As a birth doula, I provide emotional and physical support to a birthing person and their partner and/or family during labor and delivery. I can also facilitate communication with your care provider to ensure you have the information you need to make informed decisions regarding your baby’s birth. I can provide reassurance and perspective to you and your partner, make suggestions for labor progress, and help with relaxation, massage, positioning, and other techniques for your comfort. I am independent and self-employed, and so, I am working for YOU, not your caregiver or place of birth.

During Pregnancy:

I want to meet with you several times before your birth. Depending on when you hire me this can be monthly meetings or weekly. During these meetings, we will discuss your priorities and any fears or concerns; present evidence-based information on the risks and benefits of common interventions and procedures used during childbirth; discuss your birth plans; and plan how we might best work together. I will also inform you of times when I am unavailable for labor support. We may also decide on other meetings and will remain in touch by telephone and/or e-mail communication. I will be on call for your birth at 37 weeks and will make every effort to be there. If you like, I can also help you write a birth plan based on your needs/wants as communicated to me. I will bring a copy of your birth plan with me to your planned birthplace and make sure the nurses add it to your file, you should also take a copy to your OB or midwife and with you to your birth (have one even if you plan to homebirth). 

During Labor and Birth:

I ask that you call me when you think you are in labor, even if you do not yet need me. This gives me time to clear my calendar for the next 24 hours. I can answer questions and make suggestions over the phone, and we can decide if I should come to you then or wait for further change. I can meet you at your home or your planned place of birth. I usually need approximately two hours (depending on commute) to get to you from the time you ask me to come. Once you call me and let me know you’d like me to begin supporting you, I will make every effort to be there within two (2) hours. Except for extraordinary circumstances, I will remain with you throughout your labor and birth.

After Birth:

Circumstances permitting, I will remain with you for two hours after the birth. I am available to answer questions about the birth or your baby, and I will schedule a postpartum meeting within a few days/weeks of the birth to visit you and the baby, review the birth, talk about breastfeeding and baby care, and listen to how you feel about your birth.

As a doula, I do NOT:

1. Perform clinical tasks, such as taking blood pressure, fetal heart checks or vaginal exams. I am there to provide only physical comfort and emotional support and facilitate communication between you, the medical staff, and care providers. I am your advocate and consistent support.

2. Make decisions for you. I will help you get the information you need to make an informed decision, but you are solely responsible for making all the decisions about tests, procedures, providers, and care of yourself and your dependants.

3. Speak to medical staff or providers on your behalf. I will discuss your concerns with you, suggest options, and encourage you and your partner to voice your opinions, questions, and concerns to the staff. If something happens that goes against your wishes, I will do my best to make sure you know what is happening so that you can speak up if you need to. I can also slow things down so that you have time to consent or not.

4. Provide medical advice. I can direct you to resources that may help you answer your questions and make informed decisions on your own. If you have questions or want advice about your care or that of your baby, you should contact your care provider, do some research, and trust your gut!

Extenuating Circumstance:

While it is always smart and helpful to have a plan, as you know, births don’t always go according to plan. If you plan a vaginal delivery and a cesarean is performed, I will continue to provide support during the cesarean surgery (as allowed by hospital and/or doctor policies) as well as immediately after to help with your comfort and breastfeeding. I will follow up with you after the birth, as I do with all my clients. My full fee would apply. If you and your doctor decide that a planned cesarean is necessary (that is, a cesarean done before your due date and/or before the onset of labor), I will provide support during the cesarean (as allowed by hospital and/or doctor policies) and immediately after, as well as the additional follow up for my full fee. If you are having a birth center or home birth and need a transfer to the hospital, I will accompany you and continue to provide doula support there, if necessary. In the event of a planned unassisted birth or a precipitous birth in a location other than your planned birthplace (such as your home or a vehicle) when a care provider is not present, I will provide only emotional and mental support as outlined above.

Failure to Provide Services:

I will make every effort to provide the services described here. If my failure to attend your birth is due to my error, and a backup doula is not available, I will offer additional postpartum services in place of monetary reimbursement. If my failure to attend your birth is due to an error on your part (failing to call me, for example), I will retain the full amount paid and continue my services to completion. If I am not allowed to your birth due to hospital/provider policies, I will offer additional postpartum services in place of monetary reimbursement. If my failure to attend your birth is due to rapid labor (the baby is born less than two hours after you call me and ask me to come), I will offer an additional postpartum visit for support at no additional cost once you leave the hospital or birth center. This can include assistance with breastfeeding, laundry, cleaning, baby care, etc. My full fee applies. I reserve the right to call in a backup doula if your labor should last over 24 hours, or if extremely exhausted, but will make every effort to remain with you through the entire duration.  Any other circumstances out of my control (weather, an act of god, hospital policy, etc) that result in my absence at your birth or your voluntary termination of this contract will not be refunded; however, additional postpartum support may be offered in place of monetary value. 

