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You are here: Home / Code of Ethics for Birth and Postpartum Doulas

Code of Ethics for Birth and Postpartum Doulas

code of ethics for birthIDI Code of Ethics for Birth and Postpartum Doulas

The International Doula Institute (IDI) emphasizes the core values of respectability, ethical conduct, and evidence-based care. To maintain certification and standing within IDI, our code of ethics for birth and postpartum doulas must be upheld by each doula.

Code of Conduct

Integrity: Consistently display professionalism in business operations, client interactions, colleague relationships, and engagements within the healthcare community.

Respectability: Maintain a respectable demeanor in all interactions, ensuring clear communication and upholding mutual respect.

Proficiency: Ensure continuous learning about pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum processes, prioritizing evidence-based knowledge. This includes understanding typical newborn adjustment and infant development, supported by regular continuing education and evidence-based resources.

Responsibilities to People You Serve

Communication: Transparently convey the role, scope of practice, support offered, associated costs, and returned cost policies.

Commitment: Uphold service agreements and contracts, ensuring timely return of costs if supports standards are not met according to service agreements.

Continuity of Care: Provide consistent care and be forthright about any potential disruptions, such as scheduled absences, ensuring families can make informed decisions.

Reliability: Be punctual and dependable, keeping client appointments and commitments.

The People You Serve First: Place the people you serve’s needs and desires above all, advocating for their interests and amplifying their voice.

Empowerment: Encourage the people you serve to make informed choices, fostering self-determination and self-advocacy.

Scope Adherence: Serve strictly within a non-medical, non-clinical scope, and avoid attending unassisted births without a qualified provider. 

Responsibilities to Fellow Doulas

Professional Courtesy: Engage with fellow doulas in a spirit of respect and cooperation, resolving any professional disagreements constructively.

Collaborative Respect: When serving a person in collaboration with another doula, always honor the primary doula’s established agreements with the person.

Responsibilities to Healthcare Providers

Collaboration: Appreciate the roles and responsibilities of healthcare providers, fostering collaborative and respectful relationships.

Responsibilities to Healthcare Payers

Compliance: Comply with health insurance and Medicaid standards, ensuring transparent and accurate billing.

Accessibility: Prioritize service accessibility for all, including the underserved, and offer non-discriminatory care.

Ethical Billing: Ensure billing practices are transparent, ethical, and promptly address any discrepancies.

Responsibilities to Community

Representation: Consistently uphold respectability, understanding that each doula represents the broader community.

Integrity in Action: Demonstrate honesty and ethical behavior, striving to positively influence perceptions of doulas within birth work.

Community Engagement: Endeavor to offer community service when feasible, without sacrificing personal or familial well-being.

Promotion of Wellbeing: Champion community policies and practices that foster the health and wellbeing of birthing individuals and babies.

By adhering to this comprehensive and inclusive Code of Ethics, IDI doulas commit to the highest standards of respectable conduct, inclusivity, and care. This commitment ensures trust, respect, and excellence in service delivery, contributing to the overall advancement and integrity of the doula field. This code seeks to create a positive and supportive environment for all, fostering equality, respect, and dignity in every interaction within the communities we serve.

Short Version of IDI Code of Ethics For Birth and Postpartum Doulas

Main Values:

  • Respectability: Act in a proper and respectable manner.
  • Ethical Conduct: Do what is right and fair.
  • Knowledgeable Care: Keep learning to provide the best support based on proven information.

For Doulas:

  • Be Honest and Respectable: Act rightly in your work, with clients, other doulas, and healthcare workers.
  • Stay Informed: Keep learning about pregnancy, birth, and caring for babies.

For Clients:

  • Clear Communication: Clearly explain what you do, associated costs, and your cost return policies.
  • Reliable and Committed: Be on time and provide agreed services or return costs.
  • Prioritize People You Serve: Put people you serve’s needs first and help them speak up for what they want.
  • Encourage The People You Serve: Help the people you serve make informed choices for themselves.
  • Serve Within Limits: Only do non-medical tasks and don’t attend births without a qualified provider.

