About Us
Family Birth Services Doula Training is committed to training those that want to pursue a career in professional labor support in a compassionate, ethical and effective way. Our muti-faceted program covers all necessary education and skills to provide excellent pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum support. Our doulas will receive certification to provide labor support in any setting, including hospital, birth center or home through a myriad of situations, whether it is a natural birth, induction, VBAC, medicated labor or surgical delivery. Our goal is to increase access to quality, evidenced-based support to families throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum period through our trained and certified doulas. Our educational program has been designed for doulas to work along side the client’s established care provider in a positive way and to add to the parent’s experience of birth through a supportive role.
Meet the Team
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The program director/instructor, Dawn Meier, is a Florida Licensed Midwife since 2001. She also owns and operates The Family Birth Center of Naples. Dawn started the FBC Doula Co-op in 2013 which provides access for all FBC patients to have doula services at a reduced rate with a reduced time commitment for the participating doulas. She has worked with and advocated for doulas for the entirety of her career and has seen the benefits first-hand of doula support for parents.
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The program instructor, Nicole Gawel, is an upcoming Florida Licensed Midwife and has been a Certified Doula since 2017. Her doula experience spans many families across SWFL in hospitals, in birth centers and at homes. She has attended all types of births, including natural, medicated, VBAC’s, multiples and c-sections. With the vast knowledge that she has acquired she is now focused on training doulas that provide quality and effective support for families.
“After experiencing having a doula at my own birth and the difference it truly made, a passion for being that caring advocate for other moms bloomed. I was blessed to come across the Family Birth Services Doula Training class. This class is informational and taught in a way that is both fun and easy to retain what you learn. Because of them I was able to learn everything I needed to be a doula, as well as have the opportunity to attend birth center births as a doula which only solidified this is what I was meant to do. I can’t thank Dawn and Nicole enough!” — Chantree Palermo
"Doula training with Family Birth Services is very thorough and hands-on. The in depth training and experiences have provided me with the knowledge and preparation to enter into the field of labor support with confidence. As a mother myself, I found the information discussed insightful and the timing & location convenient. Dawn and Nicole are truly the best of the best!! With many years of experience in both doula and midwife capacities, they each were able to answer any question or concern I had about how to support a laboring mama in a variety of circumstances. There is no better place or people to learn from. I am so thankful for the opportunity to learn from them & support laboring mamas in our community. " — Caitlin Cantor
