Person bending over at waist interacting with a baby laying on their back in a blue jumper in a bassinet

Comprehensive Five-Step Certification Program

At the NSN Certification Initiative for Postpartum Doulas and Newborn Care Specialists, we offer a thorough five-step certification process that includes personal interviews, reference checks, and a thorough background check.

Start the Certification Process

Application Process

Step 1: Your journey to certification begins with contacting us to kick off the certification process. Please be prepared with the following documents to expedite your application:

A Current Resume
References (who will be contacted at the end of the process)
Certificates of Completed Coursework
CPR Certification
Valid State Issued ID
Proof of Doula/NCS Insurance
Photo of yourself for our website

Exams

Step 2: Separate online exams are available for the Postpartum Doula and the Newborn Care Specialist—take either or both together, depending on your professional scope. The exams are timed tests with multiple-choice and write-in portions to showcase your postpartum and/or newborn care knowledge.

Interviews

Step 3: Congratulations! You passed your exam(s). We will contact you to schedule your first interview to discuss your background, experience, and reasons for seeking our certification. We will need your permission to contact your references.

Once we have successfully contacted your references, we will schedule your second and final interview.

Background Check

Step 4: Providing care for vulnerable individuals necessitates an extensive, multi-faceted background check. If you have individual questions about our background check policies, please contact us directly. If requested, you will receive a copy of your completed background check.

Final Step

Step 5: The last step involves signing our annual NSN PPD/NCS Code of Conduct and Ethics and final payment for your certification. Recertification occurs every three years with a nominal yearly fee to keep your certification active. The recertification process includes the submission of any continuing education of your choice.