The Childbearing Year

• The childbearing year encompasses the nine months of pregnancy as well as the first three months of a baby's life. Pre-pregnancy planning and, in special circumstances, extended postpartum care through six months are also considered to be within the scope of the childbearing year.

Empowerment

• Pregnancy, birth, and new motherhood are key life events that provide a unique opportunity for personal growth and empowerment that can profoundly affect the well-being of the entire family.
• Since families will benefit from education and support, access to resources and services should not be limited by their ability to pay, as those most in need will suffer most from lack of access to resources.
• We believe people are empowered by means of education and by cultivating personal responsibility and self-esteem, thereby being helped to help themselves.

Care Givers & Birth Environment

• A woman's confidence and ability to give birth and to care for her baby are enhanced or diminished by every person who gives her care and by the environment in which she gives birth.
• Every woman should have access to the full range of options for pregnancy, birth, and nurturing her baby, as well as accurate information on all available birthing sites, caregivers, and practices.
• Midwifery care - with its emphasis on personal relationships, prevention, continuity of care, education, and support - is an excellent choice for healthy pregnant women and their babies. Midwife-attended births can safely take place in hospitals, birth centers, and homes.
• Since doulas are known to have a positive effect on birth outcomes for moms and babies, their services should be promoted and made widely available.

Informed Consent

• Parents have the right to receive accurate information about the benefits and risks - for both mom and baby - of all procedures, drugs, and tests suggested for use during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, with the rights to informed consent and refusal.
• Community-based childbirth education classes provide an ideal forum for learning about good nutrition in pregnancy, comfort measures, choices regarding caregivers and birth settings, the process of informed consent, the benefits of natural childbirth, breastfeeding success, bonding and positive parenting practices, and more.

Holistic Care

• A holistic approach views the pregnant woman in the context of her family and social support systems, integrating her mental, emotional, and physical health, and supporting wellness and healing on all levels simultaneously.
• Optimal prenatal education and support for healthy women focuses on prevention as a reasonable alternative to high-cost screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs.
• A variety of complementary therapies offer safe and effective options for families seeking both prevention and treatment.

MotherBaby

• Mother and baby are distinct yet interdependent during pregnancy, birth, and infancy. As their interconnectedness is vital, mother and baby should not be routinely separated after birth and uninterrupted bonding is encouraged.
• Breastfeeding is understood to optimize the health of infants and mothers. Therefore, skilled support should be given towards increasing the number of women who initiate and continue breastfeeding for at least six months.

• Provide the highest quality training for doulas and other professionals who work with women and their families during the childbearing year.
• Function as a community center where parents can access education, information, and resources on family health matters during the childbearing year.
• Demonstrate the cost-effective public health role that doulas can play in reducing healthcare disparities and improving maternal and infant health outcomes.
• Develop and refine Doulas Care as a model community-based volunteer doula program that can be replicated in other communities.