Learn To Doula Village
Standards of Practice for Certified Doulas
These Standards of Practice ensure that doulas, applicants for the Learn To Doula Village Certified Doula credential, and certificate holders through Learn To Doula Village understand and commit to upholding high standards of professional conduct, ethical practice, client safety, and scope of service.
These Standards are also intended to help the general public, including pregnant and postpartum families, healthcare professionals, community partners, and other interested parties, understand the duties, responsibilities, and limitations expected of doulas trained or certified through Learn To Doula Village.
Learn To Doula Village developed and adopted these Standards of Practice to provide a clear statement of expectations for those participating in its educational and certification programs.
For the purpose of these Standards, the term doula includes a person enrolled in Learn To Doula Village training, a candidate for the Learn To Doula Village Certified Doula credential, or a Learn To Doula Village Certified Doula. Many doulas use this education while preparing to certify as a Certified Community-Based Doula (CCBD), whether through the Doula Alliance of Arkansas as an AR-CCBD or through the Arkansas Department of Health as a state-certified doula with the CCBD credential/license. Our founder, Angela M. ‘Annie’ Hill, is an AR-CCBD and Arkansas Department of Health certified doula, ADH Certification/License #005.
Organizational Role and Limitations
Learn To Doula Village is a doula education, training, and certification organization. Learn To Doula Village provides instruction, evaluates student completion of program requirements, and may issue certificates of completion or certification according to its own educational standards.
Learn To Doula Village does not license doulas, regulate the doula profession, or act as a governmental or legal oversight body. Certification through Learn To Doula Village does not replace any local, state, federal, professional, or institutional requirements that may apply to a doula’s practice.
The Learn To Doula Village Certified Doula (CD) credential is a professional credential issued by Learn To Doula Village. It is designed to document completion of LTDV training and certification requirements. It may support a doula who is preparing for Arkansas CCBD certification or another state or professional credential pathway, but it is not the same as a CCBD credential/license issued or recognized by a state. Arkansas Department of Health Certified Community-Based Doula (CCBD) certification/license, AR-CCBD certification through the Doula Alliance of Arkansas, similar credentials issued by any other state, Medicaid provider enrollment, insurance credentialing, facility approval, employment qualification, professional licensure, and credentials issued by another organization remain separate and state- or organization-administered.
Certificate holders are responsible for understanding and following all applicable laws, regulations, facility policies, professional standards, and scope-of-practice limitations in the locations where they serve clients.
Learn To Doula Village may set expectations for students, applicants, and certificate holders who participate in its programs. Failure to follow these Standards of Practice may result in educational review, remediation, denial of certification, suspension, or revocation of certification issued by Learn To Doula Village.
Standard 1: Professionalism
1.1 Clear Representation of Services
The doula shall clearly represent their services, training, experience, fees, policies, and scope of practice in writing and in conduct. Clients should be able to understand what services are offered, what services are not offered, and what expectations apply to both the client and the doula.
1.2 Respect for Client Autonomy
The doula shall respect the client’s autonomy, values, cultural background, personal beliefs, and right to make informed decisions regarding pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and infant care. The doula may provide education, guidance, emotional support, and referrals, but shall not make decisions on behalf of the client.
1.3 Professional Conduct
The doula shall maintain professional conduct when interacting with clients, families, healthcare providers, hospital staff, midwives, physicians, nurses, and other members of the birth team.
1.4 Professional Boundaries
The doula shall maintain appropriate professional boundaries with clients and families. Personal beliefs, opinions, or experiences shall not be imposed upon the client.
1.5 Accurate Public Representation
The doula shall not misrepresent certification, licensure, training, experience, credentials, or legal authority to practice. Certification through Learn To Doula Village does not authorize the doula to practice medicine, midwifery, nursing, therapy, lactation care, nutrition care, herbalism, or any other regulated profession unless separately trained, certified, and licensed where applicable.
