Limits of Doula Responsibilities:

Role of Birth Doula:

A birth doula is a trained and experienced labor attendant who accompanies birthing people and their partners before and during labor, and helps contribute to a satisfying birth experience.A doula draws on their knowledge and experience to provide emotional support, physical comfort and education to assist you making informed decisions in labor. They provide reassurance and perspective to you and your partner, makes suggestions for labor progress, and helps with relaxation, massage, positioning and other techniques for comfort and labor progression.They are independent and are either an owner of Emerald Doulas, LLC or are a self-employed independent contractor of Emerald Doulas, LLC. They do not work for your caregiver, birthplace or hospital.

Birth Doula Description of Services:

Prenatal Contact

Comprehensive doula support begins the moment you sign this agreement and a deposit for services has been received. At this point, your doula team will provide unlimited phone, text, and email support to address any questions or concerns that you may have about your pregnancy, birth, or early postpartum period. You will be invited to at least one community prenatal meeting at the offices of Emerald Doulas, LLC, and one prenatal meeting will be held privately in your home, or location of choice, with your designated doula team. During these meetings your doula team will spend time getting to know you and your support team, become familiar with your birth plan and preferences, and discuss any priorities, fears, or concerns regarding your birth. They will also discuss your expectations for all members of your birth team and discuss how you and your partner foresee working together.

Labor and Birth

Prior to your due date, you will be notified of the on-call schedule for your doula team. Please contact the doula on-call or other member of your doula team the moment you feel that you are in labor, even if you do not feel you need them yet. Your doula can answer questions and make suggestions over the phone. You will decide together if she should come then or wait for further change. Your doula will need a minimum of two hours from the point at which you specifically request in-person support to the point at which she can reach you. It is vital that you stay in contact with your doula throughout your labor and keep her informed. Whether she meets you at your home, birth center, or hospital is up to you. Every 2-3 hours she is with you, your doula will require a short break, up to 20 minutes, to refresh herself and be ready to support you every moment she is needed.

Please note that after 18 hours of continuous in-person assistance, your on-call doula may request the option of calling in another familiar Emerald Doula to provide your family with energized and fresh support. She will discuss with you before this time comes and together you will decide on an appropriate transition time. This service is of no additional cost to you.

After Birth

Your doula will remain with you for up to two hours after the birth until you are settled, and your family is ready for quiet time together. She can also help establish breastfeeding, if desired, or help with your initial postpartum comfort (fetching meals and snacks, refreshing drinks, etc.). Your doula will be available by phone to answer questions about your birth or baby in the days following your birth. One or both members of your doula team will follow-up with you for an in-person postpartum visit within two weeks after birth to see how you’re doing, review your birth and admire the baby, get feedback from you, and help process how it went (if you’re ready to do so).

Your doula, or any member of Emerald Doulas, LLC, is NOT a medical professional. As such, they cannot diagnose or treat any medical ailments, and will refer you to a health provider as needed. You doula will NOT take over care of your baby/babies, and should not be confused with the role of a nanny or babysitter. Your doula will NOT perform heavy household cleaning (such as, but not limited to, mopping, mowing, cleaning bathrooms, etc.). While your doula is an expert in newborn sleep, they will not offer advice on sleep training or self-soothing techniques to infants younger than six months of age.

Postpartum Support Sickness Policy:

In the event that a member of your family becomes ill with a fever, vomiting, gastrointestinal or other highly contagious illness during the time of postpartum doula care, you must notify Emerald Doulas, LLC as soon as possible so that any time missed can be rescheduled as needed. Should your scheduled postpartum doula become ill or sick, you will be notified and another postpartum doula will come in their place.

Postpartum Scheduling and Cancellation Policy:

If your postpartum doula care includes support in the immediate 48 hours following your birth at your hospital or you have arranged for care immediately following the arrival home from your birthing location, you must notify your doula within 12 hours following your birth (and ideally, when you are in labor). This will ensure a seamless transition home for you and your new family.

Otherwise, if you are anticipating starting postpartum doula care after the first week home, you must notify your doula within 48 hours following birth. In order for Emerald Doulas, LLC to meet your needs, it is imperative that you notify us within this time frame.

At this time you will discuss your anticipated starting day and time and your doula agrees to be as flexible as possible. The more notice that is given following (or during) birth of your desired schedule, the better able Emerald Doulas, LLC will be to meet your needs.

Clients are asked to utilize the online scheduling tool, Acuity, available on our website (https://www.emeralddoulas.com/clientportal Password: EmeraldLove.
** Don’t forget to register in Acuity and use your package code to pay for your shifts!**) to secure postpartum doula support . If you do not see your desired shift or preferred doula available please contact Suzanne Lee directly, and support will be provided based on doula availability. Shifts may be scheduled up to 48 hours in advance.

For billing purposes, the hour begins when your doula arrives at your home. If your doula runs errands for you on the way to your home, the hour begins at the arrival of the first stop. In the event of unpredictable scheduling conflicts (such as a sudden illness, adverse or unsafe weather conditions or a car accident), any time lost will be made up at a mutually agreeable time.