How Föda Utan Rädsla made its diplomas match its app

TL;DR: Föda Utan Rädsla is an established Swedish childbirth preparation method with an evidence based app for people giving birth, their support person and healthcare staff. Diplomas used to be handled by hand or through the booking system, which got messy and made a good looking diploma hard to produce. Issuing now runs through TRUE, and the person who does it names two reasons: creating a diploma takes no effort, and the person who receives one can share it.

Heidi Karikumpu is a childbirth educator, a doula and a prenatal yoga teacher. She also handles the administration for Föda Utan Rädsla, an established Swedish method whose English name is Birth Without Fear.

The organisation is not nervous about technology. Its app is built for three audiences at once: the person giving birth, whoever is supporting them, and the clinicians around both. The Early Labour app was evaluated in the independent research project DIGI-EL and carries a contraction timer with guided audio, simplified childbirth preparation, and questions answered by licensed midwives. A premium version holds the full preparation course.

Against that, the old diploma process stood out.

How were the diplomas handled before TRUE?

By hand, or through the booking system, depending on the day. Neither route was designed for the job, so the work fell into whichever gap was open that week.

“Before TRUE we handled everything manually, either on our own or through our booking system.”

What went wrong with that?

Two things, and Karikumpu names both in a short sentence: it easily got messy, and it was hard to get the diplomas to look good. Both cost more here than they would at a larger school. People who take this training go out and practise on their own, so the diploma is what they show a clinic or a family, and a document that looks improvised undersells the training standing behind it. A process that gets messy is also a process where somebody eventually never receives theirs at all.

What does the process look like now?

Short, and the same for everyone who finished the course. Karikumpu is running administration for a method, not a document department, so the test was whether issuing could stop being a task she had to plan around.

“It is incredibly easy to create a certificate or diploma, and it feels very much of the time to be able to share certificates and diplomas digitally through platforms like social media. If anything unexpectedly goes wrong, TRUE also gives fantastic service and always helps to solve the problem.”

Heidi Karikumpu, Administrator, Föda Utan Rädsla

Why does sharing matter for a method like this?

Because the people who take the training then work with families, and a family choosing a childbirth educator has very little to go on. A diploma that can be posted, linked and checked turns a claim into something a stranger can confirm for themselves. The training was identical either way. The number of people who find out about it is not.

What would Föda Utan Rädsla like to see next?

Nothing. Asked what would make diploma handling easier or more enjoyable, Karikumpu says they are very happy with it as it stands.

Where to read more

The method and the app are on the organisation’s own site: Birth by Heart. On building a programme that ends in a credential, see how to build a certification programme. Another healthcare training provider whose documents had to hold up well outside the classroom, in front of patients and employers: Doctor K Academy.

Frequently asked questions

What is Föda Utan Rädsla?

An established Swedish childbirth preparation method, called Birth Without Fear in English, which trains childbirth educators and prepares expectant parents.

How were diplomas handled before TRUE?

Manually, either on their own or through the booking system. It easily became messy and good looking diplomas were hard to produce.

What does the organisation like about issuing through TRUE?

That creating a certificate or diploma is incredibly easy, and that sharing it digitally feels current. It also names TRUE’s service when something goes wrong.

Does Föda Utan Rädsla use other technology?

Yes. It has launched The Early Labour app for people giving birth, their support person and healthcare staff, evaluated in the independent research project DIGI-EL.

What would Föda Utan Rädsla change?

Nothing at present. Asked what would make diploma handling easier, the organisation says it is very happy with things as they are.