Ethics and Standards of Practice
Confidentiality
Outlandish Birth Doulas respect a client’s right to privacy and confidentiality. Information shared between client and doula must not be shared elsewhere. Doulas are not bound by HIPAA but must honor the client’s right to privacy. This includes any and all details and information about pregnancy, birth, postpartum, life, and health. Outlandish Birth does not provide identifying information about clients and/or discuss client health history, family life, birth plans, and/or birth experiences. BEST doulas do not announce pregnancies, genders, births, or other private information by any means of communication, including social media, without client permission.
All training information, stories, and experiences shared at Outlandish Birth, Outlandish Birth events, and the Outlandish Birth Facebook group are confidential to Outlandish Birth and are not to be shared outside of the Outlandish Birth community.
Professionalism and Integrity
Outlandish Birth honors all births and maintains professional conduct in all situations. Outlandish Birth doulas are not client advocates and do not speak on behalf of their clients. Outlandish Birth work to create environments and relationships for collaborative care with the client’s other birth attendants, health care providers, and staff.
Outlandish Birth communicates with other birth professionals online and otherwise respectfully, always with the goal of creating relationships and fostering growth. Outlandish Birth chooses professional distance over conflict when necessary.
Outlandish Birth doulas dress professionally for all interviews, client appointments, births, and when promoting one’s business or Outlandish Birth. Professional doula dress is business casual unless at a birth. Professional dress at birth includes clean, comfortable clothing.
When scheduling clients, Outlandish Birth communicates any dates that he/she may have conflict or are unavailable during a client’s on-call period. This should be conveyed in writing, preferably on your contract. BEST Doulas are encouraged to work with backup and communicate with clients that the backup doula will attend in the event she/he is unable to.
Outlandish Birth doulas strive to keep appointments and be on time as a point of professionalism. Should you need to reschedule an appointment, provide your client with as much notice as possible and suggest an alternative time/date.
Outlandish Birth reply to client contact as soon as possible, and during the on-call period, a response should be made within 1 hour. Outlandish Birth doulas strive to reply to all other client contacts within 12-24 hours.
Outlandish Birth doulas Support Outlandish Birth
A client’s Outlandish birth is individual to her, and Outlandish Birth doulas provide non-judgmental relational support. Outlandish Birth understands that labor and birth may be unpredictable, and a client’s Outlandish birth may change. Outlandish Birth understands that interventions are not evil, and each has a time/place. Outlandish Birth understands that the relationship and support provided to the client, not the birth specifics or outcome, create the Outlandish Birth client experience.
Outlandish Birth does not provide transportation for clients or client families to or from prenatal appointments, place of birth, or otherwise. Outlandish Birth doulas join their clients in labor at client request. Outlandish Birth may provide early labor support via phone if this is acceptable to the client. Outlandish Birth doulas care for themselves during labor. Outlandish Birth doulas may need to rest, nap, or take a break, and do this while being mindful of where the client is in labor and other support available.
Outlandish Birth doulas support their client and the partner or additional family has chosen to be present by the birthing client.
Referrals
Outlandish Birth aims to have a comprehensive referral list and make referrals to appropriate community resources as needed. This may include, but is not limited to acupuncturists, chiropractors, health care providers, massage therapists, naturopaths, mental health care professionals, lactation consultants, and community groups.
Outlandish Birth Are Not
Birth advocates: Advocacy is often in the heart of a doula. When supporting a client, the Outlandish Birth doula is not an advocate. Outlandish Birth doulas facilitate conversation between the client and/or her advocate (partner, power of attorney).
Medical Professionals: Outlandish Birth doulas do not provide medical assessment, treatment, or diagnosis. These may include, but are not limited to, determination of SROM, body temperature, blood pressure, fetal heart rate, cervical change, etc.
Emergency Care Providers: In case of emergency or birth at a location other than that planned, Outlandish Birth notifies medical personnel if in a medical facility. If not in a medical facility, Outlandish Birth advises calling 911, staying with the client and remaining calm. When a health care provider is not present, the Outlandish Birth doula remains in the role of the doula - always a non-medical role
Backup
Outlandish Birth doulas are encouraged to always work with backup doula for all clients should the doula be ill or unavailable due to emergency. Clients are to be notified as soon as possible that a backup doula will be attending her birth, if the need arises. Outlandish Birth doulas are encouraged to have a contract and clear working relationship and financial agreement with their backup doula.
Alternative Therapies and Additional Teaching
Outlandish Birth may use alternative therapies that have been consented to by the client and that he/she is otherwise trained to use. This may include but is not limited to TENS, acupressure, acupuncture, massage therapy, herbology, essential oils, homeopathy, etc. Outlandish Birth does not provide training or certification in alternative therapies. Outlandish Birth understands that alternative therapies may be powerful, and ‘natural’ does not equate to benign. All Outlandish Birth doulas not certified or holding professional training in alternative therapies refer to those who are when needed. Outlandish Birth may not teach courses/classes or any content or matter they are not certified or otherwise authorized to teach.