Becoming a doula

Re: Becoming a doula

• MissMheMhe member

  October 2016 edited October 2016

  I don't have specific numbers, but I know in my area, doulas are paid very, very well and it's a super competitive field. We have a lot of crunchy mama's and home births are on the rise here, too. I looked in to hiring one but no way could we afford one.

  

  
  

  Married DH 11/15/08

  Formerly MissMheMhe

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• nackie member

  October 2016

  In our area, I think it was about $4000 to hire one.  But it's a pretty high cost of living area.  I would imagine it varies pretty greatly based on where you are.  Have you spoken to any local doulas about what they charge and what the demand is like?  That would probably be my first step

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• l4rk member

  October 2016

  My doula is new to the field and last I talked, she's barely making ends meet, and that includes running her own gardening/herbalism business as well. She's done 5 births including mine since January so it's definitely not paying the bills. There's another doula in my town who is VERY popular and always comes up when people are on the subject. However, she also teaches several yoga classes (which are also highly praised and very well attended) and that seems to be a primary income source for her. The third doula I know is a former coworker who was happily unemployed for several months and has a lawyer husband who financially supports her. It probably depends on your area, but being a doula doesn't seem to be a cash cow in my city of 120,000.

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• mrsgetz4000 member

  October 2016

  I got in touch with some agencies in surrounding cities and it seems like their isn't q definitive answer. It just depends on several different factors

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• ChrissyD1203 member

  October 2016

  Our old nanny (we moved) was to on the doula path.  She was getting experience by working for a non profit providing services for free and had an offer to join an agency in the new year.  She found the experience much less rewarding than she had hoped.... so she is going back to college for a business degree.  If she took the offer from the agency, she would split her on call time each month with another doula from the agency, and her and that partner doula would split the fees from each delivery.

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