CAPPA is an international certification organization for Doulas, Childbirth Educators and Lactation Educators. Since our foundation in 1998, we have certified thousands of perinatal professionals. As one of the first and most comprehensive perinatal organizations in the world, CAPPA is respected for its longevity and its commitment to excellence in both education and unsurpassed student and member support.
Mission Statement
CAPPA certified professionals aim to facilitate empowerment, connection, and self-advocacy in families from pre-conception through early parenthood. CAPPA works to foster and encourage culturally relevant education, support, and training in countries around the world. CAPPA seeks to forge positive and productive relationships with organizations that support healthy, informed family decisions. CAPPA strives to build a bridge of understanding, respect, and communication with all healthcare professions. The organization consists of an international leadership board, administrative team, regional representatives, faculty, advisors, and its membership. CAPPA is the most comprehensive pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and breastfeeding organization available.
- Increase the number of trained perinatal professionals available. This includes but is not limited to: childbirth, teen, pregnancy fitness, and lactation educators; and antepartum, labor, and postpartum doulas.
- Provide excellent training opportunities for perinatal professionals.
- Offer personal and professional growth opportunities including marketing strategies for CAPPA professionals. CAPPA prides itself on its state of the art, exemplary, and affordable continuing education for all CAPPA members.
- Connect directly to families via the use of current media and technology.
- Support the right of families to make informed decisions about pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, and breastfeeding.
- Give families the tools needed to move forward confidently into parenthood.
- See the CAPPA vision become reality around the world.
CAPPA Approach
CAPPA professionals approach their work with expectant families during the perinatal year with a desire to educate, support, and to see all families succeed. The CAPPA Approach is built on the CAPPA Vision, which supports four cornerstone tenets.
- Using evidence-based information in practice.
- Embracing positive mental attitudes.
- Approaching all situations with a loving, non-judgmental mindset.
- Building bridges amongst support and healthcare professionals.
The four cornerstones mutually support one another, and are strengthened by the commitment of CAPPA members and professionals. A synergy exists between the four cornerstones that make The CAPPA Approach a strong foundation upon which to build education and support services to growing families.
The CAPPA Approach differs from a method in that it allows the freedom for CAPPA professionals to incorporate their own style, meet the particular needs of their community, and teach the curriculum that best matches their skill set. CAPPA professionals are able to utilize a large variety of techniques, skills, and coping strategies that are both evidence-based and personalized to the individual, as opposed to being limited to a set, static method. Additionally, The CAPPA Approach differs from a method in that it embraces new evidence-based information, and can grow and transform to stay relevant to the families served by CAPPA professionals.
CAPPA celebrates the fact that the human body is designed to support pregnancy and give birth safely and normally the majority of the time. When women have the information they need and a supportive environment, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding can unfold without unnecessary and unwanted interventions. When families are educated about all of their options, they can make decisions that reflect their healthcare needs and their personal values. In most situations and for most women, childbirth without intervention is the safest way to give birth. CAPPA recognizes and appreciates the fact that medical advancements and technologies are important tools when needed. CAPPA encourages women to trust their bodies throughout the perinatal experience. CAPPA professionals are trained to dispel myths about pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, and breastfeeding.
CAPPA believes that all women have the right to make informed decisions regarding their options throughout pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and breastfeeding. CAPPA supports and encourages families to choose healthcare providers and the place of birth that most reflects and supports their values and needs. CAPPA trains professionals to provide unbiased education. The CAPPA Approach does not use guilt as a motivator but instead encourages families to make intuitive and informed decisions. CAPPA professionals have the opportunity and responsibility to help parents recognize their own values without imposing their own personal biases.
CAPPA professionals encourage parental responsibility during pregnancy and beyond. We recognize that these decisions include selecting the healthcare professionals, the place of birth, as well as feeding and parenting decisions that are compatible with a family's personal needs and values. These personal decisions are the sole responsibility of the parents. CAPPA recognizes a family's right to make the decisions that are best for them. While respecting parental decisions, it is important to note that CAPPA also supports the professional's own boundaries and values. Additionally, CAPPA professionals encourage breastfeeding as the norm and do not promote the use of artificial milk.
Women have the right to be surrounded by those they love and trust during the perinatal period. A woman's emotional support team is as vital to her pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience as her healthcare team. Research has shown that women accompanied by a complete support team during pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum,
and breastfeeding have better outcomes overall and have higher satisfaction with their experiences.The CAPPA Philosophy forms the principles for how CAPPA professionals work with families. The CAPPA Vision and four cornerstones of The CAPPA Approach serve as a strong framework that guides the CAPPA Mission.
CAPPA Vision
Imagine a world...
Where women are encouraged to trust their bodies. Where myths about pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, and breastfeeding are dispelled.
Imagine a world...
Where women are given the tools they need to make informed decisions about their pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and breastfeeding experiences.
Imagine a world...
Where education does not use guilt as a motivator but instead encourages families to make intuitive and informed decisions.
Imagine a world...
Where women are surrounded by caring, compassionate support throughout the perinatal period.
Imagine a world...
Where families are equipped to embrace parenthood with confidence.
Imagine a world...
Where there is mutual respect amongst support professionals and medical professionals, all working together as colleagues to give the best care for families.
Imagine an organization...
That strives every day to make this world a reality.
CAPPA...Reality begins with imagination.
Imaginations, Intentions, Attitudes
"Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." - W. Clement Stone
CAPPA is an organization that seeks to empower families and professionals. With that in mind, CAPPA is setting an intention that all members remember this vision in every aspect of their lives. When we project ourselves with confidence, a peaceful presence, positive attitudes, and intentions as well as the constant passion in our hearts for the work we do, we will see the CAPPA Vision moving from imagination to reality...
