A doula contract should cover the services you provide and do not provide, the fee and payment schedule, the on-call window and how clients reach you, backup cover, cancellation and refunds, a limit on liability, confidentiality, and how either side can end the agreement. AI can draft it in plain English, but a lawyer must check it.
This is a practical guide, not legal advice. Contract law, consumer rules and what a doula may promise differ between places, so the sample wording below is a starting point to adapt, not a finished document. The sensible order of work is: decide your terms first, ask AI to put them into plain English, then pay a lawyer to find what the draft got wrong. That order saves legal time, because you arrive with decisions made and a readable draft in hand.
If you are still setting up the business, starting a doula business: admin setup with AI covers the wider picture, and doula software for bookings, contracts and invoices compares tools that hold the signed contract.
Decide the terms before asking AI for anything
A model drafts better when you give it decisions instead of asking it to invent them. Before opening any AI tool, write down answers to these questions on a single page.
- What exactly do you provide: antenatal visits, birth attendance, postnatal visits, text support between visits?
- What is the fee, what does it include and when is it paid?
- When does the on-call window start and end, and how do clients reach you?
- What happens if you cannot attend: illness, another birth, a very fast labour?
- What happens if the client cancels or the pregnancy ends early?
- What do you not do: medical advice, clinical tasks, speaking for the client against their care team?
- How do you handle client information and photos?
Your answers are the contract. The rest is wording.
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Buy nowClause by clause, with sample wording
The samples below are illustrative and written for a self-employed doula. Square brackets are choices for you to make. Do not paste them into a contract unchecked.
1. Services
List what is included and, just as important, what is not. Vague scope is the source of most disputes.
1.1 The Doula will provide non-medical emotional, informational
and physical support to the Client, as follows:
(a) [two] antenatal meetings of up to [90] minutes;
(b) support by phone and message between meetings, during
[8am to 8pm] on weekdays, with a reply target of [24 hours];
(c) attendance at the birth once labour is established, as
agreed with the Client;
(d) [one] postnatal visit of up to [90] minutes within
[two weeks] of the birth.
1.2 The Doula does not give medical advice, carry out clinical
tasks or make decisions for the Client. Medical decisions
remain with the Client and their care team.Professional bodies draw the same line. DONA International's birth doula standards of practice (revised September 2025) describe the support as non-medical, say its doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks and will not diagnose or treat, and leave decision-making with the client. Where a doula also holds a clinical or complementary qualification, those standards ask her to make clear it is an additional service. Your contract should do the same, in a separate clause with its own fee.
2. Fees and payment
State the total, what it covers, what it excludes (travel beyond a stated distance, parking, extra visits) and when each part is due. A deposit due on signing, with the balance due before the on-call window opens, is a common structure. Say how payment is made and what happens if it is late.
2.1 The fee is [amount] in total, covering the services in
clause 1.
2.2 A non-refundable booking deposit of [amount] is due on
signing. The balance of [amount] is due [14] days before the
start of the on-call window.
2.3 Additional visits or services will be agreed in writing and
charged at [amount] per hour.Whether a deposit can be "non-refundable" depends on local consumer rules, which is a question for the lawyer. Do not assume the wording is enforceable because it appears in many templates.
3. On-call terms
This is the clause clients ask about most. It must say when the window starts and ends, what you commit to during it, how to reach you, and what you cannot commit to.
3.1 The on-call window runs from [37 weeks plus 0 days] to
[42 weeks plus 0 days] of pregnancy, or until the birth if sooner.
3.2 During the window the Doula will keep a phone available and
aim to reply within [30 minutes]. The Client should call, not
only message, when labour begins or when support is wanted.
3.3 The Doula aims to join the Client within [two hours] of a
request to attend, or at an agreed point in labour. Travel times
and the speed of labour mean this cannot be guaranteed.
3.4 The Doula will not make commitments in the window that
conflict with the on-call arrangement, such as travel away or
alcohol, and will tell the Client if circumstances change.
3.5 If the baby is born before the Doula arrives, the Doula will
still provide the postnatal visit in clause 1.1(d).Note the honesty in 3.3. An on-call clause that promises attendance in every circumstance creates a promise you cannot keep. A lawyer can advise how to phrase a best-efforts commitment and what remedy, if any, the client has if you cannot attend.
