Scheduling clients/your calendar

[want2becrunchy]

How do you schedule clients so you don't have over lapping births? How many clients do you take a month? Would anyone be willing to show me their calendar (without names because I want it to be HIPPA compliant) so I could get an idea of how scheduling works? I really appreciate it! I'm still so new so I don't have a clue. So far I have only 1 client a month for the next few months but I'm hoping business will pick up.

Thanks!!

[Kristi Doss]

I would suggest not scheduling momma's with due dates within 3 weeks of each other, unless you are willing to have a back-up doula. This would really be your best bet because more than likely, the births would be at different times, but if not, you have someone who can be with one of the moms. Just make connections with other doulas in your area and see if anyone is interested. Talk to the mom at the initial meeting and explain the whole back-up doula system. Give them a chance to meet them if they wish. And if the mom is uncomfortable with the idea, make her the first priority, should you have a double birth!

Color coded calenders work good for me, mostly because I do a LOT of prenatal and postpartum stuff (massage, education, etc.) Mine are nothing but names pretty much, but I can make a sample one for you if you want?

[BriasMommy]

I have a good back up, and I do overlap a bit so that I have two moms at a time, but not three. I have found it doesn't help me too terribly much to try to spread them out more, because I have been in the hospital three days in a row for moms with due dates spread out over three months, anyway!

I use my google calendar, and just block out two weeks before and after their due date so I have a visual as I plan the rest of my life around it. I know that if there is a strip of color across the bottom, I need to stick close to home and be prepared to drop plans at a moment's notice.

[phathui5]

I stopped blocking out space around ladies' due dates (except for the obvious not leaving town). Someone due in the beginning of December could just as easily have their baby in the beginning of November and some moms end up going to 42w5d (I've had both happen. When I was working as a doula, I limited my clients to 2-3 a month.

[Mariah Giles]

So, I honestly find this familiar and funny. I didn't realize (or maybe just didn't think about it!) that you all had the same questions us birth photographers have for each other. This is something we all have to plan for and think carefully about as well!! Just had to throw that in, it's fascinating the things we do have in common, along with our different jobs!

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