When a doula contracts with you for labor and birth, she needs to limit other clients for that period to avoid conflicts and be reasonably rested when you need her. She may turn away potential clients to be available for you. Doulas usually commit four weeks of total availability for each mother, two weeks on either side of her due date. During that time she should provide you with a way to contact her 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. She will not usually take trips or weekends away during that time, will not indulge in a drink at dinner, and doesn’t intentionally schedule any activity such as a workshop or seminar, that she can’t afford to miss, unless she discusses it with you previously. A good doula respects this commitment. For these reasons a doula who is able to attend 2-3 births each month would be very lucky indeed. If she uses a “backup doula” to stand by for her, she may compensate her backup for her time. If the backup attends your birth in the first doula’s place, the fee is usually shared between the two.
Hours
Couples having a first baby may imagine that a doula will only be spending a few hours with them during the labor and birth. In reality, an eight-hour labor would be considered quick. The “average” first time mom’s labor is between 12 and 19 hours, so let’s call it 16 hours. Some labors can even go as long as 48 hours. There are about another 10 hours in prenatal and postpartum meetings, and at least another hour or two in phone calls. All of this is in addition to being on call for you full time at the end of your pregnancy.
Expenses
Independent doulas must consider their expenses just as you do. Bookkeeping, advertising, pager service, cell phone service, office supplies, travel expenses, liability insurance, membership fees, self-employment taxes, a small number of labor support tools, reading, and continuing education are all considered when calculating a fee.
No one becomes wealthy doing labor support work. Most independent doulas in this area charge anywhere from $300 (at the very lowest) to $1,500 (in Washington, DC) for their services. The fee charged usually reflects the economy of the area as well as the doula’s experience and certification status. Some doulas attend their first few births at no charge or at a lower fee when they are just learning or working towards certification. After they certify (if they choose to certify) they charge clients as others do.
If you feel you cannot afford my fee, please let me know. Although Erin Aileen Doula Services does not do volunteer work at this time, we do offer payment plans and are always accepting donations so that we can assist the lest fortunate at a reduced cost.
Erin Aileen Tcheuffa, CD(DONA)
Adapted from: “Economics of a Doula’s Fee” © 2002 Karen N. Kilson