4. Backup cover
The same standards ask doulas to make backup arrangements wherever possible and to state all of them in the contract or letter of agreement, including when a backup is not an option. If you work without one, say so plainly in this clause instead of leaving it out.
4.1 If the Doula cannot attend because of illness, another birth
or other reason beyond reasonable control, a named backup doula
[name] will attend instead. The Client may meet the backup before
the on-call window opens.
4.2 If neither the Doula nor the backup can attend, the Doula
will refund [the proportion of the fee relating to birth
attendance] within [14] days.5. Cancellation and ending the agreement
Think through each stage. A client who cancels at 12 weeks is different from one who cancels in the on-call window or after a pregnancy loss. A kind, clear clause for the last of these is worth writing, as is a path for either side to end the agreement. Decide in advance whether a refund applies, and how much.
| When it ends | Example approach (illustrative) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Before the first meeting | Deposit kept, balance not due | Covers the reserved dates |
| After antenatal meetings, before the window | Fee reduced by unused services; deposit kept | Work done is paid; unused work is not |
| In the on-call window | Most of the fee retained | Dates were held for the client |
| Pregnancy loss or serious complication | Pay for work done; remaining balance waived or reduced at the doula's discretion | Fair and humane; avoids a harsh dispute |
| Doula ends the agreement | Notice in writing; refund unused services; suggest replacement doulas if the client wants | Client should not be left without support |
6. Limits of liability
Liability wording is where a lawyer earns the fee. In general terms, a doula's contract states that the doula is not a medical professional, does not guarantee any outcome, and is not responsible for medical decisions or events outside their control. Whether and how liability can be limited is a legal question that varies by place and by the kind of harm, and clauses that try to exclude all responsibility may not be enforceable. Ask your lawyer what you can reasonably limit, and check your insurance covers what you do.
7. Confidentiality and data
Say what personal information you hold (contact details, due date, birth preferences), where it is stored, how long you keep it and that you do not share it except where the client asks or the law requires. If you photograph or post anything, ask for separate written permission. Pair the contract with a short privacy notice. The childminder privacy notice tutorial shows how to draft one with AI and what to have checked.
8. Other terms to cover
- Relationship: you are self-employed and not the client's employee or an agent of the care team.
- Communication: how and when to reach you outside the on-call window.
- Changes: agreed in writing by both sides.
- Complaints: who to contact and what you will do.
- Governing law and disputes: chosen with your lawyer, never copied from a template that assumes a different place.
Using AI to write the plain-English draft
Once your decisions are made, ask the model to turn them into plain language. Do not include real client names or health details. For a template, you only need placeholders.
I am a self-employed doula. Draft a plain-English service
agreement for a client, using the decisions below. Use short
sentences, numbered clauses and [square brackets] for anything I
have not decided. Do not add any clause I have not asked for.
Do not claim legal validity or describe any law. At the end,
list every point where a lawyer should check the wording.
DECISIONS:
- Services: two antenatal meetings (90 min), phone support 8am-8pm,
birth attendance once labour is established, one postnatal visit.
- Fee: [amount]; deposit on signing, balance 14 days before the
on-call window.
- On call: 37 to 42 weeks. I aim to join within two hours.
- Backup doula named in the contract.
- I do not give medical advice.
- Cancellation: deposit kept; fee reduced by unused services;
humane treatment after pregnancy loss.A good output follows your structure and ends with a list of checks. A poor one adds extra promises, such as "the Doula guarantees attendance". That is a signal to delete the sentence, not to accept it. A typical weak line from a first draft reads "The Doula will be available 24 hours a day." That is an unlimited promise, so replace it with the on-call terms from clause 3.
A before and after on a risky clause
| AI first draft | After your edit |
|---|---|
| "The Doula guarantees to attend the birth in all circumstances." | "The Doula will make every reasonable effort to attend, and if she cannot, a named backup will attend." |
| "The Client will receive a refund if dissatisfied." | "Refunds are set out in clause 5." |
| "The Doula accepts no liability whatsoever." | "[Liability wording to be settled with a lawyer.]" |
Plain English without losing meaning
The reason to use AI here is readability. Contract language written for lawyers loses clients, and clients who do not understand a clause tend to dispute it later. Plain English does not mean casual. It means short sentences, defined terms used consistently, and one idea per clause. Ask the model to rewrite a dense paragraph, then read the result against the original and ask a simple question: has any promise appeared or disappeared?
