Be the support families need and remember.

Become a CAPPA Certified Postpartum Doula (CPD)

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Upcoming Live Training Dates

CPD Certification Course (LIVE VIRTUAL - February 21-22, 2026)

CPD Certification Course (LIVE VIRTUAL - March 7-8, 2026)

CPD Certification Course (LIVE VIRTUAL - March 21-22, 2026)

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About Postpartum Doulas

The CPD training program is designed to train and certify professionals to work with families during the postpartum period, offering emotional, physical, and evidence-based informational support, along with encouragement, education, and referrals as needed.

Postpartum Doulas can be found working in private practice, cooperatives, agencies, and community-based programs, as well as supporting families in home and community settings.

CAPPA Postpartum Doulas:

Provide non-biased emotional, physical, and informational support during the postpartum period.
Encourage the family to seek care that reflects their values and needs.
Model and teach effective communication.
Encourage informed decision-making.
Support physical and emotional healing.
Provide information on care options and resources
Model infant care.
Encourage the family to make parenting choices that reflect their values and needs.
Support and assist with infant feeding.
Educate the family on newborn care and characteristics.
Educate families how to maximize age appropriate infant sleep.
Provide support to the parents and extended family
Assist with household organization.
Provide resources when support requires a healthcare professional, clinical assessment, a need for prescription, or medical diagnosis.

CAPPA Postpartum Doulas:

Provide non-biased emotional, physical, and informational support during the postpartum period.
Encourage the family to seek care that reflects their values and needs.
Model and teach effective communication.
Encourage informed decision-making.
Support physical and emotional healing.
Provide information on care options and resources
Model infant care.
Encourage the family to make parenting choices that reflect their values and needs.
Support and assist with infant feeding.
Educate the family on newborn care and characteristics.
Educate families how to maximize age appropriate infant sleep.
Provide support to the parents and extended family
Assist with household organization.
Provide resources when support requires a healthcare professional, clinical assessment, a need for prescription, or medical diagnosis.

Which Course is Right for You?

Live Training

This course is designed for students who choose to take a training class with approved Faculty. Training classes have in-person, virtual, and hybrid options!

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Traditional Training

This course is designed for students who choose to take a training class with approved Faculty. Training classes have in-person, virtual, and hybrid options!

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Dual/Transfer Training

This course is designed for students who choose to take a training class with approved Faculty. Training classes have in-person, virtual, and hybrid options!

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Online Distance Training

This course is designed for students who choose to take a training class with approved Faculty. Training classes have in-person, virtual, and hybrid options!

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The CAPPA Postpartum Doula is not a clinician and therefore does not:

Diagnose medical conditions
Interpret medical diagnoses or clinical results
Prescribe or administer treatment of medical conditions
Perform clinical procedures, including taking infant’s temperature or administering medications to infant or mother
Prescribe, perform, or provide alternative/complementary therapies including, but not limited to, essential oils, placenta medicine, herbal treatments, etc. without further training. These services must be provided separately from the role of the CAPPA certified professional.
Make parenting or infant care choices or decisions
Transport any family members
Stay alone with babies or other children routinely and for extended periods of time
Buckle infants or other children into cars or car seats or install car seats in cars
Teach a cry it out approach
Act as a housekeeper or nanny

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Training FAQs

Course Requirements

Be at least 18 years of age.
Attend a CAPPA Postpartum Doula training class.
Read selected books from the CAPPA Postpartum Doula Required Reading List.
Read the CAPPA Postpartum Doula Training Manual (received at training).
Complete all requirements below within 2 years of the training class.
Become a Member of CAPPA.
Enroll in the Postpartum Doula Traditional Course in CAPPA Academy and complete the items below.
- Pass the Scope of Practice Pretest. A 100% passing grade is required.
- Read and watch the video clips from the Postpartum Health & Baby Care Booklet (formerly Mother & New Baby Care).
- Read and watch the video clips from the Understanding Breastfeeding Booklet.
- Provide proof of current infant and child CPR certification through:
  - American Heart Association
  - The American Red Cross
  - The Canadian Red Cross (or their training partners)
  - ProTrainings, LLC.
  - St. John Ambulance
  - HSI
  - CPR class must have in-person manikin practice.
- To qualify for CAPPA Postpartum Doula certification, you must work for 3 families (within the first 4 months of postpartum) and receive evaluations from each.
  - Students can provide up to 2 families with virtual support and 1 family with in-person support. Or a student can provide 1 family with virtual support and 2 families with in-person support. Or a student can provide in-person support for all 3 families.
  - In-person support must be a minimum of 15 hours per family.
  - Virtual support must be a minimum of 5 hours per family.
  - Students are welcome to exceed the minimum hours of support to better serve the family; however, please keep in mind that we require at least 3 different families for evaluation.
- Obtain 2 letters of recommendation from either a certified childbirth educator, certified labor doula, midwife, OB, pediatrician, pediatric nurse practitioner, certified lactation consultant, certified lactation educator, or certified postpartum doula.
- Create a Resource List with information on local support for parents. A guide for creating this list is found in CAPPA Academy.
- Sign and agree to the following:
  - Code of Conduct
  - Social Media Policy
  - Grievance Policy
  - CAPPA Mission
  - CAPPA Approach
  - CAPPA Vision
  - Scope of Practice
- Pass the multiple-choice exam. A passing grade is 85% or higher. If a student does fail an exam, resubmission fees may apply.
- Pass the essay exam. The essay exam is graded on a pass-fail basis. If a student does fail an exam, resubmission fees may apply.

All Inclusive Course Investment $

Item	Price
Live Training Class	$1200.00
Annual Membership	$75.00 A $75.00 value, the first year of membership is included in training class fee.
CAPPA Certification Pathway	Included
Postpartum Doula Booklets Bundle	Included
Starting Total Cost**	$1200.00, not including cost of personal books