How To Become a Doula in the UK
This work calls you - often after a powerful birth, a difficult one, or with a fire in your belly at how birth and maternity care feels right now. If you’ve found yourself searching ‘how to become a doula’ chances are something is stirring within you.
When I was a midwife so many women said ‘I wanted to do that’, but competition for places and jobs is fierce and midwives are at breaking point right now; but what about becoming a doula? Now that’s a real possibility…
Can anyone become a doula in the UK?
Yes.
There’s no legal regulation of doulas in the UK. You don’t need a qualification or certificate to call yourself a doula. Technically, anyone can become a doula without formal training. But doing some doula training can make all the difference in how you show up for this work and how successful and sustainable this work is for you.
Supporting pregnancy, birth, and the early postnatal period is responsible, emotionally demanding work. You are invited into intimate moments, complex family dynamics, and sometimes situations that challenge your confidence, boundaries, and beliefs. It is soul deep work.
How do you train as a doula?
A good training should inspire you such as:
Understanding the medicalised culture of birth - the Herstory
Learning how to support clients to navigate choices, policies, and power dynamics
Practise communication, boundaries, and advocacy
Explore your own birth story and beliefs
Connect & reflect with others walking this path
Choosing a Doula Course
A weekend course gives you a foundation. A longer course gives you a container for growth.
Your understanding deepens as you dive deeper into pregnancy and birth topics
Your confidence grows through reflection and discussion with your cohort
You have space to unpick myths, fears, and conditioning around birth
You’re supported as your identity shifts - you are ‘becoming a doula’.
This work changes you. You can be supporting a freebirth at home one month and then a caesarean the next. Rather than rushing to ‘qualify’, a slower training honours the seriousness of the role and the people you’ll be serving.
Holistic Doula Training
I want to support you to become a grounded, confident and thoughful birthkeeper. The course offers:
A strong foundation in physiological birth and holistic pregnancy support
A clear understanding of the UK maternity system
Deep exploration of presence, ethics, scope, and responsibility
Space for personal reflection and growth
Ongoing mentoring and relationship-based teaching
A community of others walking this path
Even after decades of experience in midwifery and as a doula, I am still learning. Birth work evolves. The maternity system is in crisis, this isn’t just a nice fluffy job - it’s the beginning of a lifelong relationship with learning, reflection, and humility, as we support women and birthing people through a transformative rite of passage.
If that excites you rather than intimidates you, you’re probably in the right place.
Thinking about becoming a doula?
If you’re feeling the pull towards this work, take your time.
Read widely. Speak to practising doulas. Notice what kind of doula or birthkeeper you’d want to be and find the training that matches YOU. Every client is unique and when you are able to be your authentic self you’ll draw the right clients to you and truly love what you do.
And if you’d like to explore my training or talk through whether it’s the right fit for you, you’re very welcome to reach out.
Trust me, this path asks a lot; but it gives back in ways that are hard to put into words.
