How far will you travel for a client?

loveslabor · 10-17-2005, 03:30 PM

Either by mile estimate or minutes...

How far away do you think is too far?

Kalamazoo Doula · 10-17-2005, 03:49 PM

It all depends! With the price of gas now a days, my circle of service has gotten smaller! I was willing to travel two hours from home, but now, I have moved it to one hour! I have not done much long distance. Last December I had a mom in Fort Wayne, IN and I live in Kalamazoo, MI. So she was about two hours away. It did help that she is my best friend to

!
You just have to keep in mind that you will be doing the birth and a few prenatal visits, so the milage can add up! You may also want to become familiar with the place that they are planning on giving birth at. If it happens to be a hospital that I've never supported at, I ask if it would be okay to take a tour with them, it has worked out every time I've had to do it!

Hope I helped!

susan1 · 10-17-2005, 05:20 PM

I agree it all depends on you and what you can do.

I at first was thinking to travel two hours away because I was getting some calls from parents wanting a doula but then I started thinking it be to much for me , right now. With the price of gas and a big part I don't like to drive to much, and I have small children. I have shorten my distance to less then a hour away. It has made it hard because not to many people in this short dstance are much into doulas. However it's ok!

And remember you will have to travel when mom reports she in labor but ends up being a false labor.

Susan

DL · 10-17-2005, 09:50 PM

I pretty much keep it to anywhere I can get to within an hour. For me, it's not so much the time it takes commuting to do Prenatals, but how quickly I can get to them when they're in labor. I've had several clients with precipitous labors, and if I had to travel further, I would've missed their births!

Higher gas prices are a consideration, too, unfortunately.

1stimestar · 10-18-2005, 04:44 AM

Here in Alaska I don't have to worry about it as we only have only the civilian hospital and military hospital here in town. The next closest hospital is almost 500 miles away.

I have traveled 2 hours for several clients. One client lived an hour and a half from me and at 40 weeks changed to a facility and doctor that was supportive of her vbac at a hospital 2 hours from HER. So 3.5 hours away. When I had my homebirth, my midwife was 3 and a half hours away and my doulas were 2 hours away. I didn't think that was too far at all... Now that I live in Alaska, it would depend on the time of year and the location. I mean, I'll drive down the one major highway we have in the winter, but not the smaller one for very far. That's true wilderness... I'm comfortable with distances.

raspberrymoondoula · 10-18-2005, 09:59 AM

i've gone as far as two hours, i charge an extra $50 for anything more than an hour away from me but with gas having gone up so much i dont think i'm going to take anything more than an hour anymore.

tlcdoula · 10-18-2005, 10:32 AM

For me it depends on a lot of factors. The first is what time of year it is. I will not travel really far during the winter time as I hate driving in snow and will not travel to a hospital that is an hour away in snow. If it is summer I would probably go up to one hour as long as the client knew that it would mean me possibly not getting to them for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours from the time they call.

Matrescence · 10-18-2005, 07:55 PM

Living in the boonies most of them are a good 45 minutes away. I've gone as far as 2 hours. Those are rough though with prenatals, birth and postpartum visits, a lot of traveling.

Tiffany · 10-18-2005, 09:27 PM

I like to stay really local. A drive across this city can be 45 minutes or an hour depending on traffic. I don't know my way outside of London so I probably will continue to only accept clients in London.

1stimestar · 10-19-2005, 03:02 AM

You can have your clients come to YOU for some of the prenatal meetings in order to share the hassle/expense of driving. You do want to make at least one trip to their home though so you know where it is.

fearlessbirth · 01-06-2006, 01:56 PM

Ok. This might sound crazy, but do you think it's possible to be a doula for someone who lives 4.5 hrs away? I have this very close friend (we're like sisters) who wants me to be her doula. I said I was sure it would be fine (I would probably travel to see her during labor/delivery anyway, as her doula or as a friend). Have any of you ever attempted something like this? This will be her first baby. I made a list of doulas and midwives in her area and she was totally against having anyone else as a doula! I'm honored that she's insisting on having me there but wonder if we're thinking more with our hearts than with our heads.

I know that labor and birth can be unpredictable but it *seems* like a 4.5 hour drive would get me there in plenty of time. Hmmm... Of course I'd be ready to run at the drop of a hat. Lol

Any ideas?

Tashina Marker · 01-06-2006, 03:19 PM

Hello,
Well I am not certified as a doula yet,therefore I do not have a lot of experience,but here is what I would do. If I were in your shoes I would probably do it.Reason being is because it's a 1st time birth & I have a pretty good chance of getting there before the baby is born & providing her with support.HOWEVER I would encourage her to find another doula as back up within her area just in case.I would explain to her that I would gladly be her doula,but there is a chance you may not make it for the birth.

If were a 2nd time birth I would tell her that there is a 50 % chance I won't make it.I would probably give it a go,but would really try to get her to find another doula closer to her area.If it's like what my mom went through I WOULDN"T make it.My mom had a 33 hr labor with me & a 1 hr labor with my next sister.The midwife barely snapped on the gloves & she crowning,LOL.

That's just my opinion & what I would do. Anyone else??????

Tiffany · 01-06-2006, 03:28 PM

Well, you could always try! Is she a primip? You have a better chance of making most of the labor and delivery if she is. What were her mothers labors like? Quick or slow?

I'd say it all depends and you are just dealing with chance. I had a primip deliver 2.5 hours later after starting labor, so in that case, you wouldn't make it.

I think Tashina has a great suggestion of maybe trying to get a backup in her area. You could talk with her on the phone or something.

Good luck! I'm curious to see how this will turn out.

fearlessbirth · 01-06-2006, 03:54 PM

[b]Yes, this is her first baby. Her mom's births weren't very fast...pretty average and the 3rd was looooooonnngg. Unfortunately, our dear Sharon(her mom) just passed away in August and I think that might be part of Casey's issue...not having her mom here to help her so she certainly doesn't want a stranger to 'take her place', which is how she (Casey) may view it.

Sadness aside, I think you two are right. I'm sure 4.5 hrs is plenty of time. Even if I'm not there in time for the birth, she'll always need help afterwards!

MyDoulaStacia · 07-04-2006, 08:49 AM

Ok, what do you do if you have a client that lives over an hour away?
Would you charge more?
I would think will all the extra driving (spending about 3 hours on the road everytime you go for visits) might be a consideration.