History of Our Birth Doula Classes

The Simkin Center for Allied Birth Vocations at Bastyr University (originally a program of the Seattle Midwifery School) provides one of the highest quality birth doula courses available anywhere. Internationally renowned author, childbirth educator and Simkin Center senior instructor Penny Simkin created and has taught our birth doula skills workshop since 1988. Since then, nearly 5,000 women and men have come to Simkin Center to discover the doula in themselves under the nurturing guidance of our world-class instructors.

The early graduates of this groundbreaking workshop founded PALS Doulas, a professional organization providing peer support, continuing education, doula certification and referrals. Using the successful model of PALS Doulas, advocates and doulas around the North America joined together to found DONA International. Simkin Center was the first organization to be granted DONA institutional approval for our curriculum and faculty