Standard 2: Client Safety
2.1 Client Comfort and Physical Safety
The doula shall maintain communication and situational awareness regarding the client’s comfort, mobility, energy level, emotional state, and expressed needs. During prenatal exercises, labor support, comfort measures, position changes, or postpartum support, any action causing pain, distress, dizziness, discomfort, or concern shall be stopped immediately.
2.2 Standard Precautions
The doula shall follow appropriate standard precautions and hygiene practices. The health and safety of the client, baby, family, doula, and other care providers are non-negotiable.
2.3 Food Safety
The doula shall follow safe food handling practices when preparing, transporting, serving, or recommending food-related support within their scope of practice.
2.4 Medical Communication and Provider Collaboration
The doula shall not advise a client to ignore, reject, or contradict medical advice from the client’s licensed healthcare provider. The doula may support the client in asking questions, seeking clarification, understanding options, requesting time when appropriate, and communicating preferences to the healthcare team.
2.5 Emergency Awareness and Referral
The doula shall recognize when a concern may be outside their scope of practice and shall encourage the client to contact an appropriate healthcare provider, emergency service, mental health professional, lactation professional, social worker, or other qualified professional as needed.
Standard 3: Ethical Standards
3.1 Non-Discrimination and Respectful Care
The doula shall support clients and families without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, creed, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family structure, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, or spiritual belief.
3.2 Evidence-Based and Client-Centered Support
The doula shall provide support based on evidence-informed information, traditional birth knowledge where appropriate, client values, cultural humility, and respect for the client’s lived experience.
3.3 Birth Preferences and Communication Support
The doula may assist the client in identifying needs, values, fears, questions, and preferences before birth. This may include helping the client draft a birth preference document so the client can communicate clearly and early with their midwife, physician, or healthcare team.
3.4 NEAR Framework
The doula shall practice according to the NEAR framework:
Nurture: Provide emotional, physical, educational, and practical support.
Educate: Share evidence-informed information and help the client understand available options.
Assess: Observe and identify non-clinical needs, comfort concerns, communication barriers, emotional distress, safety concerns, or possible reasons for referral.
Refer: Direct the client to an appropriate licensed, certified, or qualified professional when needs fall outside the doula’s scope.
3.5 No Diagnosis or Medical Decision-Making
The doula shall not diagnose, prescribe, treat, perform clinical assessment, or make medical decisions for the client. The doula may advise that escalation, communication with the provider, or referral appears necessary when a concern arises.
3.6 Professional Communication During Birth
The doula shall not argue with healthcare providers, hospital staff, midwives, physicians, nurses, or other members of the birth team. Advocacy shall be client-centered, respectful, calm, and focused on helping the client communicate questions, needs, and decisions.
3.7 No Clinical Activity Outside Scope
The doula shall refrain from clinical activities unless separately trained, certified, and legally authorized to perform them. This includes, but is not limited to, checking fetal heart tones, performing vaginal exams, taking blood pressure for clinical interpretation, diagnosing labor progress, making medical recommendations, catching babies, administering medications, or directing medical care.
3.8 No Prescribing of Treatments
Learn To Doula Village Doulas and other professionals certified through Learn To Doula Village shall not prescribe treatments, including pharmaceutical medications, homeopathic remedies, herbal supplements, nutritional protocols, or other therapeutic interventions, unless they are separately trained, certified, and licensed where applicable to do so.
3.9 Confidentiality
The doula shall protect client privacy and maintain confidentiality regarding client information, birth experiences, health details, family circumstances, and personal communications, except where disclosure is required by law, required for safety, or authorized by the client.
3.10 Documentation and Accountability
The doula shall maintain accurate, professional, and appropriate records related to client services, agreements, referrals, communication, and incidents when applicable.
3.11 Conflicts of Interest
The doula shall disclose any actual or potential conflict of interest, including financial relationships, referral incentives, dual roles, or personal relationships that may affect professional judgment.
3.12 Continuing Education and Competency
The doula shall pursue continued learning and shall practice only within their current level of training, competence, certification, and legal authority.