Sylvia Lauris

T&C's

Terms and Conditions

This page sets out the Terms and Conditions you agree to when using Sylvia Lauris Doula’s services and products. Please read them, as they set out important rights and obligations. If you use Sylvia Lauris Doula’s services, or purchase Sylvia Lauris Doula’s products, you represent that you are over the age of 18 and agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. 

In these terms I, me, my mean Sylvia Lauris, and you and your mean the client purchasing the products or services. 

Scope of Services

  • I will provide the services as set out in the description of the package you have purchased or as otherwise agreed in writing. 
  • I agree to maintain the ethics and standards of behaviour that ensure you feel safe in our time together.
  • You are solely responsible for your own physical, mental and emotional well-being, decisions, choices, arising out of or resulting from the Doula relationship and your interactions with me. 
  • You take full responsibility and risk for making any decision based on information on my website, social media profiles, resources or in using my services (including any online materials, consulting, coaching, programs, sessions, products, and all goods and services that may be accessed through my website from time to time). You hereby agree to irrevocably release and waive any claims they may have now or in the future against me and I take no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any loss, damage or injury that may arise from any person acting on any statement or information presented and all such liabilities are expressly disclaimed.
  • You acknowledge that my services do not involve the diagnosis or treatment of mental disorders. My services are not to be used as a substitute for professional advice by medical or other qualified professionals, and obtaining such advice is your exclusive responsibility. 
  • You understand that I am not a medical practitioner. As such, I do not:
  • listen to the foetal heartbeat; 
  • take blood pressure measurements;
  • take the mother/birthing person’s or newborn’s temperature;
  • do physical exams on mother/birthing person or newborn;
  • provide diagnoses;
  • clean or rebandage stitches;
  • replace a Midwife, General Practitioner, Psychologist, Physiotherapist, Lactation Consultant, Obstetrician or Paediatrician; or
  • give advice or prescribe treatment. 

The information and services I provide are not a substitute for professional medical attention, examination, diagnosis, treatment, or advice. You are responsible for consulting a medical professional before using any of the information or materials contained or accessed through me, before commencing any new regimes, making alterations to your diet, trying any treatment, or taking any course of action that may directly or indirectly affect your health or wellbeing, as well as that of your child/ren.

Any testimonials I may display are based on my experience and those of previous clients. They are not guarantees that anyone else will achieve the same results. I do not guarantee any specific results.

  • It is your responsibility to provide a safe working environment for me when I am at your home. 

Specific Disclaimer

This disclaimer relates to the postpartum in-home care and food I have available for purchase as a package.

I will, to the best of my ability, ensure that the food prepared is suitable for the typical postpartum woman’s needs. I will follow food safety standards to ensure that the food prepared is safe to consume.

It is your responsibility to take into account any food allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances when reading information about the food I prepare. If you choose to purchase a food package made by me, it is your responsibility to inform me of any allergies or intolerances before completing the purchase so I can ensure I can cater to your and your family’s needs. It’s up to you to store the food I have provided appropriately (for example, refrigerated and used within the stated time frame) using your common sense.

Payment terms

  • You will pay a small fee for initial consultations, which then counts towards the price of any birth support package you purchase after the consultation. This fee is non-refundable. 
  • If you book one of my birth support packages, unless agreed otherwise, I will invoice you for ⅔ of the total package, less any initial consultation fee paid, upon booking of the service. I will invoice you for the balance on completion of the birth support package. Invoices are due within 7 days. 
  • Except as described below under “Cancellation and Rescheduling”, all fees paid are non-refundable. 
  • All charges are in New Zealand dollars. I am not registered for GST.

Cancellation and Rescheduling

  • If you cancel your service package prior to your birth, I will not charge you for the remaining value of the birth support package, and, depending on how far before the birth you give notice of cancellation, I will provide you with a reasonable refund to reflect the value of services not yet provided. 
  • If you cancel your service package after you have given birth, you will still be charged for the remainder of the service package. 
  • If I have to cancel your service package, I will provide you with a reasonable refund to reflect the value of services not yet provided.
  • If I cannot attend your birth due to reasons outside my control (such as attending another birth or illness) we will negotiate to amend the service package, for example by adding additional post-partum services. If we are not able to reach an agreement on the amendment, I will provide you with a reasonable refund to reflect the value of services not provided.
  • If you need to reschedule any particular visit with me, please give me as much notice as possible, and at least 24 hours’ notice. 

