Contract for Backup Doulas?

DL · 01-01-2006, 07:12 PM

Hey everyone,

Do any of you use a written contract between you and your backup doula? I've only used a backup once so far, and didn't use a contract between us. I'm wondering if written agreements between primary doulas and backup doulas are the norm or not. Any thoughts to share on this topic?

Btw....HAPPY NEW YEAR's, EVERYONE!!!!!!!

Have a great one, everybody!!!!

tlcdoula · 01-01-2006, 07:32 PM

Well, my back up is a very good friend of mine and we just have a verbal agreement that whoever does the birth gets 1/2 the fee and the other doula gets the other half.

Her and I actually met online and e-mailed back and forth for months and months and then we finally called each other and hooked up in person. She actually lives just blocks from where I grew up and over the years we have gone from e-mail to talking on the phone almost daily

So far our verbal agreement has worked out great!

DL · 01-01-2006, 09:39 PM

I can understand your setup. That sounds really nice!

Hypothetically, though.....what if you, at some point, used a different backup with whom you weren't as familiar. After she attended a birth with your client, you found out that your client was disatisfied with the labor support that your backup provided her. We know that there are two sides to every story; but IMO, the bottom line is how the clients perceive the support, or lack thereof.

Anyway...I'm thinking along those lines and how the best and proper way would be to handle it if such a scenario should ever happen. I was thinking that a contract prior to service might alleviate any misunderstanding between the two doulas of what is expected when it comes to satisfying clients. I would not expect my clients to pay for the labor support portion if they were disatisfied with my labor/birth support. I also do not think they should have to pay for the backup's service if the same happened. That's why I'm possibly thinking of a contract. Sorry if I'm confusing you....I'm thinking this through as I'm typing.

**Feel free, anyone, to chime in with your opinions if you'd like.

tlcdoula · 01-01-2006, 10:47 PM

I don't want to sound like a poop or anything, but honestly I don't think I would use a doula unless I knew that she was a good fit with me. If I felt confident enough to use the person as my back up then I would not refund money for dissatisfaction because reality is this person would be in line with my philosophy. Am I explaining this so it makes sense? LOL Sorry if I am not.

Basically I wouldn't take on a back up doula unless I knew her well because I would feel that she is a representation of me and my business and wouldn't risk my name or my businesses name with someone that I didn't trust 100%.

The problem with thinking through whether or not you would refund the money is a hard one because that would be no different than if the mother came back to you and said she didn't like what you did for her? Would you refund her money? I wouldn't. I know that sounds mean, but I am assuming she liked me and my philosophy enough to hire me. Same goes for my back up since she would be very like minded to myself.

In all honesty I would caution you on taking on a back up doula that you do not know very well because it can create problems. Here is an example - I trained someone as a doula and she kept calling me and hounding me and asking me to find her clients. I tried to explain to her over and over again that clients aren't falling into my lap either and that I had to work to find my clients and couldn't pass anyone off to her, but that I would refer people to her if they were looking for a reduced fee doula. Problem was she didn't want to work her certification births at a reduced fee and wanted to get the fee that I was asking after me being a doula for a couple of years with a good number of births behind me. Finally I referred her to a group in town that didn't volunteer births and unfortunately when it came time to doing the births she needed a back up every time. She took on clients when she knew her husband and her had a weekend planned and never told the client until the weekend came and then she begged everyone else to cover for her. She took on mothers and then later on said she could only go to births if they happened on certain days of the week.

Now I trained this woman and I know I trained her well, but she had a very different philosophy than I did and had I taken her on as my back up doula even with a contract I think it would have caused stress for everyone involved. Thankfully I didn't do that because I felt it was more important to find someone that was good and who I knew wouldn't ruin what I was trying to build.

Honestly I think you need to really know the person who will be your back up doula so that she doesn't potentially ruin your good name or that of the business you are trying to build. (Just my two cents and I would love to hear what the other ladies have to say on this topic because I think it is a good one!)

tlcdoula · 01-01-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doula_Lori

IMO, the bottom line is how the clients perceive the support, or lack thereof.

I forgot to say that I would expect that if myself or my back up was doing something that wasn't in line with what the client wanted that she or her partner would speak up. I think dissatisfaction is a fine line and can be viewed in many different ways. A woman can be dissatisfied in the fact that she had a cesarean and can blame the doula - should she get her money back? I don't think so. I think leaving that option open of someone getting their money back for dissatisfaction is opening yourself up to problems.

If someone I worked with was dissatisfied probably instead of refunding money I might do a little postpartum doula work, but even that would be just a little because I would expect my client to speak up if I was doing something wrong. I make this known right from the start with my clients.

DL · 01-01-2006, 11:05 PM

so much for your input! Your advice does make A LOT of good sense to me!

I'm gonna think all of this through some more

, but in the meantime

.....I'd also love to hear from anyone else out there who may have anything to add (whether it's to ditto Michelle's advice or to add any differing opinions). Thanx again, Michelle!

gemasita · 02-10-2006, 07:41 PM

Hmmmm, this is scaring me a little bit. Because I'm in training and charging a reduced fee, doulas charging a full fee will not back me up. So I am limited to the two other doulas-in-training in my town that I know. They both share my philosophies but their style and personalities are different than mine so I am not sure that someone who is comfortable with me would be comfortable with them.

I guess I am thinking that if they meet the backup and are not comfortable with her, they could opt not to call her if I wasn't available. I don't know if that's the right philosophy but I kinda feel like when it's ME that's hiring the doula, I might hire my own backup because I will want to totally mesh with whoever's in the room. I'm the type of person that has to feel TOTALLY comfortable when it comes to something like that. So if my client acts fine with having me pick the back-up, then they can meet her or not and call her or not - it's up to them.

Anyway, this does have me nervous though! All of the doulas in this area are so different - I haven't found one a lot like me yet.