Postpartum Doula Client Agreement
As a postpartum doula, I accompany new parents and their babies in the early days, weeks, and months following birth. I draw on professional training knowledge and experienced intuition to provide emotional care, informational support, and resource referrals as needed. My practice is family centered and our time together is to be modeled after your needs and desires. Areas of support include: processing your birth experience with you, baby-wearing techniques, light cleaning, light meal/snack preparation, self-care recovery, identifying and helping you understand your baby's cues, caring for baby and/or siblings while you and/or your partner rest, shower, spend time together, etc.
I will be a compassionate listener to your individual needs and will always remain judgement free. My practice does not include providing intensive medical or midwifery care, nor giving medical advice. It is my hope that when you have support, challenges may feel less overwhelming, your confidence within parenting may be higher, and the focus of your new family can be to bond and flourish.
SCOPE OF PRACTICE
• As a Postpartum Doula, I do not perform clinical tasks. medical assessments or evaluations. I cannot offer medical advice or diagnoses for parents or baby. My support services do not replace care from a medical provider. Any advice given should be deemed as non-medical.
• I will never make decisions for you. I will help you get the information necessary to make an informed decision and offer community resource referrals for you to consider.
• I am unable to provide transportation for parents, baby, or other family members.
• While I do not perform major household cleaning tasks, I can provide referrals for excellent folks in your community to help you.
• I am responsible to make every reasonable effort to maintain clients’ privacy, and will keep all information pertaining to your family confidential, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon.
FAILURE TO PROVIDE SERVICES
I will make every effort to provide the services described here. Sometimes this is impossible (for example: illness, emergency, etc.). If I become unavailable for an earlier agreed upon appointment, I will make every effort to connect you with another postpartum doula. If back-up doula care is unavailable, we will reschedule for a later date.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Both parties will be forthcoming with each other about if anyone in the household has had a fever or any other illness symptoms such as a cough, runny nose, or vomiting in the week prior to scheduled visits. Services will be postponed until either party is no longer symptomatic. I will wear a face mask during scheduled visits.
POSTPARTUM PACKAGES AND INVESTMENT OF SERVICES
Postpartum Packages (optional):
• Daytime Care Package: 12 hours of support minimum to book. $45/hr
• Overnight Care Package: 24 hours of support minimum to book $50/hr
• Suggested Care for Recovery: 16 hours of overnight support and 8 hours of daytime support. $1,160
HOURLY
Day support: $47/hour (with 4hr minimum/8hr maximum per visit)
Overnight support: $52/hour (with 8hr minimum/12hr maximum per shift)
CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
• To secure your Postpartum Doula's availability, a retainer of 25% of the cost of the agreed upon package is due at time of contract signing, unless discussed otherwise.
• Invoices will be emailed weekly by doula unless another agreement has been decided upon. Each invoice will contain the hours worked during the previous week (7 days) and the respective hourly rates. I agree to pay invoices sent by doula within 5 days of receipt.
• For errands and grocery shopping, please provide doula with the necessary funds for purchase before the errand.