Respect and Safety

The Doula-client relationship is based on mutual respect and safety. The Doula reserves the right to withdraw service at any time due to conflict or personal health or safety concerns - including but not limited to any kind of abuse, passive or second-hand smoke, aggressive pets, unsafe environments and abusive or violent family dynamics.

Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, my liability to you arising out of these Terms and Conditions or in connection with my products and services will be limited to the amount paid by you to me for the products and/or services to which the liability relates. In no event will I be liable to you for any special, indirect or consequential loss arising out of these Terms and Conditions or in connection with my products and services. 

Confidentiality

I will treat as confidential my relationship with you as well as any information (documented or verbal) that you share with me. Confidential Information does not include information that: (a) I am required by any applicable law or regulation to disclose; (b) is disclosed to me and as a result of such disclosure I reasonably believe there to be an imminent or likely risk of danger or harm to you or others; and (c) involves illegal activity. You agree that I can use information collected by me in the course of providing the services to you to (a) improve my products and services, including through my own education and (b) to promote my products and services, as long as I do not use your information in a way that identifies you without your prior express consent. 

Amendment of Terms

I reserve the right to change, modify, add or remove portions of these Terms and Conditions at any time by posting updated Terms and Conditions on my website. I will endeavour to highlight any significant or substantive changes to you where reasonably practicable. If you choose to continue to use my services after the updated Terms and Conditions are posted on my website then you accept the amended Terms and Conditions.

 

Privacy Policy

Information I Collect

I will only collect information about you if I have a reason to do so - for example, to provide my services, to communicate with you, or to make my services better. 

I only collect information directly from you when you provide that information to me. Here are some examples of the information that I might collect from you:

  • Transaction and payment information: If you buy something from me you will provide additional personal and payment information that is required to process the transaction and your payment, such as your name, address, credit card information, and contact information.
  • Through the services we provide: Through the provision of the Doula services, you will provide me with information about you and your family. This may include sensitive health information. 
  • Communications With Us: You may also provide me information when you respond to surveys or communicate with me, including through my website.

How I use your personal information

I use information about you as mentioned above and for the purposes listed below:

  • to provide my services - for example, to contact you to set up appointments and to tailor my services to you;
  • to further develop and improve my products and services, including for my own education;
  • to measure, gauge, and improve the effectiveness of my products and services;
  • to promote my products and services, provided that I will not use any information that identifies you for this purpose without your prior express consent; and
  • to communicate with you, for example through an email, about offers and promotions I think will be of interest to you, solicit your feedback, or keep you up to date on my products and services.

How I share information

I do not sell any of your personal information. I will share information about you in the limited circumstances spelled out below and with appropriate safeguards on your privacy:

  • Third party vendors: I may share information about you with third party vendors who need to know information about you in order to provide their services to me. This group includes vendors that help me provide my services to you (like payment providers that process your credit and debit card information, email delivery services that help me stay in touch with you, and those that assist me with my website and any marketing efforts).
  • Legal requests: I may disclose information about you in response to a subpoena, court order, or other governmental request.
  • To protect rights, property, and others: I may disclose information about you when I believe in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect my property or rights, or the rights of third parties or the public at large. For example, if I have a good faith belief that there is an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to you or anyone else, I may disclose information related to the emergency without delay.
  • With your consent: I may share and disclose information with your consent or at your direction. For example, if you provide me with a testimonial about my services, I can publish that on my website and in other channels. 
  • Aggregated or de-identified information: I may share information that has been aggregated or reasonably de-identified, so that the information could not reasonably be used to identify you. For example, I may talk about the services I have provided to you with other clients or prospective clients in a way that does not identify you. 

How Long We Keep Information

I will generally delete information about you when (1) it’s no longer needed for the purposes for which it was collected and (2) there is no legal requirement to keep it. I may retain and continue to use reasonably de-identified information about the services provided to you on a permanent basis. 

Security

I will use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security controls to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, despite my efforts, no security controls are completely fail-proof and I cannot ensure or warrant the security of your personal information. 

Privacy policy changes

I may change my Privacy Policy from time to time by posting an updated version of the Privacy Policy on this website. I encourage visitors to periodically check this page for any changes to this Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site or any of my products and services after any change in this Privacy Policy will be subject to the updated policy.