For those that work with partners and/or backups...

fearlessbirth · 09-19-2005, 12:49 PM

Hi there! I am a 'new' doula. Just working on my certification through DONA. I have my first client who's due in March.
What I am wondering is once I am certified, how does one go about finding a back-up doula?

Should I just look up others in my area and work something out?

Do you pay any fee to have someone back you up? Or do they get the entire fee the client paid you if they end up being called?

Should I offer to be back up for doulas before I ask?

Is this something that's understood in the doula community or something you have to work towards to get someone to back you? I'm just not sure what the proper etiquette or protocol is...

I think I rambled but hopefully you all know what I'm asking. Thank you!

~Tranquility~Doula · 09-19-2005, 01:34 PM

I would start looking for a backup doula now. You could request a list from DONA (if you want another DONA doula) of the doulas in your area (certified and not). Maybe you could hook up with another doula working on her certification. I didn't have a backup until recently and I feel so much better being able to tell my clients that I do have a backup doula.
When a client signs a contract with me she gives me a deposit and then the rest of the fee if due around 37 weeks. The deposit is what I consider the fee for the prenatals, phone calls, etc... The remaining balance is what I would give the backup if she had to go to the birth.

tlcdoula · 09-19-2005, 01:34 PM

When I first started I found another doula who was fairly new to it all too. Neither of us had a back up doula, so we started talking and became friends. The way we work it is that we do not pay each other for being on call, but do pay each other 1/2 the fee if the back up attends the birth. The other doula keeps the other half for the prenatal work she had done and the also attends the postpartum visit.

I think every situation is different and therefore you need to figure out what will work best for you. Look around and see if there is someone with approximately the same experience as you and then just talk opening and honestly about what you both would like to see happen.

raspberrymoondoula · 09-19-2005, 01:52 PM

i'm part of a local professional doula group and we back eachother up. maybe find the other doulas in your area and start something similar?

DL · 09-19-2005, 09:10 PM

I currently don't have a backup either.

I live in a rural area and too far from any other doulas for them to agree (1 hr.). I guess I just can't get sick!

Now....I do know a "doula-in-training" who lives only 5 MINUTES FROM ME and "says" that she'll be my backup, but it seems that she's always busy...never available.

She attended her training a year ago, but has since done nothing else to pursue anything doula oriented as far as I can tell. I've even offered for her to shadow me. I was so excited when she agreed to be my backup

; I guess I ought to take off the info on my website that I have one now. I've asked her several times if she still wants to be a doula and my backup...and she says "yes". She tells others that she's got plenty of time to pursue it more seriously in the future.

I really like her as a person, but I just can't depend on her for this. I wish she'd just come clean and tell me that she doesn't want to do this; I'd take that much better.

Ok....venting is over.....back to the "regularly scheduled program"!

09-19-2005, 09:36 PM

Lori!!! LOL You are a trip tonight!! Just checking in again.

Another Doula in the area is lookin for back up. We are supposed to meet. We seem to be a good match but you never know.

I have a shining example of why you need a back up. My mom wasn't due for a few weeks so I went up to my sisters for the day. She lives about 2 hours away. Anyway we were getting ready to leave and my WONDERFUL (most of the time) husband locked the keys in our Suburban while it was running THEN my WONDERFUL( most of the time) 11 month old angel child had a bad case of diarrhea and I ran out of diapers THEN my WONDERFUL (most of the time) cell phone starts ringing that HORRIBLE 911 number I set for this moms number if she calls in labor AGGHHHH!!! Of course she says she's on her way to the hospital because she had been contracting ALL DAY!
Anyway~ alls well that ends well.We were a country song played backwards. We got the car unlocked, diapers for the baby, to the hospital on time and we all had a baby girl!!!
Back up Doulas can be a good thing

DL · 09-19-2005, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumandme2

"I have a shining example of why you need a back up. My mom wasn't due for a few weeks so I went up to my sisters for the day. She lives about 2 hours away. Anyway we were getting ready to leave and my WONDERFUL (most of the time) husband locked the keys in our Suburban while it was running THEN my WONDERFUL( most of the time) 11 month old angel child had a bad case of diarrhea and I ran out of diapers THEN my WONDERFUL (most of the time) cell phone starts ringing that HORRIBLE 911 number I set for this moms number if she calls in labor AGGHHHH!!! Of course she says she's on her way to the hospital because she had been contracting ALL DAY!
Anyway~ alls well that ends well.We were a country song played backwards. We got the car unlocked, diapers for the baby, to the hospital on time and we all had a baby girl!!!"

That's funny to picture all that activity!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mumandme2

"Back up Doulas can be a good thing"

I know...that's why I need one!

tlcdoula · 09-20-2005, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doula_Lori

Now....I do know a "doula-in-training" who lives only 5 MINUTES FROM ME and "says" that she'll be my backup, but it seems that she's always busy...never available.

