Do you do any volunteer work or do you ever offer yourself for free in certain circumstances? For example: low-income, teen moms, single moms, etc.

I did my first birth free and my second is planned to be free, just to get started. I plan to charge after that but then found a potential client who I would like to take free as well bc if I don't I don't think she will have a doula at all. She's a young mom, only 19, and works in fast food and is due around a major holiday so I feel like she's really going to need me.

I have done one birth for free, but most of my births are an hour away and with all the prenatals, the birth & PP visits, I can't do them totally for free with gas as high as it is. For moms who live that far away, I charge my deposit and then nothing else after the birth.

I will do more for free, but in general, I feel its best to charge at least something so that the client has invested in you. Then, she's more likely to actually call you for her birth. Over & over again a brand new doula will post about not getting "the call" and when probed, she says she didn't charge anything...

My fees are set up so that almost anyone can afford me. I charge a $150 deposit and after the birth, my clients pay me what they feel my services are worth, according to their financial ability.

This is something I've given quite a bit of thought to. In most cases, it would be irresponsible of me to offer my services completely free of charge. I have my own expenses to pay (such as materials, parking and childcare), and we're not wealthy. I plan on offering my services for a reduced fee while I'm certifying, so I can cover my own expenses.

I also believe very strongly in giving back to the community, and in "paying it forward", so to speak. There is a volunteer doula organization in my area, who provides doula services to low income moms, or to mothers who might not otherwise have anyone with them at their birth. In addition to whatever private clients I work with, I plan to offer my services through that organization as an "on-call" volunteer doula a few days a month.

I've done a few, but it costs me money to do a birth since most births don't happen when my husband can watch our 4 kids, so that's probably $80 alone depending on when the kids are there and how long, then gas for meetings etc. I just can't afford that normally. I wish I could b/c I love doulaing but it's just not reasonable for most moms to have free doulas.

Hi there!

I did my first two births for certification volunteer to get me started and some experiance. My 3rd I charged $300 to cover my costs. Any from now on I will charge full rates as I will ber certified soon.

Though... I love Doula'ing but can't do it FT right now so I volunteer at a local hospital. I go in on the hours I am available and have the experiance and joy of it all, no on-call and no pay but it is soooo wonderful I find it hard to come home after a shift on L&D floor.

Find a good balance for you, and follow your heart.

Yes, I offer all my services free for the right person. That would be very low income or a teen mother. If someone is low income, but can make small payments spaced out, then we try to work that out before I offer to do it free. I do reduce my fee for those I know who are struggling as well.

I have attended 24/33 of my births for free. I am a volunteer doula to women in crisis pregnancy and while I could, I attended my births for free. Now that I'm needed to make more income, I charge for my services. It was very rewarding for the time I did it though, it really felt like I was serving women and giving them a gift.