Accessible & Affordable Certification Requirements

At Awakened Doula Health Network, we believe that certification should be both accessible and affordable. To make this possible, you are welcome to obtain your required reading materials in any way that works best for you—whether purchasing new or used, borrowing from your local library, or even from another Awakened Doula. Many titles are also available as audiobooks, so you can listen if you prefer.

There is no requirement to bring your books to the training, and we do not require book reports or exams.

Required Reading List

Amis, D., & Green, J. (2018). Prepared Childbirth: The Educator’s Guide (13th ed.). The Family Way Publications, Inc.

Bennett, S., & Indman, P. (2015). Beyond the Blues (4th rev. ed.). San Jose: Moodswings Press.

Simkin, P., Hanson, L., & Ancheta, R. (2017). The Labor Progress Handbook: Early Interventions to Prevent and Treat Dystocia (4th ed.). Danvers, MA: Wiley Blackwell.

Simkin, P., Whalley, J., Keppler, A., Durham, J., & Bolding, A. (2016). Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn: The Complete Guide (5th ed.). NY: Meadowbrook Press.

No Need to Find Your Own Classes

When you register, you’ll receive:

5 Video Lessons – Complete Childbirth Class
1 Video Lesson – Infant Feeding Class
Guided Meditations for pregnancy and birth
Awaken the Doula Within Journal – Reflection questions to help you process and apply what you are learning to your birth practice.

Book Costs

The total cost of your books will depend on how you source them. Purchasing used or audiobook versions may reduce the cost significantly, and borrowing them can make them completely free.

In addition to the required reading, we recommend, but it’s not required to keep the following reference books in your doula toolkit to help answer future client questions:

Optimal Care in Childbirth– Henci Goer
Breastfeeding Made Simple– Kathleen Kendall-Tackett & Nancy Mohrbacher

Optional Additions to Your Resource Library:

Birth Ambassadors – Christine H. Morton & Elayne Clift

Community Support for New Families – Jane I. Honikman

Cut It Out – Theresa Morris

Mothering the New Mother – Sally Placksin

Precertification Timeframe

The time needed to complete precertification varies based on your schedule and prior experience. On average, most participants finish within 2 weeks to 2 months.

If you register close to the training date and are unable to finish your precertification work at least one week prior, you can request an extension, which provides an additional month after training to complete your requirements.

If you experience difficulty locating any required reading materials, please contact us. We are here to help.