DOULA INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Compassionate birth support.
Real-world experience. Stronger doulas.
The Confident Mama Doula Internship Program connects growing families with trained doula interns who are gaining hands-on experience while receiving mentorship and support.
The program is coordinated by Terri Schelkoph of Confident Mama in partnership with New Birth Wellness and Sol Haven Birth Center.
Our goal is twofold: to make doula support accessible to more families and to give newer doulas the experience, mentorship, and confidence they need as they grow into professional birth workers.
Whether you're expecting a baby and interested in working with an intern or you're a newer doula looking for an opportunity to grow, we'd love to hear from you.
LOOKING FOR A DOULA INTERN?
Extra support for one of life's biggest days.
A doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support throughout labor and birth.
Our doula interns have completed or are completing professional doula training and participate in the internship program to gain additional hands-on experience while receiving mentorship and guidance.
Working with an intern can be a wonderful option for families who would like the benefits of doula support while also supporting a newer doula as they build their experience.
WHAT CAN A DOULA INTERN HELP WITH?
Depending on your individual intern and birth circumstances, support may include:
• Getting to know you and your birth preferences during pregnancy
• Helping you prepare questions for your maternity care provider
• Talking through birth preferences, comfort measures, and expectations
• Providing resources and evidence-based information
• Being available around your estimated due date
• Emotional support throughout labor
• Comfort measures, positioning, massage, counterpressure, and movement suggestions
• Helping partners feel included and supported
• Supporting you as you communicate your wishes to your birth team
• Providing continuous support during labor and birth
• Immediate postpartum support following your baby's arrival
LET’S GET STARTED
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
1. Apply
Complete the Doula Intern Request Form and tell us a little about yourself, your estimated due date, where you plan to give birth, and what you're looking for in doula support.
2. We'll review your application
We'll look at intern availability, your estimated due date, birth location, and other factors that may help us identify a potential match.
3. Meet your potential intern
If an intern is available, you'll have the opportunity to connect and determine whether you feel comfortable working together.
4. Hire your intern
If you decide you're a good fit, you'll work directly with the doula intern regarding their contract, services, and payment.
Doula interns are hired and paid directly by the family.
Submitting an application does not guarantee that an intern will be available, but we'll do our best to connect you with someone when possible.
MEET OUR CURRENT DOULA INTERNS
Every doula brings something different into the birth space.
Our interns come to the program with professional training and a desire to continue learning through real-world birth experience, mentorship, and community.
Marika Brown
My name is Marika Brown, mom of 7 living children and 4 babies in Heaven. I am a DONA-trained birth doula. My background includes a B.A. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Evangel University. I have been homeschooling my children for 14 years and recently graduated my oldest child, while my baby just celebrated his second birthday.
My journey to become a doula has been years in the making, starting with the birth of my own first child and instantly wanting to learn as much as I could about pregnancy and birth. I have always loved listening to other moms' stories about their births and babies. With my own back-to-back pregnancies and newborns, the time had not been right to pursue professional training to be a doula, but I knew it was something I wanted to do "someday.” As a loss mama myself, I have a special interest in supporting moms during pregnancy after loss.
Every pregnancy and birth are different and all deserve support, acceptance, and no judgement. I would love to come alongside you and help support you in whatever birth you desire!
Doula Intern - 
Amy Lolling
Hi! My name is Amy Marie “Amy” Lolling, and I am a Christian Birth Doula. I provide continuous physical and emotional support throughout labor and birth. I am apart of Evidence Based Birth, so you can make informed and evidence-based decisions for your care. I am professionally trained as a Birth Doula and have received my certification from DONA International.
Childbirth is unpredictable and can be challenging. I believe the best support involves clear information before the big day, open conversation about available choices, empowerment and comfort throughout labor and delivery, and a safe touchstone in the early postpartum days. It is my intention to provide this to each birth in the manner that is most suitable to you and your family.
Although I do not have any children of my own, I do have 6 nieces and a nephew! I am married to the absolute love of my life Daryl, and we have 2 dogs, Lucy and Finn (Aussie) and three rescue cats Hazel, Willow and Jonesy.