Back-up Doula:

If I cannot attend your birth, you will have a backup doula scheduled for our agreed-upon fee. Their payment will come from the original payment to the primary doula at no extra charge to you. If the backup doula cannot make it to your birth, and you are left unsupported, additional postpartum support may be offered in place of monetary value. 

Additional Services:

I am happy to create a custom doula package for you that includes any combination of the services I provide, including prenatal doula services, birth doula services, postpartum doula services, night nanny services, additional postpartum visits, or any other combination of services that is mutually agreeable to both you and me. All packages must be agreed upon in writing by all parties.

Release and Confidentiality:

You hereby permit me to take notes about you and your birth, including personal information about yourself and your child(ren). This information may be shared with my backup doula. Signing this contract also permits me to discuss your pregnancy and birth with other birth professionals in both formal and informal settings. I will never use your name, your child’s name, the date you gave birth, or any other identifying information. A separate release of information, participation agreement, and photographic release are included in this package.

Responsibility of Client:

I ask that you inform me of any pregnancy-related or other health complications or conditions you may have, as well as any other special circumstances you might have or require. I also ask that you keep me abreast of what happens at your prenatal appointments from 36 weeks forward (if your cervix is dilated, any tests or procedures you might experience, anything your care provider seems concerned about, etc). Text, email and phone are all fine for contact. I also request that you inform your care provider that you have hired a doula. If for any reason you decide not to have me at your birth after you have signed this contract, please let me know as soon as possible.

Fees:

Fees are agreed to based on the selected package, payment method, additional visits, and extra services. The total amount due is owed at the time of the contract unless otherwise agreed upon in writing. I accept cash, checks (made out to “Amy Sharland” or “Triple Moon”), PayPal or Venmo (with monies sent directly to my email address as “friends and family” amy.sharland@gmail.com). If alternative means of payment, such as barter, sliding scale, or a payment plan are being used, they must be agreed upon in writing by you and me before the signing of this contract.

Fee Schedule for birth doula services:

• (Subject to change) Please see current listing for rates

• Regular prenatal appointments (usually monthly).

• Basic Birth Education including choices that will come up in pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum, mindset, labor strategies and comfort measures.

• Birth plan template and assistance 

• I go on-call at 37 weeks until you give birth.

• Access to my lending library of books and birth tools! TENS unit, Peanut Balls, combs, massage tools, twinkle lights, aromatherapy, and more.

• Labor support begins when you want me to arrive until 2 or so hours after your birth (please allow me at least 2 hours to get to you. I know this is not always in your control, but if you think you’re in labor, let me know. Even if you don’t need me there just yet).

• Postpartum support in the hospital if you need/want it and the hospital allows it.

• One postpartum visit in your home.

Liability:

In entering a contract for Doula (Labor Support) Services with Amy Sharland, Triple Moon, llc, you hereby acknowledge that during the performance period of this contract, services may be provided to you in your home, traveling to a medical facility, and/or hospital. You understand that Amy Sharland has a limited role under the description of tasks outlined in the above-referenced contract wherever services are provided to you. 

Amy Sharland has not represented to you that contracting for services guarantees in any way a risk-free or emergency-free labor and birth experience. You understand that your doula does not make medical decisions on your behalf, including the decision on when to seek medical care at a hospital when labor support services are provided in your home. When services are performed in a medical facility, you acknowledge that Amy Sharland is not responsible for performing clinical tasks to include medical decisions regarding the inclusion or exclusion of treatments available to you and your baby.

Now, therefore, in consideration of the above acknowledgments, you (both jointly and separately) on behalf of yourselves, your heirs, administrators, personal representatives, executors, and assigns to RELEASE AND FOREVER DISCHARGE Amy Sharland from all damages or causes of actions, either at law or in equity, which you may have or acquire or which may accrue to you, your heirs, administrators, personal representatives, executors or assigns as a result of using the doula services of Amy Sharland, known as Triple Moon, llc. You intend this to be a COMPLETE RELEASE AND DISCHARGE them from all liability whatsoever.

You have read all statements contained herein and you fully realize that you are signing a COMPLETE RELEASE AND BAR to any claims which you have or believe you have resulted from our contract for doula services.