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Curriculum

A Comprehensive Education
for Real-World Birth Support.

12 comprehensive modules (~66 lessons) covering the entire birth journey, pregnancy through postpartum.

Evidence-based education

Rooted in the latest research and best practices.

Live weekly guidance

Learn with Irene and your cohort on weekly Zoom calls.

Practical training

Build real skills through workshops and supervised births.

Business-in-a-Box support

Step into your career with tools, templates, and guidance.

Certification through Kindled

Graduate with a respected credential from Kindled Doula Academy.

What you will study

Inside the
12-Module Curriculum.

"Full-spectrum" means you're trained to support families through the entire journey: pregnancy, labor and birth, AND the postpartum weeks — not just the day of delivery. You'll graduate ready to serve as a birth doula, a postpartum doula, or both.

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The Soul of a Doula: Foundations, Ethics & Scope

Who a doula is (and isn't), your scope of practice, the ethical "guardrails" that protect you and your clients, the art of presence and intuition (Nunchi), communication, and decision-making tools like BRAIN.

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Pregnancy

Anatomy and physiology of pregnancy and labor, nutrition, the stages of labor and what drives them, fetal positioning (Spinning Babies), and how to support your client through prenatal visits.

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The Comfort Toolkit

Sensory architecture (building a calm birth space), positioning and movement, comfort measures and massage, pain-management options, and the comfort tools you'll use in every birth.

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Advocacy

How to amplify your client's voice (without overstepping), support the partner, communicate calmly with the medical team, and navigate hard moments as a steady, non-adversarial bridge.

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Radical Inclusivity

Cultural humility, anti-racism in birth work, trauma-informed care, and serving every family — across every background, identity, and story — with equity and respect.

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The Fourth Trimester & Ancestral Care

The Golden Hour, postpartum recovery, ancestral traditions of care (including sanhujori / "sitting the month"), warning signs, and holding families through loss.

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The Newborn

APGAR, newborn procedures, feeding support (breast and bottle), safe sleep, and the warning signs every doula must know.

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Perinatal Mental Health

Recognizing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs — 1 in 5 mothers), supporting through emergencies, and holding families through grief and loss.

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The Art of the Postpartum Doula

The postpartum doula's role, the intake, presence, collaborative newborn care, "mothering the mother," and winding down with grace.

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Business in a Box

Becoming legit (LLC, EIN, NPI), HIPAA and insurance, contracts, building your referral network, branding and first impressions, and mastering the discovery call.

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The Sustained Doula

Boundaries, backup systems, running your practice like a CEO, and protecting your own wellbeing so you can do this work for the long haul.

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Mastery & Certification

Consolidating everything you've learned, your mastery exam, how to keep learning and stay certified, and a meaningful closing ritual as you step into your calling.

Inside the program

What
You Get.

  1. 01

    12 comprehensive modules

    ~66 lessons covering the entire birth journey, pregnancy through postpartum.

  2. 02

    Instructor-led video lessons

    With clear, practical teaching.

  3. 03

    Downloadable handouts

    Worksheets, study guides, and scripts for every stage of client care.

  4. 04

    A complete "Business in a Box"

    Contracts, templates, pricing guidance, a client tracker, and marketing tools to launch your practice.

  5. 05

    Hands-on mentorship from Irene

    A veteran certified doula, licensed mental health counselor, educator, and community advocate.

  6. 06

    Supervised, real-world client experience

    Toward your certification.

  7. 07

    A rigorous mastery exam + skills check-off

    That make your credential meaningful.

  8. 08

    Your official certificate and doula ID card

    Upon certification.

  9. 09

    A warm community

    Of fellow Kindled doulas.

  10. 10

    A clear path to stay certified

    And keep growing throughout your career.

What you graduate ready to do

Step Into Your Calling
With Confidence.

By the end of the program, you will be prepared to:

Provide compassionate, evidence-based birth and postpartum support

Communicate effectively with families and healthcare providers

Confidently support a wide range of birth settings and family needs

Use practical tools and techniques with skill and intuition

Build and grow a sustainable doula business with Business in a Box

Serve with cultural humility and inclusivity

Navigate challenging situations with confidence and professionalism

Graduate with a Kindled certification and join a lifelong network of support

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women learning together in a bright classroom
More than an education

Join a Community
That Believes in You.

Kindled is more than a training program — it's a movement of heart-centered, purpose-driven women transforming maternity care together. Learn, grow, and graduate as part of a supportive community committed to better birth experiences for all.