Full Spectrum Doulas (and Aspiring Doulas): Start Here!

Written By BADT

Birthing Advocacy Doulas Trainings (aka BADT) is a liberation-focused organization and resource hub. Our offerings are designed to be socially conscious, culturally appropriate, diverse, and action-oriented. We create learning spaces and tools for doulas, aspiring doulas, and other careworkers– from our courses, to our free blogs, to live gatherings.

If you want to know more explore what “full spectrum” means and how you can be part of the Reproductive Justice movement, you are in the right place.

Note: This is a living document, meaning we will update and refresh it regularly. Check back, regularly and stay in touch with us via email and social media! This resource is not only for new or aspiring doulas. We suggest all birth workers browse the breadth of resources we have curated over the years, as many of these themes and conversations are not happening in mainstream, birthy-focused doula trainings.  

All About Full Spectrum Doula Work

Our cornerstone and inaugural training is our 12-week Full Spectrum Doula (FSD) Training. We offer this course live TWO times each year and have had the honor of working with thousands of birth workers each year since 2019.

We are proud to address a wide-range of topics, such that BADT-trained doulas are equipped to support folks and families through many stages and transitions.

Inclusive and Affirming Continuing Education Offerings

Across the years we have offered Continuing Education (CE) Courses that are not being offered elsewhere! We are committed to uplifting educators who are helping us expand and deepen the definition of doula work. In the past, we’ve offered Fertility and Conception, Birth and Disability, Queer and Trans Birth.

Refresh Your Doula Toolbox

Outside of our courses, we connect with our community through different avenues, including blog resources, our community app, and IRL gatherings. We are celebrating the diversity of skills our community contributes. No matter how long you’ve been in this work, there are ways to grow and transform, and we hope some of these tools can inspire and encourage you in your journey:

Racism and Privilege

Racism and privilege impact all levels of care and experiences for birthing people. BADT is a Black-owned organization that will always center the voices of BIPOC folks and families. Cultural competency and anti-racism is integrated into all of our offerings.

LGBTQIA+ Support and Celebration

Queerness is embedded into the culture and offerings at BADT, just as anti-racism is. That said, we are loud and proud about our queer and trans-centered offerings. Our courses and resources not only affirming LGBTQIA+ participants, but we are confident that folks in our community are gaining skills to best serve and care for the queer and trans birthing folks in their communities.

Lactation Education

Feeding a small human is a big experience, and folks need and deserve quality, informed, and inclusive support. BADT is passionate about birth workers having a strong foundation of lactation knowledge from which to serve their clients and communities.

Fertility and Trying to Conceive (TTC)

The journey of trying to conceive starts whenever a birthing says it starts, whether this is the first attempt at pregnancy or the first glimmer of the idea of birthing. Doula support for this tender and layered journey can be a beautiful tool for folks to access, and we are honored to help doulas gain training in this area.

Care for Abortion and Loss

Birth and death are so interconnected, and it’s imperative that the birth work community hold space for conversations about, experiences of, and care for losses, whether they are chosen or spontaneous. We integrate this conversation into our Full Spectrum Doula Training, Postpartum Doula Training, Abortion, and nearly every offering we have.

Trauma-Informed Care

Around here, trauma-informed is not just a buzzword. We prioritize teaching, learning, and practicing from a position of being with vs. having power over. Our participants and the clients they partner with are whole humans who have complex and interesting backgrounds, which we respect and seek to tend to.

Self and Community Care

Birth work is big work. Your relationships with yourself and your community must be tending to regularly. Self-care and community care practices will enable you to do this work in sustainable ways, allowing you to care for others while caring for yourself. Join us in this conversation in any of our classes, and explore these guides to support your process:

Biz Resources for Doulas

Not only do we want doulas to have the skills to provide quality, informed direct services, we also want you to have a thriving business. Caregivers provide invaluable services, and you deserve to be paid well for it. Our 12-week trainings always have business strategy components, ensuring that participants leave with concrete next steps to get their businesses up and running or running even smoother. 

Are You A Birthing Person Seeking Support?

If you’ve arrived here because you are seeking support, great! We are here for you! There are a number of blogs written directly to and for birthing people. Additionally, we have a directory with over 1,000 active members.

We are so glad you are here! Co-creating this space with our community is an honor. We hope to stay connected and see you soon.

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Liberation Centered Lactation Care