Defining the Doula’s Role
Dou-la: noun. a woman experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother before, during, and just after childbirth.
The doula does not deliver/catch babies, carry a doppler, carry a blood pressure cuff, nor oxygen/medication. The doula has not attended medical school and is not trained in neonatal resuscitation or suturing.
Responsibilities of the Doula
The doula shall provide prenatal and labor support including, but not limited to:
* prenatal care as outlined in the package
* assist in creating a birth plan suitable to meet the clients’ needs and goals
* on-call beginning 2 weeks prior to the due date, though doula will likely be available even if delivery happens before. - provide referrals for other services in the community.
It is the responsibility of the doula to inform the client of any dates or times she will be unavailable for service. The doula shall provide physical, emotional, and informational support. The doula shall NOT perform any clinical tasks or assessments (including vaginal exams, dosing medication, monitoring fetal heart tones or taking vital signs). She shall NOT speak on behalf of the client or make any decisions for the client.
Responsibilities of the Client
The client understands and acknowledges the responsibility of the doula. The client will not hold the doula responsible for any medical treatments. This includes resuscitation of the newborn and/or administering medications for postpartum difficulties such as hemorrhaging/suturing. The client is responsible for informing her OB/GYN or Midwife that she has hired a labor doula and to provide them with contact information for Loving Hands Doula Services. Clients can simply give them a business card.
CANCELLATION
• Your health and your family’s health is important to me and because of this, if I am ill, I will give you as much notice as possible that I will not be able to attend our session.
• If you or someone in your family is ill, please inform me as soon as possible. Depending on the illness and my other clients at the time, it may be prudent that I do not make visits until everyone is well.
• Please give 48 hours notice for any scheduling changes. Failure to do so will result in a $50 late cancellation fee. True emergencies or severe weather are exempt from this fee.
• Once a contract is signed you are committing to payment for all services. If you decide you are no longer in need of my services you are still required to pay for all contracted hours because I have cleared my schedule to account for your family’s needs.
• If I am called to a birth and I will be unable to attend a session or need to leave early, I will reschedule those hours.
LIMITATIONS
• The doula shall not perform any clinical assessments or medical procedures. The doula shall not speak on behalf of the client or their partner, but rather will help facilitate conversations between you and your providers.
• As the doula, I do not take over primary care of your newborn or any other children.
• Housekeeping is limited to daily cleaning tasks such as dishes, infant laundry, and sweeping and does not include any major tasks such as mopping or cleaning of bathrooms.
• Client will provide cash up front for any grocery shopping and/or errands run outside of the home, with a list provided to the doula.
LIMITS OF LIABILITY CLAUSE
Because my primary objective is to provide emotional and physical support and not to provide medical care, I cannot be held liable for adverse or unexpected medical conditions during a birth or postpartum visit.