When a Labor Doula offers their services for free, they are paying you to be at your birth!
Doulas have to charge a fee to cover their own expenses and financial needs.
I can’t speak for all doulas that provide labor support in Atlanta and Athens but, for me the first aspect is TIME. Most first time births last on average around 12 hours. The longest I have spent continuously with one client was 30 hours(definitely not the norm, but it does happen!). But time in the birthing room is not the only time spent with a client. There are also prenatal appointments, lasting around 2 hours . Then there are postnatal follow-ups, lasting 1.5 – 2 hours. There is travel to and from the client’s home and to and from their chosen place of birth (usually 30 miles or more from my home). These commutes not only take time but gas, tolls, and parking. There are phone calls, texts, research for unique questions/circumstances, and emailing. These often add up to two or more hours per client.
The time put into each client is considerable.
The NUMBER OF CLIENTS I accept on a monthly basis is also something to consider. I want to make certain as much as possible that I will be at your baby’s birth. Which means that I only take up to two clients per month. This also ensures that I will be as rested as humanly possible when you call (tough, with 2 small children at home). As per my contract, I am “on call” 24 hours a day beginning at 37 weeks.
Continuing education is vital to my line of work and I do everything I can to make it a priority for me.
My own TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE is very important to consider as well. I put a lot of time, effort, and financial resources towards my certifications to make sure that I am as prepared as I can be. I also make sure that I am up-to-date on the most current research and information available. I have attended the Spinning Babies Workshop with Gail Tully to learn all about Belly Mapping and Optimal Fetal Positioning, and the Birth with Comfort and Strength (using the Rebozo, a Course for the Birth Partner) with Gena Kirby of Progressive Parenting. In 2011 I became a Certified Lactation Counselor and trained as an Independent Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. I have attended the VBAC Facts Workshop by Jen Kamel. I added a combo Labor and Postpartum Doula training with Doula Trainings International. This year I am working towards a certification as a StillBirthday Birth & Bereavement Doula.
CHILDCARE- not only for your Birthing Time, but also for all those pre- and post-natal visits. I have even had to require that my spouse miss work in order to attend a birth in the past!
Then there are MISCELLANEOUS factors. Self-employment taxes, business expenses (paper, ink, gas for my car, supplies for each client, etc), all play their own role in my fees. Communication expenses alone are fairly high. Making sure that I am reachable anywhere and anytime means a cell phone bill, website/webmail expenses, and high-speed internet bills that aren’t always cheap! I HAVE to know that no matter where I am or what I am doing, I am 100% reachable by my clients. Lastly, there is a lot of personal sacrifice as well. It is possible that I will be woken up after just 30 minutes of sleep to go attend a 20+ hour birth.
There are doulas that enjoy all things birth as a hobby and don’t need the money and are happy to pay people so they can be a part of such a beautiful experience. Sometimes doulas use their earnings from doula work as a supplemental income to their home to finance extras like summer camp and extracurricular activities. Then there are doulas whose profession is the necessary second income in their home. Doulas can make this work their only source of income and just like any other profession you have to figure out what you need to earn to make a living wage. For each person that might look a bit different. Look at the professional and skilled support you will receive at this pivotal point in your life.
When searching for your doula, I encourage you to look at more than just the fee.
