PLEASE NOTE: This course is designed for practising doulas. This course will not make you a doula.
Certified Sensitive DOULA Course
Finally! A proven, time-tested and evidence-based, supportive way to become a confident & sensitive doula.
What is the Sensitive Doula Way Approach?
It's a certification course that we've created to explore 'The Sensitive Doula Way' for doula to fully understand and support the incredible ability of every woman to conceive, grow, birth and raise a healthy baby.
If you want to...
Get back in the driver's seat of your life by practising the real 'Sensitive Doula Way'
Get the training & support you need to excel in your career
Discover how to become a Confident Sensitive Doula today
Then this course is for you!
Everything you need, all in one place.
The Certified Sensitive Doula Course is delivered digitally over 5 months, starting in early July 2026 and ending in late November 2026.
Digitally delivered content, access it on any device with internet
Live lecture and Q&A sessions on Zoom
No student left behind! Get all the support you need
Module 1
Holistic pre-conceptual and antenatal education, care, and risk detection and management
Module 1 introduces the Certified Sensitive Doula course, covering the doula's competencies, sensitive practice standards, and a holistic approach to care.
It explores the anatomy and physiology of pregnancy, the doula's role in advocacy, trust-building, and antenatal care, and how to provide support for common pregnancy issues.
Module 2
An in-depth study of physiological labour and birth, and risk detection and management
Module 2 focuses on the foundations and evidence for physiological birth, doulas’ roles in woman-centred care, and the benefits of physiological birth for mother, baby, and society.
It covers the stages of labour, including monitoring, and highlights the importance of individualised care, the microbiome, and the risks of non-physiological birth methods.
Module 3
Midwifery management of adverse events and complications during pregnancy, labour and birth
(up to six hours post-birth)
Module 3 covers midwifery approaches to complications and adverse events, including preterm and post-term labour, medical pain relief side effects, and slow labour progress. It addresses the Ps of labour, managing non-standard positions, detecting fetal distress, and techniques for handling complicated births.
Module 3 also includes safe practices for VBAC, preventing and treating PPH, neonatal resuscitation, early breastfeeding after complications, and supporting mothers after difficult births or loss.
Module 4
Holistic postnatal mother and baby hospital and home care, breastfeeding support, and risk detection and management
(from six hours to six weeks post-birth)
Module 4 focuses on evidence-based approaches to optimise mother and infant outcomes, including natural postnatal care and successful breastfeeding initiation. It covers key insights about newborn care, such as physiological jaundice, skin care, and common ailments.
Module 4 also explores emotional and physical development, baby sleep, digestive health, and managing issues like colic and reflux. It concludes with strategies for supporting maternal recovery, bonding after C-section, and addressing early postnatal challenges like 'baby blues.'
Module 5
Holistic education, support and care of the mother and baby
(from six weeks to six months post-birth)
Module 5 focuses on sensitive care’s long-term impact, covering baby development from six weeks to six months, sleep patterns, and common issues. It provides advice on managing digestive disorders, excess mucus, and skin conditions.
Module 5 also addresses teething, continued breastfeeding, and the transition to weaning, while supporting mothers’ adjustment to motherhood. It explores family dynamics, relationship challenges, risk detection, and signs of shaken baby syndrome, along with understanding tactile defensiveness and baby massage.
And it gets better, because you're getting these bonuses!
Bonus #1: The Sensitive Doula Manual (Value: R10,000+)
An amazing resource you can keep for life!
A combination of both the older research plus new research, this manual is time-tested with easy to find answers for 6 months, a year, or whatever down the line.
It really is priceless due to the depth and breadth of the information. It's Sister Lilian's whole life experience and Sensitive Midwifery's IP together with a midwife specialist's experience, all mixed with time-tested old and new research.
Bonus #2: Practical Handouts for Moms (Value: R3,000)
Saves you time from explaining, equips and empowers the moms, and grows the trust.
Warning Signs in Pregnancy
Perineal Massage
Nursery Needs
Pregnancy Nutrition
Birth Bag Basics
Sample Birth Plan
Latching Tips
Gentle Weaning Programme
Bonus #3: Personalised Coaching (Value: R20,000)
This will be an hour LIVE Q&A session on Zoom for each module.
