IDI Code of Ethics for Birth and Postpartum Doulas
The International Doula Institute (IDI) emphasizes the core values of professionalism, ethical conduct, and evidence-based care. To maintain certification and standing within IDI, all birth and postpartum doulas must uphold these ethics.
Code of Conduct
Integrity: Consistently display professionalism in business operations, client interactions, colleague relationships, and engagements within the healthcare community.
Professionalism: Maintain a professional 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 Clients
Communication: Transparently convey the role, scope of practice, services offered, associated costs, and refund policies.
Commitment: Uphold service agreements and contracts, ensuring timely refunds if service standards are not met.
Continuity of Care: Provide consistent care and be forthright about any potential disruptions, such as scheduled absences, ensuring clients can make informed decisions.
Reliability: Be punctual and dependable, keeping client appointments and commitments.
Client First: Place clients’ needs and desires above all, advocating for their interests and amplifying their voice.
Empowerment: Encourage clients to make informed choices, fostering self-determination and self-advocacy.
Scope Adherence: Work strictly within a non-medical, non-clinical scope, and avoid attending unassisted births without a qualified provider.
Responsibilities to Colleagues
Professional Courtesy: Engage with fellow doulas in a spirit of respect and cooperation, resolving any professional disagreements constructively.
Collaborative Respect: When supporting a client in collaboration with another doula, always honor the primary doula’s established agreements with the client.
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 professionalism, 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 professional conduct, inclusivity, and care. This commitment ensures trust, respect, and excellence in service delivery, contributing to the overall advancement and integrity of the doula profession. 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
Main Values:
- Professionalism: 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 Professional: 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, what you charge, and your refund policies.
- Reliable and Committed: Be on time and provide agreed services or give refunds.
- Prioritize Clients: Put clients’ needs first and help them speak up for what they want.
- Encourage Clients: Help clients make informed choices for themselves.
- Work 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 work out disagreements positively.
- Honor Agreements: Respect agreements made by the main doula when working together.
With 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 professionally, 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 professionally, 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 profession in a positive and supportive way. These rules aim to encourage fairness, respect, and dignity in all interactions in the communities served.