What do you do when the client goes into labor before paying her balance in full?
This can be a difficult situation for any doula who has found herself being called out to a birth before being paid in full by a client. Maybe your client went into labor preterm, or maybe they are 38 weeks and you’ve forgotten to remind them of their balance. What should you do?
First, be as proactive as possible to help avoid the situation or any uncomfortable conversations.
A seasoned doula on Facebook shared some wonderful advice that I would like to share with you here. She shared that she likes to bring this very situation up in conversation as naturally as possible during her prenatal visits.
In the Birth Restored doula training, we teach specific topics to cover in doula prenatals, and one topic that is always covered is when to call your doula. During this part of the prenatal visit, which normally takes place by 34 weeks gestation, you can naturally bring up as a reminder that you require the balance to be paid in full before joining them. If it so happens that you get called out earlier than expected to support them during labor, you will send a link to your remaining balance. They can take care of the final payment while you are getting your things ready to join them for support.
In an ideal world being proactive and discussing the topic ahead of time would eliminate the need for awkward conversations or needing to bring up payment while parents are navigating unexpected labor.
But we do no live in an ideal world and sometimes clients don’t pay even after reminders. They are 40 weeks, your final balance was due at 37 weeks and they haven’t paid their balance. Then what?
Or maybe your client goes into labor before your 34 week conversation and you haven't had time to bring up the conversation.
Let’s tackle these two scenarios from a Biblical viewpoint. In both scenarios, you have a few choices.
Attend the birth when called. Ask for payment after the birth or during the postpartum. Hope the client pays you after the fact.
Ask for payment before attending the birth, and wait for payment before joining the client.
Neither of the options is awesome. The Bible tells us that it is okay to ask to be paid, whether you ask ahead of time or after; you are justified in asking for payment if it was agreed upon in the contract. Luke 10:7 states that “…the laborer is worthy of his wages.” Although you are doing kingdom work in many regards, if you are a Christian doula, you are still worthy of proper payment.
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
If the client is 40 weeks, you’ve sent reminders and they haven’t paid, then I don’t think it is unbecoming to ask for payment when they call before you join them. You should ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment, but do not let guilt keep you from asking for your proper wage.
On the other hand, let’s say a client calls you at 32 weeks, her water has ruptured prematurely, she’s in a heightened state of anxiety, and is asking for you to join her. In this regard, I would simply join the client and leave the payment in the Lord’s hands. The Lord is our ultimate source of income, and I would trust in Him to have sovereignty over the situation.
2 Cor 9:8 tells us, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Regardless of whether the client pays us, we can trust in the sovereignty of the Lord. He will supply us with everything we need.
So to recap, you are within your Biblical rights to be paid and ask for payment, but you are also within the discernment of the Spirit to simply attend the birth when it comes at an unexpected time.
Blessings,
Akasha