Having a student doula that is completing their required number of births for certification can be a great option for families looking for additional education and support that doulas bring to expecting families. However, Michelle cautions parents against paying a student doula for their certifying births—especially if they have little to no experience attending births or caring for postpartum families—at the same rate as a seasoned certified doula.

"A certifying doula has much to learn about birth itself; supporting families; advocating; attending births in different settings: hospitals, birth center, or home;  navigating horizontal violence; disparities and inequities in birth; secondary posttraumatic stress; pregnancy and infant loss; postpartum mood disorders; and doing their own self-work. It just isn't as easy as, 'Hey, I did my doula training, and even though I have attended 0, 1, 2, 3 births'... They can't bring the same value as someone that has been in this profession consistently and actively attending births or supporting families postpartum for 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 years. It just isn't possible."—Michelle Smith

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