With Colleagues:

  • Be Respectful: Treat other doulas kindly and serve without disagreements positively.
  • Honor Agreements: Respect agreements made by the main doula when serving together.

For Healthcare Providers:

  • Work Together: Understand and respect the roles of healthcare providers and work well with them.

With Payers:

  • Follow Rules: Stick to insurance and Medicaid rules and bill correctly and fairly.
  • Be Accessible: Offer services to everyone fairly, including those who usually don’t have access to such services.

In the Community:

  • Represent Well: Act respectably, as your actions reflect on all doulas.
  • Be Ethical and Engage: Act rightly, try to change perceptions of doulas positively, and give back to the community when possible.
  • Promote Health: Support community practices that help the health and well-being of pregnant individuals and babies.

By following these simple rules, doulas promise to act respectably, inclusively, and to provide high-standard care. This helps in building trust, respect, and quality in service, and in enhancing the image and practice of the doula field in a positive and supportive way. These rules aim to encourage fairness, respect, and dignity in all interactions in the communities served.

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Testimonials

Tracy tells us,
“This course was informative and educational. I enjoyed learning how to become a doula.”

Patricia shared, 
“This course was great. I loved how easy it is to use, as someone who is not very technologically inclined. The coursework was challenging and I learned so much. My instructor was always very easy to reach and very responsive to any issues I had. I loved being able to work at my own pace and skip around a bit. Videos are hard for me as I am very self-conscious so it was nice to be able to postpone them for a bit until I could really practice and feel my best. ”

Judith shared, 
“The instructors and course materials/videos were all so wonderful and informative. I truly feel very well equipped with all the knowledge and tools I now have to start as a full spectrum doula with multiple certifications under my belt. Thank you, IDI, from the bottom of my heart. My true passion is blossoming before my very eyes!”

Miranda tells us, 
“I started my training at IDI almost a year ago. The courses have given me exactly what I needed to become a confident doula! After looking at several different doula training programs I decided on IDI because I have two young children and could work at my own pace online. I also really liked that the curriculum was contributed to by different backgrounds and trainings, not only from one perspective. This program has offered more to me than I ever could have thought! Not only have I learned how to support Moms and families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum but I’ve been given tools in growing my reach and communication… just to name a few. There’s also huge support from other doulas in the program. I recommend this program to future doulas!”

Mary says, 
“Started my journey (with admitted fear) only a month ago and felt immediately at ease! This program is very fluid. Work at your own pace. Easy to reach help and support the whole way through. Everything you need to know to hit the ground running with confidence once certified.”

Brenda tells us, 
“My name is Brenda and I have been studying with IDI for a while now, looking forward to the Postpartum course also. I have found the studies, books, and information to feel well rounded in information and comprehensive. I love all the books they have chosen for my studies. Also, the opportunity to be hands-on with the additional class, interviews, videos, and Moms-to-be. This is a part of the program that brings all the reading, studying…everything to light! The teachers are kind, understanding and obviously VERY experienced and can guide and support me throughout this wonderful journey of certification to be a “Doula” I’m so happy I chose IDI to be my training! Thank you!!!! I look forward to the future!♡”

Joyce says, 
“I love being a student with IDI!”

Laura tells us,
” Easy to do at my own pace, good supplemental readings. ”

Hannah tells us,
” Hey this is Hannah! I’m SOO excited to have finished my courses & have become a CERTIFIED DOULA! I almost can’t believe I have that title, with my name!!! This has been a lifelong dream. I’m very grateful to have been able to do it online, as I am a stay-at-home mom to 7 amazing children. It was very convenient for me to work on, as I had quiet time, during my little’s naps. Having been through labor, birth & breastfeeding stages of my life, helped tremendously. However, it was a very practical course & easy to understand the instructions. I highly recommend IDI to anyone who is interested in becoming a doula!! Thank you, IDI!!! ”

Tatyana says,
“I enjoyed everything about this course. Very informative and detailed.”

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