One of the most common questions I hear is: “What actually happens in doula training?” People imagine it’s all about birth plans and breathing techniques, but there’s so much more to it. Training as a doula is not only about supporting others, it’s also about transformation for yourself.

Here’s what you can expect when you train with Abuela Doulas.

1. Learning the Physiology of Birth

We start with the basics: understanding the body’s wisdom in pregnancy, labour, and birth. You’ll learn what’s happening physiologically so that you can explain, reassure, and support families with confidence.

But it’s not about memorising textbooks. It’s about noticing how instinct, trust, and environment play a role. A big part of doula training is remembering that the body already knows how to give birth and that your role is to support, not control.

2. Building Emotional, Practical, and Advocacy Skills

Doulas hold space in many different ways. Sometimes that’s a hand to squeeze, sometimes it’s practical help at home, sometimes it’s speaking up when a family isn’t being heard.

In training, you’ll practise these skills:

• How to listen deeply without rushing to fix.
• How to provide grounded, practical support before and after birth.
• How to advocate with integrity, alongside the parents’ own voices.

We talk honestly about what advocacy looks like not fighting battles for people, but ensuring they are seen, heard, and respected.

3. Making Space for Reflection

Doula work isn’t only outward-facing. It begins with you. During training, you’ll be invited to reflect on your own experiences, assumptions, and history.

For some, that means unravelling birth stories. For others, it’s recognising patterns of silence, doubt, or strength. This reflective work is part of what makes Abuela Doulas unique: we believe you can’t hold space for others unless you are learning to hold space for yourself.

4. After the Course Ends

Training doesn’t finish the day the course closes. Becoming a doula is a process; one that unfolds with each client, each birth, each reflection.

At Abuela Doulas, you’ll be connected to mentorship, peer support, and ongoing training opportunities. That way, you’re not stepping out alone, but with a community at your back.

Doula training is more than a set of skills. It’s a journey that calls you to be present, grounded, and real. It prepares you to stand alongside families in one of the most powerful moments of their lives and to do so with compassion and courage.

If you’re ready to explore what this path might look like for you, learn more about Abuela Doulas training here