Client Agreement for Doula Services
Thank you for expressing your desire to work with me for your next birth!
The Complete Birth Support package includes:
Doula support – Prenatal sessions totalling 6 hours, full birth support, postnatal visits totalling 6 hours.
Access to my resources and information.
A digital copy of the The Birth Map by Catherine Bell.
The Before and After package includes:
Doula support – Prenatal sessions totalling 6 hours & postnatal visits totalling 6 hours.
Access to my resources and information.
A digital copy of the The Birth Map by Catherine Bell.
** Packages and inclusions vary, please refer to your invoice for full details. **
However you birth, whatever the outcome, all terms and conditions outlined herewith, must be honoured the same.
A Doula's role.
As a Doula, I provide support before, during and after labour by providing personal assistance. I draw on my experience and knowledge to give you emotional support and physical comfort throughout the birth. I also provide you with as much information as I have on topics surrounding childbirth so that you can base your decisions and experience on a variety of information. The information I have comes from training courses, published books, studies, articles and audio/visual recordings, which I can loan to you or direct you to find. Throughout your pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period I am employed by you and I dedicate myself only to your needs. I make myself available to provide reassurance to you and your partner, to discuss all options available to you, and to help you relax and find comfort during labour. I am also available by email or phone before and after the birth. A Doula is not a doctor or midwife and has no clinical/medical responsibility in your birth. It is important for you to understand that a Doula cannot guarantee a specific outcome for your birth.
Prenatal meetings.
It is important that we meet prior to the birth to discuss your desires and plan how we will work together during labour and birth. We will meet on two or three occasions totalling six hours. During these meetings, we will discuss the birth process, your preferences and your expectations of each individual on your birth team. I do not perform any clinical tasks, such as monitoring blood pressure or physical examinations. My goal is to assist you in creating a birth experience that fosters feelings of safety and support. I will not give you advice or make decisions for you, but I will endeavour to get unbiased information to you so that you can make your own, informed decisions. I will not judge your choices, nor will I impose my own personal opinion on them. I will support you and encourage you wholeheartedly through this process.
I recommend that you advise your care provider of your intention to hire a Doula. You do not require permission from your care provider to hire a Doula, however it can be helpful as a gesture of courtesy and to avoid any miscommunication on the day of birth.
Unexpected unavailability.
In the case of unforeseeable circumstances preventing me attending your birth (ie. illness, accident etc.), a back up Doula will be available. This Doula will be aligned with the way I work, honour my fees, all inclusions and conditions outlined herewith. I will make you aware of who the back up Doula will be as soon as possible and arrange for you to meet each other prior to the birth.
Birth attendance.
I will consider myself offically on call for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week once you are 38 weeks. However, given the unpredictable nature of birth I will be available for you to call me to attend at any given time leading up to this.
It is your responsibility to call me once you believe labour has started. Please CALL (NOT text) 0400 881 212 as soon as you can. If I do not answer your first phone call, please leave a message and send a text, I will call you back immediately. If I fail to return your phone call within 5 minutes, please call my emergency contact on 0416 337 492. Once we have had an initial conversation, we will decide whether you need me to attend to you immediately or you are comfortable sending me regular updates until such time that you do. I typically make my way to you once you are in established, active labour. This is to ensure that you have my assistance when you need it most. However, with that being said, I will be available to you from the moment that you feel you need me. I generally require between 30 minutes to 1 hour to be on my way to you, so it is important that you phone me when you believe you are in labour to allow me to make the necessary arrangements on my end. I will meet you at your home (or location) as soon as I can after your phone call, travel with you to your place of birth and remain with you for the labour and birth.
If I miss the birth because you failed to contact me by phone call, you forfeit the entirety of your fees. It is therefore very important that all parties involved (mother, partner, extended family, etc.) are aware that I need to be contacted. You MUST contact me at the first believed sign of labour. Calling me at the first sign allows me adequate time to plan to be with you when you need me.
If I do not make it to the birth because it is very fast (precipitous labour), your Doula package is still applicable. I will make my way to you as soon as possible to assist with the after birth period. As a gesture of goodwill, I will offer you two additional postnatal visits.
After the birth and postnatal visits.
I will remain with you for up to two hours after the birth, until you and your baby are comfortable, unless of course you wish to be alone with your family and advise me as such. I will visit you on two or three occasions totalling 6 hours, within two weeks after the birth. During these visits I will assist you in whichever way you require at the time. We will make arrangements for these visits after the birth, for times which are mutually convenient.
Cancellation policy.
All cancellations must be made in writing to kylierosedoula@gmail.com
If you cancel prior to our first prenatal meeting, I will refund your deposit less a 20% administration fee.
If you cancel after our first prenatal meeting, your deposit will be forfieted.
If you cancel after the on call period has commenced, there will be no refund.
Fees for services.
The fee for my birth package services is $1500. The full fee or a minimum of $200 deposit is due upon booking confirmation.
Payment in full or the deposit amount MUST be provided, for me to confirm your booking.
If a payment plan has been arranged, payment of your Doula package MUST be made in full by 38 weeks, unless alternate arrangements have been made. If full payment has not been completed by 38 weeks, you forfeit your right to consider me on call for you until such time as full payment has been made. In saying that, if you are experiencing extenuating circumstances, please engage in open, honest communication with me so that we can make alternate arrangements.
In the unlikely event that I or my back up Doula are unable to attend the birth due to fault of our own (ie. missed phone call, unplanned personal emergency preventing our attendance etc.), $500 will be refunded to you and the remainder of the fee will be kept to cover the other services and support already provided during the antenatal period and what will be provided in the postnatal period.
Please ensure you have confirmed your full investment amount by acknowledging receipt of an invoice, prior to making payment.
The preferred method of payment is by direct deposit into my bank account as outlined on your invoice, and is greatly appreciated. Credit card payment is also available.
I/we have read this letter of agreement describing Doula services by Kylie Rose and agree that it reflects the discussion between us. By making payment, we agree to everything that is outlined in this agreement.
If you wish to proceed with your booking, kindly make payment, as outlined on your invoice.
Should you have any additional questions, please do so by emailing me at kylierosedoula@gmail.com
Thank you sincerely for your business and support, it is truly appreciated!