What services can I provide for you?

I believe that birth is a normal physiological process and an important journey in a family's life.

I am able to accompany you and your partner through the process of preparing for birth. I can support you during labour, birth and postnatally in whatever choices you make. All information you provide, I will keep strictly confidential and I will not judge your choices. 

I will provide evidence-based information to help you to make informed choices with confidence and without fear. I will remain up to date on current research into birth related issues. I draw on my knowledge and experience to provide you with emotional support and physical comfort measures. I am a non-medical professional and the insights I offer are not medical advice.

I do not make decisions for you. If the need arises I can help you communicate with your midwife and/or medical care providers to ensure that you have all the information you need to make informed decisions. I can make suggestions for planning and preparing your birth and bonding environment and building rapport with your caregivers.

I can provide continuity of care for you and your partner. The presence of a doula lifts the sole responsibility of supporting you in labour and birth off the shoulders of your partner, allowing them to enjoy the whole birth process. I do not replace them, rather I aim to support you both. 

I am independent and self-employed. I will be working for you, not your care provider or hospital. 

If your intention is to freebirth (to give birth without any medical professionals present), then I am happy to support you in my capacity as a doula but you understand and acknowledge that I am not medical support. I do not perform any clinical tasks. I am not a medical professional, and I do not give medical advice, catch the baby, nor will I check them. If the situation requires it, I will dial 999. It is your decision whether to accept medical support or transfer to hospital. If you do so I will make my own way to the hospital and will not accompany you in the ambulance.

I am not liable for any medical concerns or emergencies that may arise. In my scope as a doula I will support you emotionally and practically.You are responsible for your own birth. All decisions are entirely yours and I will not be held liable for anything.

I can support you in your postpartum period and with your baby’s feeding. I have a good basic knowledge of breastfeeding and can make suggestions on best practice and positioning and can direct you to local breastfeeding services such as support groups and lactation consultants. If you choose to formula feed or mixed feed I can support you with relevant resources.

How do I provide this service to you? 

I will meet with you and your partner (or anyone else who will be present at the birth) an agreed number of times (according to the package purchased) before labour starts and as early in pregnancy as possible.These sessions enable us to get to know each other, to explore and discuss your priorities, work through any fears or concerns, create your birth preferences and plan how we will best work together. 

During these sessions we will discuss your birth preferences and I can demonstrate non pharmaceutical pain management techniques. I will emphasise how your other birth partners can best support you. The information that I provide you with is accurate, as far as I am aware, so that you know what your options are. 

We may also use this time to discuss infant feeding, and arrangements for after your baby is born to ensure you feel ready to cope with the early days of parenthood.

I am available for text/voicenote/email support from 8am-8pm Monday-Friday from booking. You are welcome to contact me outside of these hours with the knowledge that my response time may be slower than usual. If you ever need me urgently then a phone call is the best means of getting in touch. I will keep you informed of the times I am unavailable for consultation but you are able to contact me 24 hours a day 7 days a week from 10 days before your EDD until your baby is born (up to 14 days after EDD). This is my on-call period. 

I may take on other births during the on-call period or have booked family engagements. I will communicate this to you transparently and let you know of the backup cover I put in place. In cases where I am on call for more than one client at once, I will support whoever enters established labour first.

If you go into labour before my on-call period I will do my utmost to support you. Likewise, should you go over this period I will do my best to be available, in both instances please be aware that I may take on other births during these periods or have booked engagements. In some instances it may be that I seek a backup doula to support you in person, or am able to offer virtual support. 

Except for circumstances out of my realm of influence, I will remain with you throughout labour, birth and bonding. I retain the right to take appropriate rest breaks if your labour is long and if your labour goes over 12 hours. I also retain the right to call upon a backup doula.

If you choose to have an induction, I would support you virtually through the initial stages and join you once you are in active labour (bearing in mind inductions can take some time).

If you transfer from home to hospital or within the hospital, I will do my very best to stay with you, however there are events such as having a procedure in theatre during which some Trust’s policy would prevent me from being able to stay with you, unless I am your sole birth partner. 

I will do my best to safeguard those precious first minutes of physiological bonding after birth and can later support you with feeding if you need some help. In the very unlikely event of you being separated from your baby after birth, I may support you while your partner goes with your newborn, or I can stay with your baby if you want me to and I am satisfied that you feel emotionally safe.  

If you want to use natural remedies during pregnancy, labour and early parenting I advise you to contact a professional therapist. Under their direction I am happy to give you any such remedies. Please include this in your birth plan/preferences. 

A visit during the postpartum period is to ensure you are recovering well after the birth, to reflect on the birth together and to discuss any issues or concerns you have regarding the birth, your baby and your postpartum health. 

Your obligations

You will notify me of any relevant medical information for the pregnancy and impending birth (known risk factors, pre-existing conditions, any previous back or pelvic injury etc) so that I may prepare fully for the birth.

You and your partner will commit to fully engaging in our sessions and your preparation for your baby's birth. This will involve you doing your own exploration, reflection and mindset work outside of our sessions to support you in preparing for labour, birth and postpartum. Your birth is your responsibility.

You will book antenatal sessions in a timely way, ensuring that your antenatal support sessions are complete by 37 weeks. 

You will keep in touch with me if you think labour is imminent. This could include increase in practice surges, release of mucous plug (a show), nausea, diarrhoea, having a sense you need to stay close to home etc. You will call me when you think you may be in labour, so that I may make arrangements to attend your birth. At this point, you may not yet need me for in-person support, but it is helpful to me to know I may be needed later. You will call me when you want me to support you in-person. You will allow me approximately two hours to reach you.

My agreement with you 

I will make every effort to provide the services described in this agreement. It may be that external circumstances may limit my availability (for example I may have a sick child or you may have premature labour). 

If for any reason I am unable to attend your birth I will endeavour to provide you with a backup doula (who will receive the birth attendance part of the payable fee). I will discuss how this works with you during our initial meeting and we will explore possible options for backup doulas during our preparation meetings if this is something you would like. 

If failure to attend your birth is due to my misjudgement or unavailability, the birth attendance part of my fee (typically 25% of the total fee) is refundable. You may make further payments according to your discretion or further services made (such as postnatal support or postnatal cooking in lieu). 

If my not attending your birth is due to your choice (e.g. you choose to freebirth without me there, you choose to have an elective caesarean but do not want my support in hospital), circumstances beyond anyone’s control (e.g. changes in infection risk policy such as we saw with Covid-19, rapid onset of labour) or negligence on your part (e.g. you call me too late, or you choose to keep vital information from me) the full fee is payable and no refunds will be made. 

My Fee

50% payable on booking date: 

50% payable by 34 weeks date: 

Account Name: Account Name: Lyddie Doula, Sort Code: 30-99-50, Account Number: 13083062

I have read this contract describing our doula’s services and agree that it reflects the discussions we had with her. I am agreeable to the content of this contract.