Doula Credential Representation Standard

Purpose

This standard protects families and protects the integrity of the Born Again Academy Community Perinatal Doula credential. It clarifies how certified Community Perinatal Doulas may represent the credential publicly and what kinds of services may not be marketed or bundled under the same public-facing representation of this credential.

Respect for individual freedom

Born Again Academy recognizes that certificants may hold personal beliefs, personal practices, and additional professions or services. This standard does not attempt to control a person’s private life or all lawful work they may choose to do.

Credential representation requirement

Applicants for certification (and certificants at renewal) must submit a link to the public portfolio or business website used to represent their doula services and/or the Community Perinatal Doula credential. This is used for credential verification: accurate representation and alignment with published standards.

Separation of services and branding

To prevent consumer confusion and protect families, certificants may not bundle, market, or promote services that conflict with Born Again Academy Community Perinatal Doula standards under the same public-facing brand, website, portfolio, or service packages that present the Community Perinatal Doula credential.

If a certificant offers other services (for example, yoga instruction), those services must be presented separately from the Community Perinatal Doula credential. This may be done through a separate website, separate service branding, and separate marketing. The certificant may not use the Community Perinatal Doula credential to promote or legitimize those services.

Prohibited practices under this credential representation

Certified Community Perinatal Doulas may not advertise, promote, sell, or provide services under the Community Perinatal Doula credential (or on the same public-facing site/portfolio that represents the credential) that conflict with Born Again Academy standards, including:

• Placenta encapsulation, placenta-eating promotion, or related placenta services

• New Age or occult spiritual practices

• Yoga positions used as a spiritual practice or presented as part of doula care

Certified doulas may not imply that Born Again Academy endorses, trains, or certifies these practices.

Safety alignment: safest sleep education

Certified Community Perinatal Doulas agree to teach and reinforce safest sleep education for newborns as defined in the Community Perinatal Doula Professional Standards (Best Practices), including: placing babies on their backs, in their own sleep space, without loose bedding, in the parents’ room. Certified doulas may not promote unsafe sleep practices as part of doula education or services under this credential.

Correction process

If a submitted website/portfolio includes prohibited practices, misrepresents the credential, or conflicts with published safety standards, the applicant/certificant will be asked to correct the content within a defined timeframe before certification is granted or renewed.

Applicability

This policy applies to all certified Community Perinatal Doulas and is a condition of certification and recertification.