| Dense original | Plain version | Check |
|---|---|---|
| "The Client shall remit the balance no later than fourteen days prior to the commencement of the on-call period." | "You pay the rest of the fee 14 days before my on-call window starts." | Same date, same amount, same obligation |
| "The Doula shall use reasonable endeavours to attend." | "I will do everything reasonable to attend." | Still a best-efforts promise, not a guarantee |
| "Services are non-clinical in nature." | "I do not give medical advice or do medical tasks." | Scope limit survives |
Pick one voice, either "I" and "you" or "the Doula" and "the Client", and keep it. Mixing the two is a common mark of a pasted draft and makes clauses harder to follow.
Where an AI draft goes wrong
It adds promises you did not make
Language models like to be helpful, and in a contract that means invented commitments: response times you never offered, extra visits, 24-hour availability, even a satisfaction guarantee. Compare the draft against your decisions page clause by clause and delete anything not on it. A neat way to do this is to ask the model afterwards, in a separate message, to list every commitment the Doula makes in the draft. Anything on that list but not on your page is an addition to remove.
It copies the style of a different place
Many public templates are written for one legal system and then reused. The model may reproduce terms, such as references to particular statutes or court names, that do not belong to where you work. Tell the model not to name any law, then ask your lawyer to add the right governing-law wording.
It turns your care into a medical service
Words such as "treat", "advise on pain relief", "monitor" or "assess" can make a non-medical role sound clinical, which risks both client expectations and insurance. Search the draft for them and replace with words like "support", "encourage" and "provide information".
It is too reassuring about enforceability
Drafts sometimes include sentences such as "This contract is legally binding and enforceable". Remove them. Whether a contract is enforceable is for a court, and you do not want to make claims you cannot support. Your lawyer will decide what statements belong.
Working with the client, not only the paper
A contract is also a conversation. Walk the client through it at the first or second meeting, especially the on-call and cancellation clauses, and invite questions before signing. Allow a few days between sending and signing so no one is pressed. Note any question the client asks twice, because a repeated question points to a clause that is unclear. The model can help here: paste the clause (no client details) and the question, and ask for a plainer rewrite, then run any change past your lawyer if it affects meaning.
Clients arrive in different circumstances. Some are first-time parents who want reassurance, some have had a hard previous birth, some are booking for a partner or family member who will pay. A short section on who is paying and who is the client avoids confusion about refunds and information sharing. If someone other than the client pays, say who can ask for a refund and who the doula may speak to about the birth.
Signatures, records and updates
Decide how the contract is signed: on paper, by electronic signature in your booking tool, or by a method your lawyer recommends. Keep the signed copy, the date, the version number and the fee actually paid in one place. If you change your terms, apply the new version to new clients only, unless the existing client agrees in writing. Store the previous version, since a dispute will be judged against what the client actually signed.
A simple version log helps: version, date, what changed, who checked it. For example, "v1.2, 3 March, clause 3.3 reworded after lawyer review". AI can draft the log entry from the tracked changes, but the dates and approvals are yours to record. Put a review reminder in your diary for twelve months after each lawyer check, and sooner if your insurance, your backup arrangements or your fees change.
What the whole process costs
For one doula starting out, the work looks like this. Deciding terms takes one to two hours. The AI draft and your editing take another two. The scenario test takes about 20 minutes. The lawyer check is the main cost and varies widely with the lawyer and the length of the contract, so ask for a fixed quote after sending the package, rather than an hourly estimate. A tighter package, with decisions made and unusual clauses flagged, tends to take less lawyer time than a blank request to write a contract. The finished contract is then reused with a handful of fields changed for each client. If you later add services, such as postnatal packages or group classes, treat each as a new check, not a quick edit.
Handling a late-labour change of plan
Births rarely follow the script, so write down in advance what your contract does when the plan changes on the day. Three common changes are worth a sentence each. If the client is transferred to another place of birth, say whether you will follow and how that affects your attendance. If the birth becomes a surgical one and the care team limits who may be present, say you will support in whatever way is permitted and that your fee is unchanged. If labour is long, say what happens when you need rest: a handover to the backup after an agreed number of hours is a kindness to everyone, and it should be in writing before it is needed. These clauses are best drafted with your lawyer, and you can use AI to rehearse the wording as a plain-English paragraph first.
