Doula Contract

What is a doula contract template?

A doula contract template is a legal document that aims to define terms and conditions for non-medical care between a doula and their client. This postpartum doula contract template outlines the scope of services, both parties’ responsibilities, payment terms, termination, etc.

Having a well-drafted doula agreement template prevents misunderstandings between the parties, clarifies the client’s responsibilities, and records terms for cancellations, payment, and availability.

This template could be customized as a prenatal support, delivery, or postpartum doula contract template. You can use this template if you are an independent non-medical professional or when you work for a state or private medical institution.

The parties involved in a doula contract template are a client and a doula. A client is a woman who is expecting and wants to hire an additional consultant to help her emotionally, educationally, and physically during the prenatal, delivery, or postpartum period. A doula is a trained non-medical professional who provides continuous support during the pregnancy, delivery, birth, and postpartum in exchange for the agreed remuneration. While there is no federal law requiring doulas to hold any certification, most of the states require a doula to undergo certain certification programs before practicing.

A birth doula contract is an optional legal document for those who require additional mental, emotional, and psychological support during the pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. The mutual trust between a client and a doula is a key element for the contractual relations. However, it is vital to remember that having a doula does not replace medical observation and consultation for pregnancy and delivery.

What to include in a doula agreement template?

There is no mandatory list of clauses every doula contract shall have. The exact document’s content largely depends on the scope of services to be provided, remuneration terms, etc. Below we made a comprehensive list of the most essential clauses a doula contract template must definitely have.

Details of the Parties

Every birth doula contract shall provide full identification details of the parties involved—a doula and a client. This is not an employment agreement, therefore parties act as independent contractors. It is important to include in the text of a final document a set of the following disclaimers stating that:

• A doula is not a medical practitioner;
• A doula does not have relevant medical education to evaluate a client’s conditions during prenatal or birth stages;
• A doula is not responsible for any medical decisions related to the pregnancy and delivery.

Once the document is ready, both parties must sign it. The laws do not require further notarization or witnessing for this type of a contract.

Scope of Services

A doula can provide emotional and physical support during the prenatal, birth, or postpartum period. At each of those stages the scope of services differs. Therefore, it is essential to make sure that the text of a final document clearly reflects the client’s wishes and requests. For instance:

Prenatal support doula contract. This section of services focuses on a client’s preparation for the delivery, discussing pain relief techniques, as well as other educational sessions. It is essential to include in the doula contract the number and frequency of prenatal sessions, their format (e.g., online, in person), and other related information.

Birth doula contract. If a doula is contracted only for the period of birth and delivery, in that case detailed instructions regarding the preferred method of delivery, location of delivery, due date, and other information shall be included in the contract. Apart from that, a good doula contract example shall specify the on-call availability of a doula in case of any medical emergency or the start of delivery.

Postpartum doula contract. This part includes the provision of qualified non-medical help related to a smooth recovery from a birth. Parties have to discuss not only the scope of services but also the exact duration within which those services shall be provided.

Fees and Payment Terms

Another essential element for every doula contract template is the inclusion of clear payment provisions. Parties could choose from either of the payment models suggested below:

• Fixed Fee. A client pays a one-time fixed sum for all the services described in the birth/postpartum doula contract. Such a fixed sum could be paid in full on the date of signing the agreement, right after the delivery, or in separate installments.
• Hourly Rate. A less common payment model is inclusion of a doula’s hourly rate. This is when a birth doula contract defines an exact rate, as well as a billing period—weekly, monthly, etc.

Besides that, parties must also discuss acceptable payment methods. It is important to remember that a non-payment under a doula contract is a significant material breach that allows a doula to end the contract immediately.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

A birth and postpartum doula contract template is a personal contract, which means that the client wants to get services from a certain specific doula. Therefore, the text of a solid contract template shall provide a cancellation and refund policy in case a doula is not able to perform services due to force majeure circumstances. Those circumstances could have various forms, including illness, other birth commitments, family circumstances, etc.

The parties could include either of the solutions for the problem described above:

• A doula must provide an immediate replacement; or
• A contract shall end immediately.

If the contract ends immediately, the client undertakes to pay pro rata for the actual services provided by the dual before the termination date.

Client Responsibilities

A well-drafted doula contract example shall provide the list of additional client responsibilities, including:

• attendance of all required prenatal sessions with a healthcare provider;
• disclosure of all medical aspects of a client’s health to a doula;
• disclosure of all medical complications related to a birth, delivery, or client’s pregnancy;
• cooperation with a doula in good faith.

How to customize a doula contract template at FasterDraft?

To get a fully customized legal document, follow the instructions given below:

1. Click the “Create Document” button.
2. Answer simple questions in the form.
3. Select a template’s format—doula agreement PDF or Word.
4. Make a payment.
5. E-sign, download, print, and use your free printable doula agreement.