Repeat Doula Clients - What do you do?

[everydaymiracles]

Hello all! I recieved an e-mail from one of my previous clients tonight and her little one is about to turn 2. She was wanting to know if I was still doula-ing (as I had been 30 weeks pregnant with #3 at her birth - funny story about that! will post in the Birth experiences thread) as she might just need a doula for December.

This will be my second repeat client (I am SOOO excited!) - the other one is due in September. My big question is what do you do differently?

Do you still meet the same number of times? Go over positioning to refresh their memories?

If you have increased your fees, do you charge them the new fee or the old one?

Anything else? My mind is spinning, but in a good way! R

[Kim Trower]

i give a $100 discount for repeats (from the fee I charged them before). I meet the same number of times if they want, we usually just talk over the phone. The prenatal may consist of how to include the sibling or plans for the sibling when labor starts, maybe they had a hosp. birth and are now preparing for a homebirth, or VBAC so there are additional things to cover. One client of mine has extremely fast labors and births, intense and fast. So when she hired me again I charged her very little because we didn't meet up prenatally, just talked, and did e-mail and I knew I would be with her 3 hours or less..

[MothertheMother]

this is a great question. I can't wait to hear what others have to say. Especially about the past fee being lower than the present fee.....

[DL]

Great question about repeat clients! I'm also interested in reading posts of others on this; I haven't had repeats yet (no one's had another baby yet). Oh my ....three of my potential repeat clients were volunteer birth for certification evals. Now, I charge $400! Many of my other potential repeats were from when I was at the $300 level; my newer fee has only been for my past two clients so far. I really don't think that I want to give a $100 discount since my fee is on the low end anyway. I'm thinking about upping my fee to $500 when I get my LCCE.

I appreciated Kim's answers. I hope to hear from others who have had repeat clients. I especially would like to hear about if you make any differences in how you conduct prenatals or not.

[nocomparta]

I think all of my repeats have been friends, I'm trying to think if I have been at repeats for paid clients. We've moved so much it's really hard to get repeats. I've had three repeats that I can remember right this minute and I didn't charge them either time as they were friends.

I don't see giving them a discount. If they call me again, they already know what I charge and are calling back anyway, so I figure they know what they are in for. Gas prices are so outrageous, I may have to go up again on prices. So I guess I should have a policy.

[capandcradle]

I've helped families with 2 and 3 babies. It never occurred to me to charge a reduced fee. My expenses (gas, child care, etc) haven't decreased.

I've had four babies at home and the midwife's fees go UP subtsantially all the time.

My doula is going to help me with baby #5. I wonder if that is a record or something?

[Kim Trower]

The reason I charge the discount is 1. a way of saying thank you for the repeat business, 2. I know it's going to be less time on my part as the birth is shorter, they don't need as much education, etc... This is usually the case..there are exceptions.

[Stacie]

I have always charged the same or more (if my fees have been raised). One issue I know I will face this next year is one client has become a very, very good friend; when they get pregnant again, I know I will tell them I am choosing not to charge them (because I love them so much and we have grown very close). On the other hand, I have a feeling they would not accept that answer. If that is the case, I will tell them to decide, but as a gift to them, I won't set a fee...unless they really have an issue with that.

Lesson learned: Don't make clients your friends, lol, just kidding .