Community Birth Worker Training
Our Community Birth Work training is a comprehensive, culturally grounded program that prepares individuals to provide compassionate and knowledgeable support to birthing people and their families within their communities. Rooted in the principles of reproductive and birth justice, this training centers the lived experiences of Black women and birthing people. It emphasizes the social, structural, and emotional realities that shape perinatal health.
Participants gain a deep understanding of pregnancy, labor, birth, postpartum wellness, lactation, and newborn care while exploring the broader cultural, social, and economic factors that influence maternal health outcomes. The curriculum integrates both the science of perinatal health and the art of community-based care, ensuring that participants are equipped to serve families with dignity, respect, and cultural humility.
Throughout the program, learners engage in hands-on, experiential activities, including workshops, simulations, community-based learning, and guided practice, to build essential skills in childbirth education, labor and postpartum support, advocacy, resource navigation, and effective communication. This holistic approach enhances community capacity and equips birth workers to support families with empathy, competence, and confidence.
Applications have closed for the May 2026 training.
How is Mamatoto’s training different from others?
Mamatoto Village’s training stands apart from other birth worker programs by offering a deeply comprehensive, justice-centered learning experience. Participants are grounded in the principles of reproductive justice, birth justice, and community-based perinatal support, and they learn directly from experienced maternal health professionals and seasoned birth workers who are actively serving families.
Unlike traditional doula trainings, our program does not prepare you to become just a doula, but instead provides you with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to offer culturally aligned birth support, health education, and informed guidance to the people in your community. Our focus is on strengthening community capacity, advancing equity, and ensuring that families receive compassionate, knowledgeable support throughout the perinatal period.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Community Birth Worker (CBW) Training comprises 63 total in-class learning hours, combining foundational instruction with interactive, experiential learning. Participants engage in role-plays, hands-on skill development, guided discussions, lectures, and reflective exercises that strengthen both practical skills and core understanding.
This training provides a comprehensive introduction to community-based perinatal support, grounded in culturally aligned, trauma-informed, and justice-centered care. Core topics include (but are not limited to):
- Maternal Health, Reproductive Justice, and Birth Justice
- Anatomy and Physiology of Pregnancy and Birth
- Comfort Measures and Labor Support
- The Postpartum Period and Newborn Care
- Basic Lactation Management
- Complications and Interventions Across the Perinatal Period
- Contraception Counseling and Fertility Awareness
Mamatoto Village is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all participants. We recognize that each learner has unique needs and learning styles, and we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to support full participation in our training programs.
Participants may request accommodations such as:
- Extended time on quizzes or assessments
- Options for taking notes in a variety of ways (digital, handwritten, or assisted)
- Access to recordings or supplemental materials for review
- Additional learning supports upon request
If you require accommodations to support your participation, please let us know during registration or contact our team directly. We encourage open communication and will work with you to identify supports that meet your individual needs.
While we strive to accommodate all requests, not every request can be guaranteed. We will review each request individually and work collaboratively with participants to identify reasonable and feasible solutions within the scope of our program.
We are deeply committed to helping each trainee reach their fullest potential, so that you, in turn, can uplift and empower the families and communities you serve.
Trainees in the DC Metro area who successfully complete the Community Birth Worker Training (CBWT) are eligible to:
- Apply for employment opportunities with Mamatoto Village; or
- Receive personalized support in securing a local community placement that aligns with their professional goals and interests.
Upon completion, trainees are qualified to pursue certification as Certified Community Birth Workers (CBWs).
Email our workforce team at training@mamatotovillage.org.