Ok....venting is over.....back to the "regularly scheduled program"!

As a doula trainer I see this all the time and it makes me very nervous. For example, I have a doula who I trained who calls me all the time asking me if I have any free clients I can pass her way. The one time I did this she was so excited. I was happy I could help her until the week of this woman's due date. The woman was due on the weekend and on the Monday before this doula in training called me to report that she couldn't do the birth if it happened on the weekend because she decided to go on a date weekend with her husband. What???? I was not happy at all because I felt that reflected on me!!! I trained this woman, I referred this woman, and I don't like when things like this happen.

I feel that many times woman want to do this work, but don't realize the committment it really takes. They do not realize that being a doula means giving up weekends with your husband unless you have a back up or no clients due.

Anyhow, I figured I would give her the benefit of the doubt because she has been calling and hounding me again for clients. To be real honest I see her doing no work on her part to find clients and just wants someone to easily pass her clients. So then last week I got a great opportunity for her to attend a birth - mama was already in labor, and I had just spoken to this doula in training the day before. I called her and she said "oh weekends are bad for me, so I can't doula on the weekend." Hmmmm, what does that tell a person?

Let me tell you she just ruined it for all the doulas in training because I can guarantee that I will NOT be tossing out referrals to anyone unless I know they have a true committment. You cannot be a doula whenever you feel like it. It is a lifestyle and one needs to conform to it.

Sorry, kind of venting off of your vent LOL

fearlessbirth · 09-21-2005, 09:59 AM

I agree with you about the commitment thing. I have recently told my employer that come the new year I will work about 30 hours a week but they will have to be ok with the hours being sporadic. I do 'need' benefits and a 40 hour paycheck BUT if I want to be a doula and future midwife, I must get used to the no planning, fly by the seat of your pants kind of schedule...last minute cancelling plans, etc. It's my life's dream though so I don't mind at all. I do think it's unfortunate that some 'aspiring' doulas ruin it (although I'm sure unintentionally) for the rest of us who ARE willing to compromise our routine lives and plans for helping women.

raspberrymoondoula · 09-21-2005, 02:07 PM

i hear ya, my sitter and i both live on call life styles so it works out, but ive had bck up baby sitters up and go on impromptu vacations when they were supposed to be my sitter, they just dont get the life style.

Tiffany · 11-30-2005, 01:01 PM

I've never been a backup doula yet, so last night was interesting! I went with my doula friend to see her client and they are a wonderful couple. I'm so excited for them! I don't have any of my own clients lined up right now so it was nice to see a mom and get to discuss things.

I wish our hospitals here allowed more than 2 support people, because I'd love to even donate my time to assist my doula friend at her client's birth.

Have you ever been someone's backup before? Were you called to the birth?

Kalamazoo Doula · 11-30-2005, 02:14 PM

I have been a back up before! It was very interesting because my back up has only been THE back up. She is also a CBE, so she really did not want to affect her schedule with classes, so when she found out that she got her certification, she called to see if I would want a back up! I was pretty excited. This summer she decided to go ahead and try to recruit a few clients for her own. My back up has a 'What is a Doula?' program that is held once a month through one of our local hospitals, the same hospital where she teaches CBE classes. She met a couple through that and called to let me know that she had found her own client, but the issue was that she had had a vaction planned a day after their due date, so I would cover them if she was out of town. This was a VBAC couple who ended up going with a planned c/birth instead. So I went and visited them a few days after she had the baby. She decided that she did not need a doula there for the actual birth.

The ironic thing is, it turned out that I had another client who delivered via emergency c/birth the same exact day that my back up's client went to have her c/birth (different hospitals, different cities)! So it worked out for the best for everyone!

But this has been my only experience with back up situations!

tlcdoula · 11-30-2005, 03:17 PM

I have a good friend who is my back up and I am hers. I have never been called to back her up, but she was called once to come and relieve me when I had a client who was in labor four weeks early and I had a doula training that weekend. I stayed with the mother as long as I could (my friend/back up kicked me out LOL) and then came back after the training, but that was after the birth too.

Gentlebirthmama · 06-26-2006, 09:45 AM

I did a lot of praying and soul searching last night and have decided (I think) to really pursue my doula work more.
Because of my life situation right now, possible separation from my husband and who knows what down the road, if I do pursue my doula work I will definitely need to have a backup or permanent partner.

So, I would like to know: how do you make it work with a partner when it comes to hours/money/etc.?

What do you do if you have a backup for those times you can't be there immediately or at all? How do you split the fee?

Do you have a contract? With a partner I assume you split the fee, what about with a backup...how do you handle the money?

So I guess I'm defining a partner as someone that you do each birth with and a backup as someone that is available to help you out if you can't make it.

Anyway, just some very jumbled thoughts at this early morning hour!

Amy

Gentlebirthmama · 06-26-2006, 09:40 PM

Anyone?? Anyone at all??