Labor Doula and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Code of Conduct

The role of the ProDoula Labor Doula and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula is to work with families to develop individualized pregnancy, childbirth and parenting goals and strategies, and to assist in their support and implementation. The ProDoula doula provides physical, educational and emotional support. The ProDoula doula is not an advocate but rather enables and encourages the client to advocate for themselves.

With specialized training and education, the ProDoula Labor Doula and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula is qualified to provide support from pregnancy through early parenting in the following ways:

• Without bias or judgment
• From an evidence-based perspective

A ProDoula Labor Doula and Postpartum & Infant Care Doula refrains from the following:

• May not give medical advice
• May not administer medication
• May not interfere with medical advice or treatment given by medical professionals
• May not attend intentionally unassisted births

The following are the expectations of a ProDoula Labor and Postpartum & Infant Care doula:

• To be an ongoing source of information, support and referrals for the families engaging in these services
• To cultivate community-based relationships that facilitate vetted referral networks
• To assist families during pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting free from the doula’s own personal judgment or bias
• To stay current on all facets of pregnancy, birth and early parenting support

Professionally, all ProDoula certified birth professionals respect the roles of all other support professionals that the client may engage with and works in a complementary way towards achieving the client’s goals and wishes.