The lawyer check: what to send and ask
A lawyer's time is expensive, so send a tight package. Include your decisions page, the AI draft with your edits, and a list of what you want checked. Ask questions that need a lawyer, not ones the model can answer.
- Is the deposit and cancellation structure enforceable where I work?
- How far can I limit liability, and what must I not try to exclude?
- Do consumer or distance-selling rules affect how I sign up clients?
- Is my self-employed status clearly stated, and does anything suggest otherwise?
- Does my data wording meet local data-protection requirements?
- What insurance should the contract assume I hold?
Expect the lawyer to rewrite parts. Keep their version as your master, and ask them to mark which clauses are essential and which you can adjust yourself in future.
A filled-in example, in brief
Here is an imaginary package sold by a doula working alone; the numbers are illustrative, not a market rate. The fee is $1,200: a $300 deposit on signing and $900 due 14 days before the on-call window opens. The contract prices each part, so that "unused services" has a number: $100 for each of two antenatal meetings, $850 for on-call and birth attendance, and $150 for the postnatal visit. A client cancels at 33 weeks after one meeting. Work done is one $100 meeting, the $900 balance was never due, and the deposit covers the meeting plus the dates she held. The client owes nothing further and the doula keeps the $300. Had her clause 5 said the deposit covers work done only, she would refund $200. Either way the contract's table decides it, so the doula writes one calm email, not a negotiation.
Testing the contract with real scenarios
Before using the contract, play five scenarios against it. They take twenty minutes and reveal gaps better than re-reading.
- The baby comes at 36 weeks, before the on-call window opens. Who attends, and what is owed?
- A very fast labour means no doula arrives in time. What is refunded?
- The doula is ill at 3am and the backup is unreachable.
- The client's care team asks the doula to leave the room. What does the contract say?
- The client asks for a refund after a birth that did not go as planned.
If a scenario produces an argument, the clause needs work. Take unclear ones back to your lawyer. AI can help role-play the client's questions, but the fixes go through your lawyer.
Keeping the contract usable
A contract that clients cannot read will not be read. Aim for two to four pages with plain headings, and send a one-paragraph summary beside it: what you provide, what it costs, how on-call works. Ask the model to write that summary from the final, lawyer-checked contract only, then compare it with the clauses. Keep a signed copy in the place your booking tool uses, note the review date, and revisit the contract yearly, or sooner if your services, insurance or local rules change. A short annual check with your lawyer is cheaper than a dispute.
Doula contract questions
Can I use an AI-written contract without a lawyer?
Treat it as a first draft only. A lawyer who knows contracts for personal services where you work should check it, particularly liability, cancellation, refunds and data handling. AI can miss local rules or invent clauses that look right and are not enforceable.
What does 'on call' mean in a doula contract?
It is the window, often a few weeks around the due date, when you keep yourself available to attend the birth. The contract should state the dates, what you do on call, how the client reaches you, how fast you respond and what happens if you cannot attend.
How should a doula contract handle a backup doula?
Name the backup, explain when they step in, say whether the client meets them beforehand and confirm that the fee covers the backup's attendance. Clients should know before the on-call window what happens if you are ill or already at another birth.
Should the contract promise a type of birth?
No. A doula offers non-medical support and does not promise an outcome or a birth type. State plainly that you do not give medical advice or make clinical decisions, and that the client's care team does.
Further reads
- Childminder Contract: AI First Draft, Solicitor Final Check — The same draft-then-check method for a childminder's contract.
- Therapy Cancellation Policy Template: Fees, Wording and AI Reminders — Cancellation fees and wording for another one-to-one practice.
- Nutritionist AI Prompt: Write Consent and Cancellation Wording — A prompt for consent and cancellation wording.
- Best AI for Freelancers: Check a Client Contract for Red Flags First — Use AI to spot risky terms before anyone signs.
- Tutoring Contract Template: Parent Terms Drafted With AI — Plain-English terms for a self-employed service.
- Training Course Cancellation Policy: Terms Drafted With AI — Staged refunds by notice period, drafted with AI.
- AI Tools and AI Development: The Complete 2026 Guide — the AI hub, including every tutorial in the AI-for-business series.
Sources: DONA International, Birth Doula Standards of Practice (revised September 2025); general contract practice for self-employed service providers; no legal advice. Have a qualified lawyer where you work review any contract before use.