I too am interested in becoming a doula. I live in Sydney, Australia. Does anyone know of any training/certification programs here?

-- Kelly Carroll (kelmarley00@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002

Answers

Hi Kelly, I don't know of any training specifically in Australia (yet), but CAPPA offers a wonderful distance program that you may want to check into. (www.CAPPA.net)

Hope that helps! Kay

-- Kay Smith (kayms@swbell.net), January 31, 2002.

Hi Kelly, There is Doula training available in Sydney through Denise Love @ Life Options, Doula Express, training from her offices in Randwick. She would love to hear from you ! You can contact her through her website: Lifeoptions ( lifeoptions@bigpond.com ). You can also contact me if you want to chat about being doula. I have been training with Denise all of this year and working as a doula and now as a childbirth educator. The opportunities are now available to us in Sydney and the course can also be done by correspondence. Look forward to hearing from anyone who would like more info. or you can contact Denise. Darienne.

-- Darienne Boyd (jas.and.daz@bigpond.com.au), August 09, 2002.

There is also a doula training school on the Gold Coast in Queensland. You can do your training with them in a two-week residential intensive course followed by completion of a workbook by corrispondence. It's a really good course....they have a web site at: optimumbirth.com

-- Christine Vose (C.Vose@griffith.edu.au), February 26, 2003.

Kelly,

I am a tutor with Childbirth International. We are based in Singapore but provide doula and childbirth educator training by distance education for students around the world. I am originally from New Zealand but have lived in Australian and the UK for 10 years each. Been in Singapore for the past 5 years. I am currently studying my Bachelor Of Nursing Science by distance through James Cook University so have a pretty good understanding firsthand of the challenges of distance learning!

Take a look at our website and feel free to contact me if you would like any further information.

www.childbirthinternational.com

Nikki Macfarlane

-- Nikki Macfarlane (nikki@childbirthinternational.com), May 02, 2003.