what to expect with queen city doula care
- Personalized Doula Matching: Our founder, Kaitlyn, personally meets with all prospective clients to understand your needs and preferences. She carefully matches each client with the most suitable doula from our team, ensuring a perfect fit for your family.
- High Standards, Exceptional Care: We maintain high standards for professionalism and empathy, which means we selectively choose our team members. Though we may not be the largest agency, we are confident that each of our doulas is exceptional in their dedication and skill.
- Immediate and Continuous Support: Once matched, we put you in direct contact with your doula, ensuring you know exactly who will be supporting you right from the start.
- Accessible Expertise: Beyond your personal doula, you have a whole team backing you. Kaitlyn remains actively involved and is always available for additional support. Her extensive experience in neonatal intensive care, pediatric primary care, and as a Radical Birth Keeper provides a wealth of knowledge to help guide new mothers.
- As Soon As Possible: If you know you want doula support, it’s wise to book early. This is especially important if you have specific requirements, such as working with a Registered Nurse or a Newborn Care Specialist.
- Flexible Options: If you are more flexible regarding the qualifications of your doula, you may have a bit more leeway. However, all of our doulas are exceptional, and they become fully booked around popular due dates, especially by the second trimester.
- Reach out anytime: Never hesitate to reach out even if your baby is already here! The birth world is unpredictable and we may have availability for exactly the support or referral you need.
- Assess Your Needs: Consider how much support you’ll want on a daily or weekly basis. Think about the number of days, nights, or hours per week you might need assistance.
- Duration of Support: Reflect on how long you’ll want continued support. Some clients find a few weeks sufficient, while others prefer support for several months.
- Flexible Support Options: We cater to a wide range of needs, from clients who need just a night a week to those who prefer daily assistance.
Our doulas don't formally sleep train, but we do help families establish a bedtime routine that sets up your baby for sleep training success by laying the foundation for good sleep habits. If you're interested in sleep training recommendations, just ask us!
Our doulas make the most of any downtime at night. They handle tasks like washing bottles and pump parts, and tidying up the nursery. We have a section on our client intake form where you can specify additional tasks for your night doula to assist with. If the baby is sleeping soundly and all tasks are complete, the doula will rest until it's time for the baby's next feeding. This ensures they're ready to provide the best care when needed.
Yes, we work with employee benefits from programs like Carrot Fertility, Maven Fertility, and Progyny Fertility. Eligibility and reimbursement requirements vary by employer and benefit provider, and we can help you navigate these options.
our charlotte doula team
A newborn care specialist is a trained professional dedicated to the specialized care of newborns. They possess extensive knowledge and experience in various aspects of newborn care, including infant development, feeding techniques, soothing methods, sleep training, and basic health care for infants. Their expertise ensures your baby receives the best possible care during those crucial early weeks.
A postpartum doula is a professional who supports new parents by providing physical, emotional, and informational support after childbirth. They assist with newborn care, feeding guidance, light chores, meal preparation, and emotional support, helping families transition smoothly into their new roles.
A night nanny specializes in newborn care, particularly for infants 0-6 months old. They do not have formal certifications but are knowledgable about common newborn issues such as sleep schedules, reflux, colic, and more. They are also knowledgeable on baby gear, pumping equipment, and basics of postpartum maternal support.
A night nurse is a licensed nurse who cares for infants overnight. To become an licensed nurse, individuals complete a nursing program and pass National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to obtain licensure or registration to practice nursing in their state or jurisdiction. Night nurses bring a high level of medical expertise to the care of your baby.
hiring a doula: our fees
Choosing the right package can be challenging as it's different for every family. We recommend booking a Discovery Call with us so we can explore your needs and find the best option together.
When you book our services, we dedicate a specific doula to your care. This commitment means your doula reserves her time exclusively for you, making her unavailable to other potential clients.
To ensure the commitment is mutual and to secure your spot, we require a $350 nonrefundable deposit at the time of booking. This deposit is applied as a credit on your final invoice. This policy helps us maintain the high standard of personalized care that our clients expect and deserve while allowing our doulas to have consistent schedules.
Our doulas can be available on major holidays depending on their individual availability. If you require services on a major holiday, we charge a special holiday rate, which will be clearly communicated to you in advance.
Major holidays include New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
For all holidays except Independence Day, holiday rates apply to night shifts beginning on the evening prior to the holiday and day shifts starting on the holiday itself.
For Independence Day, holiday rates apply to all shifts starting on the holiday.
We do not work directly with insurance as an in-network provider. However, if your insurance covers in-home postpartum care, you might be able to submit your expenses for reimbursement.
Payment with an HSA or FSA depends on IRS rules, which you should confirm with your provider. Generally, expenses for a mother recovering from labor are eligible, but care for a normal, healthy baby is not.
Yes, we work with employee benefits from programs like Carrot Fertility, Maven Fertility, and Pryogyny Fertility. Eligibility and reimbursement requirements vary by employer and benefit provider, and we can help you navigate these options.
Currently, we do not offer payment plans. We appreciate your understanding as we strive to provide the best possible service.
Yes, caring for twins is a delightful yet demanding experience. Due to the extra attention and effort required by our doulas, we apply a 20% additional fee for twin care.
Refunds for deposits are not available if more than 48 hours have passed since payment. This policy is in place because our doulas reserve their time exclusively for your support once a deposit is made.
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newborn sleep & feeding essentials: a new parent's survival guide
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