​We provide training and support for doulas to enable them to help women have calmer, easier labors so they can enter motherhood with confidence.

Serving Central New Jersey -

Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean

counties and surrounding areas




​​​​​​​​​​​Have you thought about

becoming a birth doula?  

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​​​                                                                                                                                                                                                                     As you start on the path to becoming a DONA certified doula, our New Jersey doula training will give you the support and structure of DONA International, the premier doula organization in the world, combined with the personal support and followup from Your Best Birth. We work with our students to help them through the certification process and provide continuing support long after the workshop ends. 



Q. There are many organizations & workshops offering doula training. Why should I take a DONA Workshop?

DONA International was established 30 years ago and is the original doula certifying organization, having certified over 8,500 doulas to date.  Unlike some newer organizations, this one has proven "staying power".  You can be sure that your certification will stay relevant and grounded in a well established organization.  As such, it is widely recognized and respected for its professionalism.  Its in-depth certification process ensures that a DONA certified doula is well prepared to offer clients the best possible support and service.  DONA's Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics provide a framework for DONA doulas to practice in, allowing them to maintain healthy boundaries with both their clients and the medical community.  A DONA International membership includes a subscription to the quarterly publication "The International Doula" magazine as well as plenty of continuing education opportunities.  DONA hosts an annual conference as well, where you can meet and network with hundreds of doulas from around the world.


Q. Why take THIS particular workshop? What is the cost?

Our workshop includes many extras that other doula trainings don't include, including:


  • 150+ page binder
  • Snacks and beverages provided all three days​
  • Keepsakes to encourage and support you
  • Items to start building your birthbag
  • A clear plan for what to do next to get your business started
  • Private Facebook community
  • A 50 minute video of doula business and marketing tips 
  • Doula get-togethers
  • Continuing support and information from Jessica and Dorothy
  • Complementary review of completed certification packet​


The cost for all three days, including everything listed above, is $550, an investment you can make back in one birth.  A non-refundable deposit is needed to hold your spot with the balance due three weeks before the training date.


Q. Who are the instructors for this workshop?

Dorothy Haines and Jessica Koester co-teach this workshop. We have each been certified through DONA for over 18 years and have a combined total of almost 500 births attended. We've also trained over 300 doulas.   We've been co-teaching together for over 14 years and have worked hard to develop a teaching style that is interactive, dynamic, fun, and memorable.  As both teachers and doulas, we love what we do and are so excited to help others on this journey.  Professionally, we are well-respected in the birth community and receive many of our own referrals from local midwives and doctors as well as past students and clients.


Q.  Where is this workshop being held?

We consider ourselves very fortunate to have found a local place in East Brunswick for holding our workshops at The Days Inn Conference Center.   Our location is a welcoming space, in an environment conducive to learning. The room is big enough for us to demonstrate and practice hands-on skills and also be able to be seat students six feet apart.


Q.  What will I learn in this workshop?  How did you develop your curriculum?

In addition to having been personally trained by DONA founder and author Penny Simkin, who has supported women as a birth doula for over 50 years, we have had the privilege of participating and observing three additional DONA doula trainings.  We have developed our curriculum to to reflect the very best of these trainings.  We want our students to come away feeling prepared and confident to support women and their partners.  You will leave our workshop with knowledge of how to use what you've learned at the births you attend.  


In our three day workshop you will learn:


  • How to provide the three types of support that doulas offer - informational, emotional, and physical support
  • Hands-on techniques for supporting a laboring client throughout the various stages of labor
  • How to work with the birth ball throughout the different stages of labor
  • The role of the doula in cesarean and medicated births
  • Meeting with the client - the interview, prenatal visits, and postpartum visits
  • The process of certification with DONA
  • The basics of starting your doula business 
  • Immediate postpartum - the newborn and breastfeeding
  • Communication skills
  • Doula ethics and DONA standards of practice​

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If you're thinking of starting your career as a birth doula or interested in exploring the option of becoming a birth doula, please join us. Each day the training will start at 8 AM and end at 5.45 PM.

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For more information about our workshop, email us at doulatraining@yourbestbirth.org  ​



For more information about the DONA certification process, go to Become a Birth Doula – Certification (dona.org)​