BIRTHKEEPING CONTRACT

Services are to be provided to:

(hereinafter known as the client) at the following address:

Sarah Serrano (hereinafter known as the birthkeeper) will is responsible for providing birth or postpartum doula or birthkeeping services as outlined below.

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Scope and role of the doula/birthkeeper: The birthkeeper will not discourage the mother from her choices. The birthkeeper will always respect & facilitate those choices. I do not have my own agenda. It is the client's birth. The birthkeeper  does not perform medical tasks such as fetal heart monitoring, vaginal exams or perineal support. The birthkeeper cannot make decisions for you. I will help you in getting the information from your OBGYN/midwife/doctor and nurses so that you will be able to make informed decisions.

The birthkeeper will be on time for the client or birthing person's care and stay the entire agreed upon time. If the birthkeeper is unable to come, she will inform the client or a designated representative of their family at specified home address above as soon as the birthkeeper knows she is unavailable.The birthkeeper will always keep the client's parenting style in mind and not force the client opinions on the client(s). The birthkeeper will be available by phone and e-mail during regular business hours when she is not with the parent during the period of employment by the client(s).The birthkeeper will be flexible so the client's needs can be met. The client(s) need to let the birthkeeper know of any special needs or customs they may have during the postpartum period. The birthkeeper asks for the client(s) to be flexible as well since sickness and other events could happen in the birthkeeper's life and vice versa.  

Birthkeeper Terms of Practice

A birthkeeper provides evidenced-based information on things such as infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, parent–baby bonding, infant soothing, and basic newborn care. The birthkeeper is there to help a new family in those first days and weeks after bringing home a new baby. A birthkeeper is not a housekeeper, nor a medical practitioner and will not perform any clinical procedures, outside of weighing the baby and assisting with breastfeeding and breastfeeding education. A birthkeeper does not assess for recovery of vaginal tears or cesarean incision recovery of the client although she may provide traditional methods of helping the client recover from birth, whether cesarean or vaginal and will observe for signs of infection and/or postpartum depression, educating the client on signs and symptoms regarding these issues. A birthkeeper may provide information for the new client's partner to assist in observation for signs of infection and/or postpartum depression.

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Notifying your doula that labor has begun: It is important and your responsibility that youcontact me as soon as possible (via text message first) when you suspect labor has begun. Wewill be considered on call at that point. The birthkeeper will join you when your body moves into active labor (contractions coming regularly at 3-4mins apart for at least 1-2 hours). Unless otherwise specified in our agreement, the birthkeeper DOES NOT join the client in early labor because early labor can easily last 3-4 days, especially for first-time mothers. However, we will be in necessary communications during early labor and the birthkeeper will provide you with all the necessary tips, tools and techniques based upon how your labor is progressing, no matter the time of day (24/7). In the unlikely event labor support services are not provided, it is extremely important that the client contact the birthkeeper immediately if the client feels labor is progressing rapidly. The birthkeeper will make every attempt to arrive immediately.

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If the birthkeeper are unable to attend the client's birth (only in extenuating circumstances or at another birth with another client) the birthkeeper will make every attempt possible to provide a backup doula within the practice, in which case all fees remain the same. If unable to provide a backup doula (half) will be returned and no further charges will be incurred within 30 days.If the time we are with you exceeds past 12 hours, we reserve the right to call in a backupdoula among the associates. You have the right to refuse the backup doula, in which all feesremain the same.

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Failure to Provide Support

The birthkeeper will make every effort to be with the client at the scheduled times. If she is not able to come due to sickness or other emergencies (including attending another birth if she is on call), the client(s) will be informed in advance. If there is an overlap and the birthkeeper is on call for another family for a birth, the birthkeeper will provide support on another day, or provide a backup caregiver (as approved by the client) for that particular day if possible.

Billing Agreement

bibi and ni's agreed-upon birth and postpartum fee structure is as follows:

• $1750 full-spectrum birth support

  •  2 in-home prenatal appointments, assistance with birth options, labor and delivery, lactation support (within our scope), and pathways of preparation for postpartum

• $45-50.00 per hour daytime postpartum and/or PAIL support

  • the birthkeeper's minimum hours per day is 4 hours per day for postpartum care

  • minimum 8-hour agreement

• add-on: $300.00+ placenta services

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The services will be paid for on a weekly basis as laid out above, billed at least a week or more in advance. If mother/parent/partner decides to contract the birthkeeper a for more hours after the completion of this contract, she may do so pending the birthkeeper's availability. This may occur once this contract payment is satisfied and then contracting another set of hours with 50% down at that time.

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The initial fees the client pays to secure services are non-refundable. Client understands that the birthkeeper goes on-call for her the month of their expectant delivery.

Billing Information

Please sign below indicating that you have read and agree with the terms of use before submitting this form.

Your signature below indicates that you have read, understand, and agree to the following:

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I hereby acknowledge and authorize that the information I provide in this consultation and subsequent information accumulated in my health information files may be used in whole or in part as internal data or case study by the contracted birthkeepers of bibi + ni LLC for data collection and/or educational purposes. My personal identification will be carefully protected from disclosure under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance and policy.

By signing, I acknowledge that I understand and agree to all the terms and conditions detailed in the birthkeeping contract.