Letter of Agreement Postpartum Doula Service
(effective January 1, 2020)
Services Provided
Calm and Confident Doula Care, LLC, further referred to as C&C, agrees to provide a professional, trained, skilled and reliable doula and to screen such doula on behalf of Client as C&C deems appropriate. All C&C doulas agree to the DONA International Scope of Practice and Code of Ethics and carry Professional Liability Insurance. All doulas are either Certified or working towards Certification with DONA International, CAPPA or NAPS Doulas. Client’s decision will be based solely upon Client’s assessment of suitability of doula and not solely upon the recommendation given by C&C. C&C will make every effort to place a doula that is satisfactory to Client’s specifications and needs.
Package Options:
Welcome Home: A postpartum doula will meet you upon your return to home from the hospital (or when the midwives leave your homebirth) to help you settle in—prepare a meal, finish setting up your home, tidy, do laundry, run out for needed supplies, provide lactation or sibling support as needed. Must be arranged and paid in advance, four hour shift, contact the office, 425-876-5049, when labor or induction begins.
For the packages outlined below: A 50% non-refundable retainer of the total number of hours reserved is taken and applied toward your first hours, which are pre-scheduled.
Solid Start, 10, 4 hour shifts (40 hours total) over one month (3x/wk for two weeks, then 2x/wk for two weeks): The same doula (whenever possible) will provide support throughout your early postpartum time, to include non-judgmental, listening and emotional support to process the birth and challenges of early parenthood, lactation and newborn care/ development education and support, care for your newborn so you may rest, shower, etc., meal preparation and light household tasks, perinatal mood and anxiety disorder assessment and resources referrals.
Overnight Care: Postpartum Doula support provided in 8 hour shifts, generally from 10pm-6am to help you learn nighttime parenting skills, get rest, and facilitate sleep for your newborn. If you require your doula to be awake throughout the entire night, a surcharge of $7/hour is added, bringing the hourly rate to $45/hour for a Junior Doula.
A la Carte: Choose shifts and times that work best for you, can include a combination of daytime and overnight support. Care is provided as outlined in the Solid Start Package. You can choose from one shift to many. Shifts can be added or deleted with 48 hours notice and as the doulas’ schedule allows.
The doula does NOT diagnose or treat medical conditions in the parent or the baby, but will refer you to your health care provider when appropriate. They will NOT take over the care of the baby, but will assist you in learning to care for the baby’s needs. They will NOT drive the client or baby. Additionally, at Calm Confident Doula, we take pride in the needs and care of all of our clients, including their health and wellbeing. For this reason, a doula cannot attend a client’s home at any time that a resident of the home is ill, as contracting a communicable illness would put other clients and their immunocompromised infants at significant risk. You agree to inform your doula of any illnesses of any residents of your home prior to any and all scheduled visits, so that you and your doula may postpone the visit until the illness(es) have passed.
Fees
The hourly rate is dependent on experience status:
Junior Doulas have experience serving 0-50 clients, $38/hr;
Senior Doulas have experience serving more than 50 families, $43/hr.
Overnight support, awake all night, $45/hr.
Some variation may be expected for doulas with specialized skills and training.
This agreement reserves service time for the client. Retainer money will be applied towards charges beginning on the first day of service. Retainer fee is non-refundable and must be used within 6 months the baby’s birth. Shifts cancelled within 24 hours of scheduled time will be charged at 50%. An invoice will be sent, by email, every two weeks and is due upon receipt.
Confidentiality
I understand that my doula may consult with Melinda Ferguson, Owner and Mentor at Calm and Confident Doula Care, LLC from time to time regarding my care. I give permission for my doula, the backup doula and Melinda Ferguson to take notes about me, including personal information I choose to disclose, and information regarding my labor, birth and postpartum, as well as any information regarding my child/ren. Such information may be communicated between my doula, the back up doula and Melinda Ferguson only as necessary in the course of providing service. Such information will not be shared outside of Calm and Confident Doula Care, LLC.
Unforeseen Circumstances and Acts of Nature
At Calm Confident Doula, we are committed to providing the support which our have retained us for, and which our clients expect from us. We are able to accomplish this by adequately staffing our business with doulas and managing our client load and schedule to avoid conflicts. However, we cannot control acts of nature, such as weather, declared states of emergency, war, and other unforeseen circumstances. In such an event, it may not always be possible for a Calm Confident Doula to meet the requirements of this Agreement, and we will work with you to reschedule shifts or otherwise come to a mutually agreed arrangement regarding the unused retainer. Additionally, we cannot guarantee availability of a doula when the client changes the agreed upon schedule as doulas will be scheduling other activities around the anticipated schedule. We will make every effort to meet such requests however.
Contractual Relationship
Client fully understands and agrees that it is the intention of this Agreement and the parties hereto that C&C and the doula is and shall remain an Independent Contractor. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to be inconsistent with that status. Client fully understands and agrees that the doula placed in the home of the Client is not an employee, agent or representative of C&C. The doula is an independent contractor of C&C.
Please note: C&C understands and encourages a mutually friendly, trust-based relationship between Client and doula; provided, however, than in some instances, the doula has been asked to work with the Client “on the side” without C&C’s consent and knowledge with the intent of the doula working for Client independently of C&C. C&C respectfully asks that all Clients refrain from request of this nature. Such requests fall outside the scope of this Agreement and may be damaging to the relationship between C&C, doula and Client. Thank you for respecting this request.