I doula for fun. I enjoy being with laboring women and I became a doula because I feel women really need someone to care for them in labor.

I got an email from a doula I don't know/have never met, this morning. She asked how I could charge what I charge and that she thought it was ridiculous. First of all, we live in a very poor, depressed area, where people don't have money. And also... this is not my livelihood. I own my own business, with 7 employees, and I can be available as need dictates. I take about 4 clients per year for sheer enjoyment. I charge $200 for a complete package. Wow, that's cheap! It's a figure I'm happy with and serves the few clients I take very well.

I've emailed back and forth with this gal and I can't help but feel a little insulted by her overall attitude. I've seen doulas in this area charge between $800-$2,500 PER BIRTH! That's their business, they do that for a living, and they can charge what they want. Can the folks in this area afford it? I'm sure someone can somewhere, but that's not for me to concern myself with.

I guess I needed to vent a bit. Does anyone else doula just because it's something you want to do? I have utmost respect for ladies who doula full-time, I wish I could do it!! Realistically, I have a large family to take care of, a business to manage, and I am not available in that way until my babies are older. I think I've been reasonable in taking the few clients a year I take, and when I'm on-call-I shuffle my life's priorities to focus around the mother-as any doula does. I don't feel I'm "stealing anyone's business" just because my prices are low... like I said.. I limit myself to 4 clients a year. I wish this didn't upset people.

By the way.. there is a hospital in our area that provides FREE doulas to their laboring mothers!

I do it because it's my passion. But I wouldn't do it on a regular basis for free, or at least not at the level I do it now. I average 3-4 clients a month, the time away from my family, expenses, etc makes it something that I have to cover my costs for.

If I stopped doing doula work and only did the occasional birth I don't see myself reducing my fee just because I work less though. That said, every doula has to do what is right for her. I have noticed in our community though that those who charge less don't seem to be as busy. Some have tried to drop their prices to undercut the others but it doesn't seem to work out for them and they seem to drop out of doula work pretty quick.

I doula because I love it, not because we need the money. I am also very part time (only 6 clients per year). I think if you are trying to provide a service to the lower income families in your area, then charge a "lower rate". Especially if there are free doulas at the hospital, sheesh! You will have the clients that you are meant to have and the other gal will have the ones she was meat to have - it all works out =)

My birth services are my only source of income. I am the most expensive doula in my area. I, too, LOVE LOVE LOVE what I do. So, its both for me.

We have a similar situation going on here, and my colleague/friend was expressing her concern over the $100 doula that is taking all the biz (she's not, really, its just my friends perception). I see it this way, be it doula-ing or life in general. There is plenty to go around!

I gave her this analogy: The $100 doula is like the food bank. The food bank is not putting the grocery stores or health food stores out of business just because they give away free food or $15 food boxes. No! We NEED the food bank in our community, and we have a healthy enough economy to support our grocery and health food stores, too.

For fun! Though I currently have one client, I enjoy the time I spend with her and the ways I am able to help her, as she is in a very difficult situation. Though I limit how much help and time I can allow myself to give and at times it is hard to manage my time between doula-ing, school, a full-time job and my boyfriend, I love it all. If I were to receive more clients, I would take four per year, and that's good enough for me. I don't currently charge because I'm trying to gain experience. When I do, I'll be charging around $200 also ($100 for teenage or low-income pregnancies).

I doula as a source of income, although I don't know of any doulas who do it and don't enjoy it. So, for me it's both. Although, I probably wouldn't do it for free since a) we can't really afford to do that b)it's a really hard job to do and not be compensated (staying up through the night and missing my family for 24 hours or more would not be worth it for me) c) I really think that people value what they pay for so I enjoy the fact that my clients are investing in me and taking part in the process. I think if I were free I would be dispensable, and they might not put value into their experience. I'm totally not talking about low-income, immigrant or refugee women, teen moms, etc. I'm talking people who don't prioritize their birth and expect that someone should work for no or a low amount so that they can buy designer baby gear. That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I could see how someone might feel you are undercutting, as that happens in all markets and industries, but honestly- charging more seems to get me more clients, not less. So I think the market is there for everyone to make of it what they will. Someone who hires me probably wouldn't hire a $200 doula. Nothing wrong with that.

I do it for both. I never actually make money. I usually break even after paying childcare and supplies. I buy or make things for each birth so they don't feel they are using stuff that's been used.I also meet with my clients 4-5 times before birth. I'm still early in the game though and acquiring supplies and oils and such. I charge 375 a birth right now.

I just got paid and I am using the money to add to my lending library and order new rice socks.

Definitely both! I do charge, but also love doing it.

Here's the problem with the food bank analogy-you don't advertise yourself as a food bank so clients don't know it and as people are price shopping, they'll pass the doula by who is charging an average amt for that area. They may even get a bad taste in their mouth for the doula who is charging the average amount. It does hurt the other doulas in the area when someone charges way less, especially without any explanation as to why. It's different if she makes it known she has a doula-in-training rate or that she does this as a service.

I like the food bank analogy. I do this for income AND because it is something I get satisfaction from. I wouldn't call it fun. I just took a year's sabbatical due to my husband dying but just scheduled two initial consultations. So guess that means I'm ready to be back. But I wouldn't have been ready to be back for $100. It's just not worth it to me and my kids.

I do it because I enjoy it, if I stop enjoying it, I will stop doing it as I don't think I could be a good doula that way.
I do charge $300-350 flat rate, but I also adjust all the way down to a minimum of $50 to pay for my gas for clients I believe truly need a doula and cannot pay. I spoke to a woman whom was living in a 1978 mobile home with mold issues, selling tires to have money to pay for her car payment. She needs a doula, but I know she wouldn't have the money to pay for it. I have done it for lower, but I also have certain requirements. They have to be approved by me for that and it is just not a flat rate.

I think that it could be wrong sometimes to charge too low, as sometimes it gives the opinion to people that you feel that doulas are not really worth what they charge, but I understand charging less because of the area. $300 is like the moon to people in our area. Most of them are working and barely can had food.

Another way to look at our $100 doula and those who have had an issue about her undercutting is people's perception of value. Not saying this is the case with the OP, but our $100 doula can not guarantee she will make it to your birth, she has full time employment and no back up, she provides no prenatal visits or postpartum follow up. Given that, I doubt she has any other resources to offer. Our other doula who felt threatened by the other's reduced price offers a full childbirth education series, two prenatal visits, up to 6 weeks on call availability with back up just in case, post partum and breastfeeding support. When you separate it all out, she can be looked at as a $100 doula with bells and whistles that cost extra.