diff --git a/backend/scripts/seedBadges.js b/backend/scripts/seedBadges.js
index 6e6cd8b..a818aa2 100644
--- a/backend/scripts/seedBadges.js
+++ b/backend/scripts/seedBadges.js
@@ -1,11 +1,5 @@
 require("dotenv").config();
-const Nano = require("nano");
-
-// CouchDB setup
-const couchdbUrl = process.env.COUCHDB_URL || 'http://localhost:5984';
-const dbName = process.env.COUCHDB_DB_NAME || 'adopt-a-street';
-const nano = Nano(couchdbUrl);
-const db = nano.use(dbName);
+const couchdbService = require("../services/couchdbService");
 
 /**
  * Initial badge definitions
@@ -239,18 +233,15 @@ async function seedBadges() {
   try {
     console.log("Connecting to CouchDB...");
 
-    // Test connection
-    await nano.info();
+    // Initialize CouchDB service
+    await couchdbService.initialize();
     console.log("Connected to CouchDB");
 
     // Clear existing badges
-    const existingBadges = await db.find({
-      selector: { type: 'badge' },
-      fields: ['_id', '_rev']
-    });
+    const existingBadges = await couchdbService.findByType('badge');
     
-    for (const badge of existingBadges.docs) {
-      await db.destroy(badge._id, badge._rev);
+    for (const badge of existingBadges) {
+      await couchdbService.deleteDocument(badge._id, badge._rev);
     }
     console.log("Cleared existing badges");
 
@@ -269,8 +260,12 @@ async function seedBadges() {
       updatedAt: new Date().toISOString()
     }));
 
-    const results = await db.bulk({ docs: couchdbBadges });
-    const successCount = results.filter(r => !r.error).length;
+    let successCount = 0;
+    for (const badge of couchdbBadges) {
+      await couchdbService.createDocument(badge);
+      successCount++;
+    }
+    
     console.log(`Successfully seeded ${successCount} badges`);
 
     // Display created badges
diff --git a/couchdb/local.d/docker.ini b/couchdb/local.d/docker.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40e1d3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/couchdb/local.d/docker.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+
+[chttpd_auth]
+secret = some-random-secret-string
+
+[admins]
+admin = -pbkdf2-6f577c99f62805329938afbaec55beb68a9d35d5,cdfa85e093b978bec5ef45f4d109b6d3,10
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index b818f51..0b85d19 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ services:
       - COUCHDB_USER=admin
       - COUCHDB_PASSWORD=admin
       - COUCHDB_SECRET=some-random-secret-string
-      - NODENAME=couchdb@localhost
       - ERL_FLAGS=+K true +A 4
     volumes:
       - couchdb_data:/opt/couchdb/data