Perinatal assistants are support professionals for the childbearing year. The services of a Perinatal Assistant includes a combination of doula services, childbirth education, postpartum support and breastfeeding support.
The training of a Perinatal Assistant includes a minimum of ten months instruction, including anatomy and physiology, childbirth physiology, labour support, breastfeeding management, postpartum support, education and teaching skills, a thesis and a final exam. This is a Diploma or Associate Degree program offered through the Global birth institute.
Alternatively, Perinatal Assistants may hold multiple certifications including: birth doula, postpartum doula, lactation educator, lactation counselor, childbirth educator, placenta encapsulator and other birth, postpartum and breastfeeding certifications through various certifying organizations.