So you can get your questions answered live, or if you can't make the live calls, you can pre-submit your questions and watch the replay in the Academy.
What other Certified Sensitive Midwives have to say:
It was incredibly enriching and empowering for a midwife from a medical background. It makes me want to shout out about how to be a natural birth midwife from the rooftops! I didn't really feel I had a place as a midwife, and for me, this course has created a safe, normal place for women and midwives.
– Juantia Mackenzie
I can now say, as Manager of the Eastern Cape's Maternal and Child Health programme, that becoming a Certified Sensitive Midwife is the right way to prevent complications and embrace a midwife's real role. If she does this course, she won't need to become an Advanced Midwife! I feel so empowered and ready to take this knowledge to my community when I leave public service in the near future.
– Nondi Gaba
Even as an Independent Midwife, this course taught me that the calmer the mom, the better the birth; the more respected the mother-baby postpartum bonding time, the better the postnatal adjustment will be. While I monitor and support her, I can now confidently step back and let her experience unfold.
– Michelle van der Westhuizen
The course imparted 20-30 years of Sister Lilian's wisdom, and gave me trust in natural birth, in women being built for it. I now trust that getting back to basics and making the meaning of 'midwife' – with woman – central is what is important, even as a direct-entry trained Dutch midwife. If you want to know more about real midwifery, register for this course.
– Else Vooijs
What doulas really need more than anything else, is to truly understand and know how to facilitate natural, normal birthing,
the Sensitive Doula Way!
Your purchase is 100% protected by our money-back guarantee
If, for any reason, or no reason at all, you are not 100% delighted with the training...
...if you're not totally thrilled with this proven time-tested, evidence-based supportive Sensitive Doula Way Approach
...if you don't see how it leaves you feeling positive, taking consistent action, and facilitating change in an effortless way all around you...
...then simply shoot us an email for a rapid, no hassle, no questions asked 100% refund.
Registration
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a qualified Doula to take this course?
Yes! This course is designed for qualified doula, and we will be building on the base knowledge you already have. It will deal with all those matters you don't find in the textbooks.
When does this course start and how long will it take to complete?
The first lecture is on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, from 7-8pm. The course will end in late November 2026.
What if I can’t pay everything at once?
We understand that it might be a stretch to pay the full tuition fee in one payment, which is why we have made a convenient payment plan available to you.
What if I can't attend the live sessions?
Recordings of all the live lectures and Q&A sessions will be made available inside our Academy platform, should you miss any of the live sessions or want to brush up on a topic at a later stage.
Can I do the course at my own time and or pace?
Yes, of course. All the lesson replays and course downloads will be available in the Academy.
We do, however, recommend that you do the course live with us, as that will be how you will get the most value from it. However, if that is not possible for you, you can definitely do the course at your own pace, and you can still become certified once completed.
Will there be any homework or assignments?
Yes! There will be a monthly assignment for you to do. If you have submitted all of them satisfactorily, you will be a Certified Sensitive Doula by the end of the journey!
Will I get a Certification at the end of the course?
If you complete all the assignments... YES, you will become a Certified Sensitive Doula and will get a certificate as well as 15 Sensitive Midwifery Points. Sensitive Midwifery Academy is in the process of seeking registration as a CPD provider. In the meantime, the Academy has an internal evaluation system for earning ongoing Sensitive Midwifery points (SMPs), which we record and keep track of, and provide certification for.
Can I pay via EFT/bank transfer?
Yes! Simply send an email to [email protected], and we'll send over the details.
Is there a guarantee?
Absolutely! Your purchase is 100% protected by our 30-day money-back guarantee. Take a full 30 days to see if it's right for you. If, for any reason, you are not delighted with this proven time-tested, evidence-based supportive Sensitive Doula Way Approach, then simply send us an email for a rapid, no hassle, no questions asked refund.
What if I have technical challenges?
The only thing you need is a device (phone, laptop or desktop) that connects to the internet, and Zoom (which you can download for free). That's it! If there is anything that you are stuck on during the course, just let us know. We've not been stumped yet!
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