Contracts are a necessary part of the business of being a doula. If you work on your own, then you have the flexibility and responsibility of creating your own contract. If you work for an agency, partnership or group, you likely are using a contract… read more
It had been a few years since my Doula bag has had any re-organization, let alone a major clean out. I noticed that I was spending more and more time searching through my bag to find things. And really the last thing a laboring mom… read more
More and more I am finding that people are familiar with the term ‘doula’. And this is so exciting! But, I still find that many people don’t really know what a doula does or more specifically what the true benefits of a doula are. I’ve… read more
Even after we’ve been hired some of our clients may not really know what doulas actually do. I believe the best time to walk through this is at the first prenatal meeting. That way, while you are learning about your client’s preferences and vision of… read more
You are a birth doula and your client is ready for labor support. You are dressed, you have your bag and you are ready to leave. But wait! I have 5 things that I recommend that you do before you leave. Each of these steps… read more
Agency doulas are doulas that work in one or more doula agencies. In some cases, they might also have their own businesses, but get client referrals from the agencies which they are members. For this blog, I looked at 12 areas of business and… read more
Collectives that I describe in this section are independent doulas that work together under a shared group name, but handle all money and contracts on an individual basis. Some groups use the word ‘collective’ in their names, but actually function more like an agency in that they handle matching… read more
The three most common ways to work as a doula are as an independent doula, as a member of an agency and with a doula collective. However, there other ways to be a doula. Many doulas have thought outside the box and created their own unique way that works… read more
You are likely a doula if you say any of the following. I’ll be there as long as I’m not at a birth What day is it today? I had a birth this week. Your baby knows when to come. I support all kinds of birth… read more
When I decided to leave the world of database programming and enter the field of doula work I never imagined how my life would change. Life as a birth doula is so hard to describe. Let me attempt to explain the profession by boiling it… read more
Doulas often have a hard time setting their fees. Many doulas start out by doing their certification births for free or for a very reduced fee. Once they get experience they raise their rates. The big dilemma comes when they have to set their fee…. read more
Independent doulas are doulas that work on their own. They aren’t part of a group, agency or collective. For this blog, I looked at 12 areas of business and gave my thoughts on how the independent doula relates to each. {For purposes of this blog series I will… read more