. I am prepared and motivated to make change in our community.

- Evaluation comment, Ingham County Black Doula Cohort

Postpartum Doula Workshops

Postpartum doulas focus on supporting families in their homes in the three months after a baby arrives. In a typical visit, a postpartum doula might offer education on postpartum healing and newborn care, nurture, sleep respite, referrals, and practical household tasks like vacuuming or making a meal. This four-day training prepares doulas to expertly support families in the the fourth trimester.

As a DONA-approved postpartum doula workshop, it qualifies doulas to begin the postpartum certification process with DONA International. In states with Medicaid coverage for doulas, DONA International is generally on the list of approved training organizations. In Michigan, our training qualifies doulas to join the Michigan Medicaid Doula Registry (only the training is required, not full certification). Postpartum doulas are covered by Medicaid in the state of Michigan.

The workshop includes both elements doulas need for eventual certification with DONA International:

• the postpartum doula workshop
• lactation for doulas (basics that a doula needs to know to support families)

Lamaze childbirth educator seminars

Doulas make an amazing difference in births, but they are only one piece of the puzzle. Before doulas support people through the birth experience, childbirth educators teach pregnant parents and their support people how to prepare for a positive birth experience. Positive birth outcomes begin with great childbirth education. This three-day training prepares participants to support families in the classroom, or in their homes for private classes.

Similarly, doulas connect parents with trusted, evidence-based resources. Childbirth educators have a higher bar to meet — deeply learn the evidence about birth and present it in ways that learning science teaches us it will stick. This training is an engaging master class in how to teach families about birth.

The three-day Lamaze Childbirth Educator Seminar is the first step toward certification toward Lamaze International. In a grant proposal or program budget, you might also consider adding in the cost of purchasing the Lamaze Learning Guide Course and the Lamaze International exam (both required to certify). Ask us about our budget planning template, we're happy to help.

This is the Ingham County Black Doula Cohort. Ask us about why we think this is one of the best-designed grant-funded trainings we've supported. We'd love to help you design a model program too, incorporating best practices for training, launching and sustaining successful doulas.

A special add-on for Michigan doulas:

Our DONA International approved training program is approved by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to qualify doulas to bill Michigan Medicaid. Our lead trainer, Jessica English, serves on the MDHHS Doula Advisory Council. We've all thought deeply about what doulas need to succeed with Medicaid billing in Michigan — to be honest, it's been a big challenge!

As part of our sponsored doula trainings, we offer programs the option to add on a two-part webinar after the base training. This webinar walks doulas through the steps to get on the MDHHS Doula Registry as well as obtaining an NPI number and getting into the state's CHAMPS and SIGMA systems.

After the webinar the doulas will be ready to credential with and bill the health plans. We offer connections to billers who can help, or some programs build billing into their funding (such a great way to eliminate barriers give doulas a leg up on long-term success).

Our grant-funded and sponsored program partners

Here are some of the programs that have hired us to train doulas or childbirth educators:

• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

• Holland, Michigan Black Tulip Doulas

• Branch County Great Start Collaborative

• Grand Rapids African American Health Institute, Black Womb Workers

• Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition - Charlevoix, Emmet & N. Antrim Counties

• How You Birth Black Doula Initiative, Muskegon, Michigan

• Michigan Region 9 Perinatal Quality Initiative

• Ingham County Black Doula Cohort

• Sanilac County Great Start Collaborative, Region 6 Perinatal Quality Initiative

• Indiana Minority Health Coalition

• Perfecting Church, Detroit, Michigan

Another program sponsor shares her experience:

Working with Jessica and Krista, we were able to bring 23 new birth doulas and 20 postpartum doulas to our community. By bringing the trainers to our rural area, we were able to offer cohort-style training that created a unique community of support among birth workers. This training also allowed us to address the unique challenges and resources within our region. We just hit one year, and I'm happy to share that these doulas have supported 189 families in that short period of time!

- Savanah Cool, Director

Great Start Collaborative & Family Coalition Charlevoix, Emmet & Northern Antrim Counties

Evaluation comments from recent sponsored trainings:

"Brought it all to the table."

"Role modeling was great and sincere."

"Jessica was phenomenal. I feel prepared to take on my first client as a doula."

"Jessica did an excellent job of fine tuning the content to make culturally relevant and appropriate connections for our target audience."

"I simply love Jessica!! She radiates the most beautiful encouraging/nurturing energy. I appreciated the many adult learning principles she utilized throughout the training to help us all stay engaged and gain a deeper understanding of the content. Breaks were well planned and the appropriate length of time. I feel well prepared to take the next steps required for full certification."

"Jessica made the days so interesting a fun! I especially loved how often group exercises were worked in."

"Jessica is very knowledgeable, she provided fun and interactive ways to deliver content. It was fun. We watched videos, went through scenarios, participated in role play. It made the content easy to process, being broken down in smaller sections. The guest speakers were amazing and it was easy to engage. They were easy to relate to and I felt instant connection to what was said as well as what our job as doulas will look like. I am really pleased with the training and content and glad I was able to participate."

"I absolutely loved the training. I opened up and definitely learned that I need to work on my communications."

"There was a lot of evidence based information provided that I was able to go back and share with my daughter who has a two month old. I was excited about the things I learned and was in awe of how much useful information I was learning. There was so much I didn’t know and I am grateful I was able to learn through the information provided. There was a well rounded variety of tools used to provide us with the information. There were videos, presentations, group activities. It was well thought out and put together. I learned so much and feel confident moving on as a doula pursuing additional certifications."

