how many clients do you take?

[mitintraining]

Hey Ladies,

I have gone back and forth wiith this for a few months.  I have been a doula for almost 7 years now.  In the past I have taken 2-3 clients per month depending on my own families needs.  I am just wondering how many mommas do you all take per month and what are the reasons behind that number?  Personally I have had 5 clients in the last month(totally a fluke, one was back up for another doula, one was a shared friend with another doula, I had 3 original clients, one of whom went earlier, allowing me to take the last!)  None of them went at the same time, two in one week though.  Normally I 'want' 2 clients a month and will take up to 3 if the dates work out!

Niki

[rachieface]

I'm similar.  I take 2-3 births a month supposedly, but the way things work out it feels like I frequently will have a month with 5 or 6 and then a month with none.  I wish that I could space them out a little more evenly, but that's the nature of the work, I suppose! 

[mitintraining]

Well I am glad to know that at least I am not alone!! I agree that I mean to take 2-3 but end up running my butt off for one month doing 5-6 births then doing nothing the next month.  I have been hearing of midwives who take 4-6 births per month in a solo practice and I am wondering how they do it!! I just do labor support, not extensive prenatals!!! Thanks for the feed back!

[BriasMommy]

My ideal is 2-4 a month, and that has worked out well. I have an amazing back-up doula, so I feel pretty comfortable with overlapping due dates.

I was in the hospital three days in a row this week with three different clients, that was kind of different for me...one was right on time, one was very early (second trimester) and one was about 10 days early. So you never know how it will work out!

[mitintraining]

I get that.  I usually take people with due dates that are the same day and have better luck of avoiding them laboring at the same time, they usually go a week apart.  Anyone else have any input on the timing of dates? I also have great back up, there are 2-3 other doulas who I use on a regular basis.  Unfortunately I am the only one who lives in the city in a rural state where winter means weather!