About us

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About us *

we are here to champion you on your doula journey!

We proudly offer a variety of Doula training and workshops covering the first to the last breath.

We partner with several professional and caring organisations to ensure our students receive comprehensive and supportive training, and we share our experience with you so you can go out and support others through life’s many major transitions.

A message from our founder

Renee Adair

“With three decades of experience as a natural therapist, doula, childbirth and parenting educator, philanthropist, and creator, I am excited to have merged these offerings with my life’s experiences to light the way for others to fulfil their dreams and visions and to bring positive change to the world”.

Birth & Postnatal Doula, Parenting Educator, Grief Educator, Reiki Practitioner, Aromatherapist, and End-of-Life Doula

With a background in natural therapies, Renee first began working with women and babies and in 1998 and after the home births of her two biological children, began studying and working as a Doula and Childbirth and Early Parenting Educator. 

Renee then transferred her skills to an Australian Red Cross young women’s health program/refuge in Sydney’s East, setting up both the outreach and childbirth and early parenting education programs for that child protection service. 

In 2007 Renee founded the Australian Doula College, Doula Heart Network, the College’s charity arm and then later formalised and founded the Groundwork program.

Working In collaboration, in 2013 Renee helped produce the first research on Doulas in Australia which was published in the Journal of Perinatal Education. She is a regular contributor to radio programmes, conferences and seminars and a range of publications, websites, and podcasts. 

Renee has worked to change the way we think about Doula support launching an End-of-Life Doula Training in 2021 with a view for the wider community to see Doula support though a broader lens, supporting all major life transitions, not just in the birthing space. 

In 2019, Renee proudly partnered with CDU’s Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights to co facilitate Accredited Doula training for Indigenous women in the remote First Nations community of Galiwin’ku.

Renee now sits on the official Galiwin’ku steering committee to restore Birthing on Country and managers the projects Djakamirr coordinator role on the ground in Galiwin'ku.

Renee has sat on the Consumer Advisory Board of the Australian College of Midwives, trained thousands of Doulas and supported hundreds of women, their partners and families through pregnancy, birth, early parenting and end of life, over the course of her career. 

A fierce advocate for human rights, Renee is the proud mother of three adult children and four grandkids. She blends her life’s work with downtime in her garden or on the beach and time hanging out with family, friends, and her fur babies. 

“The B & W photo to the right is me with my beloved mentor, teacher, and friend, Marie Burrows. For several decades, Marie fought hard to ensure better rights and recognition for women, families, independent educators, and doulas. I am so proud to honour Marie’s legacy and those who have walked this journey before me, continuing the fight for better, unbiased education and non-judgemental support throughout life’s journey from first to last breath”.

You are supported by experiENCED, dedicated, knowledGEable and quAlified Doulas and caring organISations who are herE for you from youR first engagEment with WTTF through to your graduaTIOn

JESSICA HAWKINS

Compliance and Assessor Coordinator

KYLEE SHEPHERD

Student Admin and Support

student support

We believe in doulas!

We are committed to ensuring you get all you need to succeed in your studies. As such, we work with you throughout the enrolment process to ensure you are in the right place.

​The collaboration between Womb to Tomb Foundation and the Professional Development Centre (PDC) trading as the Australian College of Disability and Community Services (ACDCS) {RTO 41475} enables the exceptional, person-centred. delivery of our accredited birth and post-natal doula training worldwide.

If you choose to undertake our end-of-life doula training, we have got you covered. Whilst not Government accredited, it is a certified training that offers comprehensive education and life-changing self-exploration.

At Womb to Tomb, we work with all students and industry to ensure training needs are met wherever doulas are drawn to work. We specialise in community services and, with a range of partnerships, are building our programs to meet the workforce needs of the industry.

The purpose of this linked handbook is to provide you with all the information and policies that you need to know about studying with the Professional Development Centre.

 https://www.acdcs.edu.au/policy 

We are on call and available to all students 24/7 and our partnership with Doula Support Solutions sees our students supported during their experiences.

“So much more than just a course. We dived deep into birth but also into ourselves and how we can serve others. I felt so held and supported through the training and experiences.

Josie, Birth and Postnatal Doula Student

“If a doula were a drug, it would be unethical not to use it”.

- John H. Kennell