"Jessica is very knowledgeable and teaches with humor. She is great with keeping students engaged and on task. I thoroughly enjoyed this class and learned so much! I feel very equipped to work as a birth doula."

"Straight forward, highly informative, knowledge was easy to consume. Jessica was amazing. Warming, welcoming and very personable while also being professional."

"I loved the group and independent work we did I really appreciate the hands on learning in the workshop I believe it built a very special bond between the doulas who participated. Jessica was amazing. I learned so much and feel so empowered to be the best doula I can be. I truly appreciate the opportunity to be taught by someone so knowledgeable and inspiring."

"So excited to start this journey and make Jessica proud!"

Meet our training team

Jessica English, lead trainer

BA, AdvCD/PCD/BDT(DONA), LCCE, FACCE
Jessica started her birth business as a childbirth educator in 2005. Today, she is also an advanced certified birth doula, postpartum doula, owner of Michigan's first and longest-running doula agency, and the owner and lead trainer at Heart Soul Birth Pros. She is a DONA approved birth doula trainer and a Lamaze program director and trainer. Jessica is actively involved in working with families, attending births and also teaching childbirth classes every Tuesday night. Hospitals and medical organizations often hire her to run specialty workshops for nurses, midwives and doctors, including hands-on labor support skills and the essentials of physiologic birth. She's a frequent speaker at state and national conferences. Jessica is a member of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Doula Advisory Council. She’s known for her passion, heartfelt connection, deep knowledge, and creative and highly interactive teaching.

Elon Geffrard, equity trainer

BS, CD(DONA), CLC, ICCE
Medical racism and disparate care impact health outcomes, and it’s important for doulas to understand our role in working toward equity. With a combination of recorded and live content, Elon Geffrard guides our doulas to a shared understanding of the core concepts of birth and health equity, as well as giving everyone a chance to explore their own identities. Black and brown doulas are lifted up in their unique role in addressing disparities, and white doulas are invited to go deeper in understanding the problem and how they can help too. Elon is a co-founder of Birth Detroit, Michigan's first Black-owned birth Center. She part of the Michigan Prison Doula Initiative and a former maternal health equity consultant with the Michigan Public Health Institute.

Krista Maltais, postpartum doula trainer

PDT/AdvPCD(DONA), ALC
Krista Maltais is an Advanced Certified Postpartum Doula (AdvPCD) and an Approved Postpartum Doula Trainer (PDT) through DONA International and an Advanced Lactation Consultant (ALC) through the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice. She earned her bachelor’s degree in family studies from the University of New Hampshire and has worked as an adjunct professor at Great Bay College in the Early Childhood Education Department. Krista began working as a postpartum doula in 2006 and now owns Relief - Parenting Respite & Resource Center. She has worked as a postpartum doula with newborns (including many multiples), siblings and parents in a variety of settings both in the United States and abroad. She has a strong background in parent-child attachment, family dynamics, growth and development as well as family support. Krista lives in Hampton, New Hampshire. She is the membership director of DONA International.

Shonte' Terhune Smith breastfeeding educator

Shonte' Terhune-Smith, lactation trainer

BS, IBCLC, CLS
Shonte’ Terhune-Smith is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and health educator. She is also a co-founder of Southeast Michigan IBCLCs of Color. Over the past 10 years, she has worked diligently in Genesee County to increase breastfeeding rates. She has worked in the hospital as a lactation intern and at various pediatric and obstetrician clinics, promoting and educating women about breastfeeding. She facilitates local support groups, works with community partners, provides doula services, and recently completed training to be a childbirth educator. Shonte' has worked with hundreds of families to provide education, support, and empowerment. She prides herself in caring, professional, efficient, and trustworthy care. Normalizing breastfeeding is her passion. Her goal is to provide care with cultural humility for all families. Shonte’ has breastfed her four children and understands that there can be struggles of breastfeeding, the importance of support, and how rewarding it is to overcome the struggles. She lives in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Shonte' and Jennifer Day alternate teaching "Lactation for Doulas" in our birth doula workshops.

Jennifer Day, lactation trainer

IBCLC, RLC, CLS, CLE
Jennifer Day is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, birth doula, and founder and owner of Feed the Babes LLC, where she offers in-home and clinic-based breastfeeding support. She also serves as the community building project manager for the Michigan Breastfeeding Network, and she is a founding member of the Southeast Michigan IBCLCs of Color. The mother of two happy, healthy, breastfed children, Jennifer has made it her life mission to disrupt the broken systems that plague families impacted by systemic racism and injustice. She is a dual Canadian and American citizen. She, her husband, and their two children live in Metro-Detroit, Michigan. Jennifer and Shonte' Terhune-Smith alternate teaching "Lactation for Doulas" in our birth doula workshops.

LET'S TALK ABOUT A TRAINING IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

To start the conversation, fill out the form below, email jessica@heartsoulbirthpros.com or call us at 269.598.1488. We'd love to connect!

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Sponsored and grant-funded trainings

If you want to arrange a grant-funded or sponsored training for doulas or childbirth educators, we're ready to support your organization's goals. Learn from our expertise and get the most from your grant or nonprofit dollars.