ProDoula Certified Trainer — SoCal Doulas
Doula training in California — and anywhere in the world
Train with Tayna Chessman — ProDoula certified trainer, practicing doula, and founder of SoCal Doulas. Labor doula and postpartum doula certification offered in-person and virtually. ProDoula certification is recognized by Medi-Cal and Carrot Fertility.
Your Trainer
A working doula who trains the next generation of birth professionals.
Tayna Chessman is a practicing birth and postpartum doula in Southern California, a ProDoula certified trainer, and a member of the ProDoula Training and Development team. She doesn't just teach doula work — she does it every week. That distinction matters when you're learning a hands-on profession from someone who is actively in the room with families.
ProDoula is one of the most recognized doula certification organizations in the country — approved by Medi-Cal and accepted by Carrot Fertility, which means your certification has immediate real-world value with real clients on day one. Tayna offers ProDoula's Labor Doula and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula programs — the two certifications that form the foundation of a working doula career — in-person in California and virtually for students anywhere in the world.
"When somebody types in 'doula training near me' in California, I want them to find a real trainer — someone they can actually talk to, who does this work every week, and who can walk them all the way through to their first client."
Tayna Chessman — ProDoula Trainer & Founder, SoCal Doulas
2026 Training Schedule
Upcoming training dates — register directly through ProDoula.
All trainings are two-day, 20-hour intensives. Virtual trainings are open to students anywhere in California, across the US, and internationally. In-person trainings are small-group format with direct access to your trainer. Register at the link below — new dates are added throughout the year.
Pacific Time
Additional dates added throughout the year. Virtual trainings are open to students in California, across the US, and internationally. Contact Tayna if you don't see a date that works.
Certification Programs
Two programs. Two distinct and essential doula careers.
Both programs are two-day, 20-hour intensives offered through ProDoula. Each includes a comprehensive training manual, business skills curriculum, and a streamlined 14-day certification pathway. They can be taken independently or together — most working doulas eventually complete both.
Labor Doula Training
A comprehensive two-day training that prepares you to support families throughout pregnancy, labor, and birth — with the clinical knowledge, comfort measure skills, advocacy tools, and business foundation needed to begin working with clients immediately.
Stages and phases of labor — what's happening and why
Comfort measures, positioning, and hands-on support techniques
Birth preference advocacy and hospital communication
Induction, epidural, cesarean, and VBAC birth support
Business essentials — contracts, pricing, and finding clients
14-day streamlined certification process after training
ProDoula membership and ongoing professional community
Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Training
A two-day training focused on the fourth trimester — supporting families through the physical, emotional, and practical demands of life with a new baby. Covers postpartum attunement, infant care, feeding support, and the business of a postpartum practice.
Postpartum physical and emotional recovery support
Newborn care — feeding, soothing, safe sleep, and routines
Breastfeeding and bottle feeding support
Postpartum mood disorders — recognition and referral
Overnight and daytime postpartum doula care models
Business essentials for postpartum practices
Approved for Carrot Fertility and Medi-Cal reimbursement
What Makes ProDoula Different
Built by working birth professionals — for working birth professionals.
01
Evidence-Based Curriculum
Updated training manuals built on current research, inclusive language, and the most up-to-date best practices in maternal and infant care.
02
Business Skills Built In
Every training includes a dedicated business curriculum — contracts, pricing, finding clients, and building a sustainable doula practice from day one.
03
Hands-On & Interactive
Discussion-based training with role play, hands-on practice, and real-world scenarios — you practice the skills, not just read about them.
04
Insurance-Recognized
ProDoula certification is accepted by Medi-Cal and Carrot Fertility — your credential has immediate real-world value with real clients from day one.
05
14-Day Certification
Complete your exam and receive your certification in approximately two weeks after training — not months. You're ready to work fast.
06
Ongoing Community
ProDoula membership includes a professional community, continuing education, advanced training, and a nationwide network of certified doulas.
"I could not have asked for a better instructor. The training was so fun, interactive, and simply amazing — I left feeling confident and prepared to start working with families immediately."
ProDoula Training Graduate — SoCal Doulas
After Certification
Join the SoCal Doulas team — or build your own practice.
Many graduates of Tayna's ProDoula trainings go on to join the SoCal Doulas team — working with Medi-Cal, Kaiser, IEHP, Health Net, and other insurance-covered clients throughout Southern California. Others build their own independent practices. ProDoula certification opens both paths.
Join SoCal Doulas
Get matched with insurance-covered clients, have all billing handled for you, and work with a team that has the infrastructure already built. Kaiser and United Healthcare available from day one.
Build Independently
ProDoula certification is recognized by Medi-Cal statewide — you can enroll as an independent provider and build your own practice anywhere in California.
Medi-Cal Recognized
Your ProDoula certification is approved under California's Medi-Cal doula benefit — meaning you can bill for covered services immediately after credentialing.
Carrot Fertility Approved
ProDoula is an approved certifying body for Carrot Fertility — serving families whose employers offer Carrot as a workplace benefit.
Common Questions About ProDoula Training
Do I need prior experience to take the training?
No prior experience is required for either the Labor Doula or Postpartum & Infant Care Doula training. ProDoula's curriculum is designed to take you from no background all the way through to working professionally with families. Many graduates come from nursing, social work, or education — but just as many start with no formal background in birth work at all. What matters is your commitment to showing up well for families.
How long does it take to get certified after training?
ProDoula offers a 14-day streamlined certification pathway. After completing your two-day training, you take ProDoula's certification exam through their online exam portal. Once you pass, you receive your certification — often within two weeks of your training date. This is significantly faster than many other programs, which can require months of documented births before granting certification.
Is ProDoula certification recognized for Medi-Cal in California?
Yes. ProDoula is an approved certifying body under California's Medi-Cal doula benefit. Once you complete your ProDoula certification and enroll as a Medi-Cal provider, you can immediately begin billing for doula services provided to Medi-Cal members throughout California. This is one of the most practical advantages of ProDoula certification — your credential has immediate real-world value with the largest payer in the state.
Can I take the training virtually if I'm outside Southern California?
Yes — the complete ProDoula training is available virtually for students anywhere in California, across the United States, and internationally. The virtual format covers the same 20-hour curriculum, the same business skills content, and leads to the same certification as the in-person training. Many students outside California choose virtual specifically to train with a California-based trainer who understands the Medi-Cal system and the local doula landscape.
Should I take labor doula training, postpartum, or both?
Labor doula work means being present at births — high-intensity, deeply rewarding, unpredictable hours. Postpartum doula work happens after the baby arrives — in-home visits, newborn care, more predictable scheduling. Many doulas are certified in both, which significantly expands the families you can serve and the income you can earn. If you're unsure, reach out — Tayna is happy to talk through what makes sense for you before you register.
Can I join the SoCal Doulas team after completing training?
Yes — graduates of Tayna's ProDoula trainings who complete their certification are welcome to apply to join the SoCal Doulas team. Working with SoCal Doulas means immediate access to insurance-covered clients through Medi-Cal, Kaiser, IEHP, and other plans, along with the support of an established team and billing infrastructure. You can also build your own independent practice — ProDoula certification opens both paths.
Ready to start your doula career?
Register directly through ProDoula for any of the upcoming dates above, or reach out to Tayna with questions about which program is right for you, the difference between formats, or what to expect after certification. No pressure — just a real conversation with your trainer.
Register for Training Ask Tayna a Question