The training draws on the centuries-old traditions of African and African-American midwives and healers, that kept us connected to physiological birth and the joys of service to birthing women and their families.

The fee for SMC's Full Circle Doula Companion online training course is currently $ 1,468. Our in-person training is $ 1,623.

For our online training courses only, you can pay the entire amount when you register or select from one of our payment plans and pay over time.

The following is included with your course:

• Exclusive SMC Doula Training Manual
• Weekly Live Zoom Session during the course where you can interact with instructors
• Resource List
  
• Certification Packet
• Membership in the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companions Private Facebook Group - for ongoing support towards certification and networking.

Yes, the training is fully online and includes two components. The first is the main curriculum component which you will work on independently each week during the course. The second component is our live lessons which take place each Wednesday during the duration of the course between 11AM and 2:30PM PT. If you are unable to attend a live session, they will be recorded. 

The live sessions are an important component as they provide students with the opportunity to interact and engage with instructors during the live session.

Separately, we do offer an in-person training option.

Shafia Monroe Consulting is the certifying agency.

Yes! Each Wednesday during the course, there will be live Zoom instruction that takes place between 11AM and 2:30PM PT. If you are unable to attend a live session, they will be recorded. 

Students will have the opportunity to interact and engage with instructors during the live session.

Each Wednesday during the course, there will be live Zoom instruction that takes place between 11AM and 2:30PM PT. If you are unable to attend a live session, they will be recorded. 

We currently do not offer financial aid or scholarships, however, for our online training, we do offer payment plans that can help you spread out the course fees over 2, 3, or 4 weeks.

For our online instruction, each course is four (4) weeks in duration:

Week One: Orientation, Doulas, Midwives and You

Week Two: Pregnancy, Nutrition, Herbs, and Birth Visions

Week Three: Labor, Comfort, and Black Birth Traditions

Week Four: Postpartum Care, Newborns & Business Development

Each Wednesday during the course, there will be live Zoom instruction that takes place between 11AM and 2:30PM PT. If you are unable to attend a live session, they will be recorded. 

Students will have the opportunity to interact and engage with instructors during the live session.

The course does need to be completed within the four (4) week course session.

In addition to your instructors and your fellow trainees who you will interact with, we have Student Services Professionals available seven (7) days a week if you ever need any assistance with your training or our Learning Management System.

You can reach our Student Services Help Desk here.

The course must be completed with the four (4) week course timeframe.

SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training does accept certain online certification requirements such as audits, CPR training, and labor and birth doula support, when a hospital only allows one person with a laboring client.

Your manual will be mailed to the address you used when you registered for the course. You should expect the manual to arrive approximately ten (10) days from when you register to the course. An online version of the manual is also available to you to access during the course. 

You can learn more here.

You will be able to access the course and training materials approximately three (3) days prior to the first day of the course.

SMC Full Circle Doula Philosophy, an abstract by Shafia Monroe Download PDF — 10-pages

The Doula Guide to Birth, by Ananda Lowe and Rachel Zimmerman

Listen to Me Good, Life Story of an Alabama Midwife, by Margaret Charles Smith and Linda Janet Holmes

These materials are available on Amazon or possibly through your local library. 

No. The courses are not transferrable. 

Yes! 

Instructors are SMC Certified Trainers who are veteran doulas and midwives. You can learn more here.

Registration closes one-week before first day of class.

You can register for any open course.

1.         Attend three (3) births.

2.         Attend three (3) postpartum visits.

3.         Audit two (2) hours of a breastfeeding workshop

4.         Audit four (4) hours of childbirth education series.

5.         Receive an Infant and adult CPR card.

6.         Earn a Food Handlers Card

7.         Complete five (5)  book reports from the SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Book List

8.         Create a list of 25 perinatal resources - 15 from your local area/state and 10 nationwide. 

9.         Payment of $100.00 along with a completed Certification Form. 

If you paid your course fees online, your email confirmation is your receipt. If you paid by check, your cancelled check (or image sent by your bank) is your receipt. We do not send any separate  other acknowledgment of payment.