DONA International Birth Doula Certification Reading List

Libby and Hoopla both let you borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free with a library card. Most of the titles on this list are in their catalogs. If your card doesn't currently work with Libby or Hoopla, ask your librarian about a digital card.

Your local doula collective, your training cohort, or your doula mentor likely owns half of these already. Ask. Most of us are happy to lend, and many trainers keep a small lending library specifically for students working toward certification.

If a title is available as an audiobook (marked with the audiobook tag below) or as an ebook, you can read or listen on any device. The DONA reading requirements don't specify print, so use whichever format fits your life.

Everand (formerly Scribd) gives you a 30-day free trial when you sign up through their website. During the trial you have access to their full ebook and audiobook catalog. Cancel before the 30 days are up and you won't be charged. A focused month here can cover a good chunk of this reading list.

Find this in your Birth Doula Workshop Manual or in the DONA Resource Library.

Available in the same Resource Library above.

The foundational text for labor support. If you only buy one book on this list, this is it. You'll use it long after certification.

A thorough, accessible pregnancy reference written for a Canadian audience but useful anywhere.

One of the earliest pregnancy guides written specifically for Black birthing people. Still relevant for the cultural and medical context it provides.

A textbook-style reference I keep on my own shelf. Use this if you want the most detail.

A cross-cultural look at how birth practices differ around the world.

An essential read on the history of Black midwifery in the American South.

A memoir on pregnancy, birth, and chestfeeding as a transgender father. Important reading for doulas serving LGBTQ+ families.

A collection of perspectives on pregnancy and birth among Indigenous communities, primarily in Canada.

Real stories of same-sex couples navigating the path to parenthood.

A landmark text on the history of how Black women's reproductive lives have been controlled in the United States. Read this one slowly.

A beautifully designed, holistic guide that pairs well with my training style.

Practical strategies for clients who want a low-intervention birth in a hospital setting.

Evidence-based breakdown of pain management options. A favorite for clients who like data.

About vulnerability and showing up fully in your work. Good for doulas building their practice.

Useful if you're building a nonprofit doula program or looking for funding.

Great pricing and positioning book for service-based businesses like doula work.

About aligning your career with your values. Worth reading if you're early in your business.

Helpful framing for doulas who are pivoting careers or stacking related work.

One of the original doula texts. Helpful for understanding where our profession came from.

Sociological look at the modern doula movement.

Available as a free PDF download from amnesty.org.

A readable history of birth practices across centuries.

On Indigenous birthing knowledge and healing traditions.

Historical account of how gynecology was built on the backs of enslaved Black women.

A look at the systemic obstacles to breastfeeding in the United States.

Practical framework for inclusive leadership that applies to doula collectives and trainings.

For white doulas doing the foundational work of understanding their own racial location.

An approachable, direct entry point for talking honestly about race.

A Black physician's memoir about racism in medicine. Required reading for anyone supporting Black birthing families.

Culturally specific lactation guide. Pair with newer evidence on your own.

Focuses on the early weeks of feeding, which is where doulas often field the most questions.

Practical handbook I recommend often.

First-person stories of Black families and their feeding experiences.

A foundational text from two of the most trusted names in lactation.

An honest look at the realities of the first weeks postpartum.

A wonderful overview of physical and emotional postpartum healing.

Compassionate, evidence-based guide to PPD that I hand to clients and students.

Validating, practical book on intrusive thoughts in the postpartum period.

A memoir on birth after cesarean and the work of reclaiming one's body.

Essential reading for anyone supporting birthing people with abuse histories.

Practical, compassionate guide to processing a difficult birth experience.

A long-standing resource for pregnancy loss support.