How close together will you schedule clients?

loveslabor · 09-16-2005, 07:27 PM

Say you have a client due on December 15th, what is the closest EDD you would take for another client without a back-up doula? December 31st? January 15th?

Sorry for all the new posts....just trying to get all my ducks in a row.

tlcdoula · 09-16-2005, 08:31 PM

That is a hard question to answer because I do have a back up doula and when I didn't I would schedule them four weeks apart (i.e. one a month). The thing with taking someone that is due on the 15th and then the 31st is that if one goes late and one goes early it can end up being the same day. Very experienced doulas always say that taking them due closer together is better because it will be less of a chance of them going on the same day.

raspberrymoondoula · 09-16-2005, 11:28 PM

without a back up i wouldnt take more than one a month, with a back up i'd take 2 to 4 a month, at least a week apart.

DL · 09-17-2005, 12:06 AM

Ditto what "raspberrymoondoula" (Lynne) said!

loveslabor · 09-17-2005, 12:22 AM

I got thinking about this because I have 2 interested people...one due Dec 7th and one on Dec 8th.....Obviously without a back up doula I don't think I should do this....too bad....hmmmmm

Now I have to pick one of them to work with.

Tiffany · 09-17-2005, 09:13 AM

I think something else to think about is you might have a backup by December (just start looking for one now!

), and you could tell both of the clients your situation and they may be OK with you not having a backup. Also, I think the chances are slim they will go at the same time or exactly next to each other. I think as long as you and your clients are ok with it, it could work out.

raspberrymoondoula · 09-17-2005, 10:59 AM

i think it'd be ok, but i'd be a little anxious without a back up lol

~Tranquility~Doula · 09-17-2005, 11:05 AM

When I didn't have a backup I took 2 moms due 2 weeks apart from each other and they ended up going back to back. I was tired!

raspberrymoondoula · 09-17-2005, 11:07 AM

i bet!! i had two friends deliver within an hour of eachother that had been due 3 weeks apart. you just never know!

tlcdoula · 09-18-2005, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loveslabor

I got thinking about this because I have 2 interested people...one due Dec 7th and one on Dec 8th.....Obviously without a back up doula I don't think I should do this....too bad....hmmmmm

Now I have to pick one of them to work with.

I think if you are honest with both of them you could take them on. As long as they know you do not have a back up, but that you will do the best you can to be with both I would take them on. Are these free clients who wouldn't be able to afford a doula no matter what? If that is the case then it might be better to try to be their doula so they might have someone vs not having someone at all.

Matrescence · 09-18-2005, 02:21 PM

If my kids were older I'd take 2 a month, but with them so young I like to have a month in between each client.

We have a good strong network of doulas here to back each other up

1stimestar · 09-18-2005, 06:47 PM

I'd rather take on clients that are due the same day then ones who are two weeks apart. I have a back up now but worked for years without one. Without one, yea, one client a month. Get thee a back up lol!

motherstouchdoula · 07-05-2006, 08:32 PM

I GOT A CONTRACT and a retainer!! She has 2 due dates one is Dec. 13th and the other is the 18th of Dec...now here in my question -
the other mom that I have an interview with nextweek is 17 weeks..so that puts her due the 1st week of Dec

How many clients do you guys take in a month (avg) and how far apart do you schedule them??? What would be the MAX you would take..oh and no I don't have back up ..it is just me. I have heard of some doulas taking as many as 6 to 8 a month is that the norm? or just to many?

MothertheMother · 07-05-2006, 08:36 PM

is there someone in your area that could back up or have you not met anyone? I think a lot of doulas handle 2 to 4 per month just fine, almost never using back up. I think more than that would be pretty risky. Good luck on not having a Christmas baby!! I would say look for a back up just in case and go for it!!

fearlessbirth · 07-05-2006, 09:00 PM

I would definitely look for back up 'just in case'. Also, some women would rather the EDD be closer together b/c somehow they end up delivering farther apart. Whereas if you have one mom due Dec 1 and the other Dec 10 and mom #1 goes a week late and mom #2 delivers early. Lol At least this is what I've been told....that the cards seem to fall better with closer EDDs.

If there is absolutely no one in your area to do back up, I would probably limit myself to only 2/month where you are on-call 2 wks before and after each due date. It would be awful if a mom was left without you after she paid, was expecting a doula, etc. KWIM

Although others may have experienced safely taking 3-4 clients without backup. I just don't think I would risk upsetting a mama with no one there to cover.

Good luck!