I'm curious how other doulas have organized on-call childcare. Do you pay people to be on call? Do you have a big long list of people who might be available? Luckily I don't need anyone at night, but there are some days where it would be very hard for my partner to get off of work. I'm a little anxious that everyone will be busy and I'll be scrambling. Thoughts?

I get everyone on-board before hand and then when I go on call I remind everyone again that I am on call and so are they. Thankfully all I have to use is my family as I have a ton of family in the area. I don't ever have to pay anyone.

Well, i have only had 2 births so far, and I've been lucky enough that my SIL has been home for both. Other wise I do have a list of people and then I warn them letting them know that I have a client at a certain time. So far it has worked out, but I also am limiting myself to one birth a month, so I don't streatch my friends/family too thin. My DH also works in four day rotations, so he's home pretty much half a month. I also haven't paid anyone yet. But if I need other then family I will.

I have friends I can call when my husband can't. One was a doula & the others are Moms I've known a long while. The hard part is that no one I know has a Minivan, trying to co-ordinate someone watching my 2yo & getting my 7yo from school, &the fact that my friends live across town. I get anxious about it, but so far it has worked out. I tell my clients to give me as much warning as possible.

L