In my free time when I am not "doulaing" my husband and I love to be out on the pontoon on Lake Waconia and hanging out with friends and family. Lots of dog walks too.
Doula Intern
Doula InternBailey Caldwell
Hi there! I am Bailey, mother of two boys and DONA-trained doula. I became a doula after seeing firsthand the profound impact of knowledgeable, dedicated support during my own labors and births. In the births I have supported so far, I have been so impressed by the innate abilities of the birther to come into their own power. It is truly such an honor to walk alongside each family as they bring new life into the world and it is my goal to help each of my clients have a beautiful birth that is perfect for them.
When I'm not working, you can find me drinking tea, doing seasonally-appropriate board sports, hanging out with my kids or journaling in the sun.
Doula InternAlex Shepp
Hey! I am Alex, a wife to my college sweetheart, a mama to 4 awesome kiddos, a dietitian, personal trainer and now working to be a DONA certified Doula. I bring up my nutrition and exercise background because I love weaving all aspects of health into how I engage with not only my clients but my community. Birthwork gives me a new sense of rejuvenation and passion for supporting women and families. My passion surrounding pregnancy and labor came after my own home births and then attending births of friends. I continue to be in awe of what our bodies can do! While I value and trust a natural birth process, I am eager and capable to support women in their own unique birth journey however that may go. Women should be informed, supported and empowered in their choices. I would be honored to work with you!
When I’m not working I am likely watching my kids’ youth sports, walking our dog, volunteering at church, or getting out on a lake.
READY TO APPLY FOR AN INTERN?
You don't need to know exactly which doula you'd like to work with before applying.
Tell us about your pregnancy, birth plans, and what you're looking for in support. If you already have an intern in mind, you can let us know on the application.
THE PROGRAM MAY BE A GOOD FIT IF YOU...
• Have completed or are actively completing a professional birth doula training program
• Want hands-on experience supporting birthing families
• Are willing to be on call and honor commitments to clients
• Understand the importance of professional boundaries
• Are comfortable receiving feedback and mentorship
• Believe families deserve compassionate, respectful, nonjudgmental care
• Are able to work collaboratively with birth partners and medical professionals
• Understand that doulas provide support and information—not medical advice or clinical care
• Want to become a confident, professional member of the local birth community
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN
Internship experiences may include opportunities for:
• Hands-on birth support
• Mentorship
• Birth preparation
• Client communication experience
• Working alongside birth-center and community birth professionals
• Developing professional boundaries
• Learning how to navigate different birth scenarios
• Building confidence in comfort measures and labor support
• Reflecting on births and developing your doula practice
• Building relationships within the local birth community
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A DOULA INTERN?
Training gives you the foundation. Experience helps you become the doula.
Completing doula training is exciting—but one of the hardest parts of becoming a new doula can be figuring out what comes next.
How do you find your first clients?
What happens when labor looks completely different from what you learned in training?
How do you work alongside midwives, nurses, physicians, partners, and other members of the birth team?
How do you grow your confidence while still recognizing that you're learning?
That's where the Confident Mama Doula Internship Program comes in.
The internship is designed to help newer doulas bridge the space between completing their training and confidently working with families on their own.
Our Birth Community Partners
New Birth Wellness Center
Located in Chaska, Minnesota, New Birth Wellness is a freestanding birth center offering midwife-led care in a warm, family-centered setting. Their approach supports physiologic birth while providing personalized care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Sol Haven Birth Center
Located in North Mankato, Minnesota, Sol Haven Birth Services provides personalized birth and doula support with a focus on creating an empowering, connected birth experience. Their services include birth doula care, childbirth education, sibling support, and postpartum offerings.
Meet Your Mentor
Terri Schelkoph
Founder, Confident Mama
Terri is an experienced birth doula and childbirth educator who has spent years supporting families through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the early postpartum period.
Her experience includes supporting families in hospital, birth-center, and home-birth settings and working alongside midwives, nurses, physicians, partners, and other members of the birth team.
Through the Confident Mama Doula Internship Program, Terri helps newer doulas take what they've learned in training and put it into practice with mentorship, reflection, and real-world experience.