Any doulas run a home daycare?

granola_mom · 08-17-2007, 11:30 AM

Not sure where to put this... but if it needs to be moved so be it. I've been brainstorming ways that I can be a stay at home mom, bring in an income and still be involved in the birth community. Ideally it would be great if I could continue my doula work. I've been thinking maybe some time in the future I'd like to start up a home daycare but am wondering how I would arrange that with being on call, even if it was only one client a month? Anyone do this? If not, I'm working on my CBE and that is more flexible, as well as breastfeeding support. I'd hate to give up doula work, though.

bluemish · 08-21-2007, 11:41 PM

I have been thinking about the same thing as you. My partner was the one who suggested it to me because i already watch a couple of boys, a few days a week. anyway i had the same concerns as you. find an oncall substitute who can cover for you when you have to run to a birth or will be still in one. hope this helps some. let me know if you come up with any ideas...
blessed be
michele

doula Michele · 08-22-2007, 09:59 AM

I used to run a dayhome when my kids were small, before I was a doula.
I think it would be very hard to do. Parents really got annoyed if I needed to make arrangements for care of shortnotice, such as illness or whatever. They would want to make sure they know the subsititute babysitter, and have police checks all done on that person etc.
Then what would happen if your subsitute was not available? Alot of doulas have trouble finding care for their own kids, let alone a houseful.

UtahDoula · 08-22-2007, 10:48 AM

One way to do both and still stay involved in the birth community is to keep slots open for drop in childcare for other area doulas! Nothing like a doula to truly understand and work with the child care needs of a doula!
Maybe you can find another doula to share the operation with? Maybe you could choose to do it in one of your homes all day every day, but you take mornings and she takes afternoons, then if one of you needs to go to a birth - you can just take the whole day for each other. (Or have her take one or two days a week) That way all the children (and parents) know and are comfortable with both of you, but the kids have a consistant location. Another plus of that arrangement would be that you would still have time for errands, doctor/dentist appts, taking your kids to the park, etc. instead of being tied up in the day care all day long.

crystalwaterdancer · 08-25-2007, 01:19 AM

I do.

All of the families I do care for are AP families, and they fully understand that if I have to drop and run, I will. A couple of them are Doulas in training themselves, and most have had a doula for their births. I guess the get the nature of the game.
They all have emergency care for their children if needed. If a client goes into labour, I call the parents to let them know what is up, and I call again when it starts looking like I have to go. They all know when I am on call, and get their back-ups on call for them as well. I have actually called them in the middle of the night before, to let them know I would be going to a birth, and would not be home in the morning for their children.

I suppose it works well for us because I am an AP parent, and they are as well. They have chosen me as a caregiver because of how I parent, and it is super hard to find AP caregivers. I guess they know that I am an AP mom who is helping them out, and they give me the flexibillity that I need. I find that the type of parents I cater to are quite understanding of doulas, and are very respectful of the work I do.

I don't know if that helped, but hopefully it gives you a bit of a place to start.