a few questions for fellow doulas...

[Sarahfina]

I've been a doula for a couple years now but only practising sporatically- now that I'm getting things up and running I have a few somewhat basic questions for you expert doulas...

First of all, how many clients will you take in a month, and what is the closest spacing you would concider? I currently have a client for dec 5th, one potential who is due dec 6 and a fellow doula asked me to back up for her for the 1st/2nd for a client who is due the 1st. I'd be greatful for the work, but I am also working a regular job (which I can be away from for doula work without issue) so I am concerned A) that it's just too much for me to handle and B)what'll I do if they all do into labor at once?!

Also what kind of finacial arrangements do you typically have with the doulas who provide back up care for you, or for whom you provide back up care for?

Thanks in advance!!!

Sarahfina

[Gray's Mommy]

I normally take 1 client a month or one every 2 months depending on due dates. The most I have taken at one time was 3 due within 6 weeks of each other. One went early, the other two mommas went within 24 hours of each other & I was 6 months pregnant at the time. I went on maternity leave right after those births

I work 2 other part time jobs so I need to work around those also when I can.

If my back up attends the actual birth, I give half of my fee. If they attend part of the labor, but not the birth, they get 25% of my fee.

[tlcdoula]

I have taken three in a month, but am backing away from that one for awhile. I had three mamas due in July and three due in August. My back up doula had one mama due in September and she went out of town at the end of July. One July mama went almost a week before her due date which took some pressure off of me, but then I ended up doing four births in four days.

One mama went two weeks late, another two weeks early, my back up doulas client went seven weeks early, and then another mama went a week late. It was the hardest four days of my life as a doula LOL

As far as a financial arrangement with my back up - whoever does the birth gets half of the doula fee. If she were to cover for me for a few hours then we discussed splitting the fee. Since her fee is less than mine then we agreed that in either direction it would be paid 1/2 of her fee (the lower fee). So when I attended her birth I got half of her fee and if she ever attends one of mine she would get half of her fee too. Hope that makes sense.

[MidwifeErika]

Between my doula clients and the clients through my apprenticeship, I would say that I can't handle more than about 3 or 4 a month. I haven't had back-up, but will be arranging for it with any future doula clients. I missed a birth (beginning of my apprenticeship, I was still just observing) due to a doula client going into labor at the same time... I think in that case one mom was a few days early and the other was 1 week late. Then I did have a back-to-back birth day where I was with a doula client for 14 hours, came home and was home for less than 20 minutes when the phone rang that a midwifery client was in labor, in this case one mama was 2 weeks late and the other was about 5 days late.

In a way I don't worry about spacing because I don't think due dates seem to matter too much as to when women actually go into labor. But at the same time, I see a time coming up at the end of Oct/Nov, where there are 4 women due within 2 weeks of one another and that could get a little busy ...... or maybe not! Those births could be spread out over a whole month really easily. I am thinking though that I probably wouldn't really want to take more than about 4 women in a 30 day time frame.... although if I had killer back-up arrangements that might be different!

[Rockies5]

without back up from another doula; I wouldn't take more then 1 a month.

[Meche]

I take up to three clients a month, and I try to space them out by 1-2 weeks apart (for their comfort, not mine). I recently had a client get really hung up on the idea that someone else was due within ten days of her--tho she ended up delivering 1 week early and the next one was right around her EDD.

Once, I accepted a 38-week client who was due three days after another client. I figured, no chance they would go into labor at the same time. Well, they did. I missed the newer client (home birth, wah) b/c I was at the hospital with an epidural client. That's how it goes sometimes.

Now, if I am accepting two clients close together, I offer to arrange for dedicated, on-call back-up, again for their "comfort." I also do this for when I am planning to go out of town.

[memiles]

My busiest months have been 4 clients with EDD's in a 30 day period. I'm in one right now.
Client 1-primip, had baby at 38 weeks one day
Client 2-multip, baby born this morning at 38 weeks
Client 3-EDD 10/2
Client 4-EDD 10/15

I had two doulas who had agreed to back me up for this group, I'll let one know that I don't need her any more after I get some sleep tonight.

The last time I had 4 in a month, they all had their babies in a 10 day period. Two were induced on the same day, by the same doc (a day before a holiday, go figure!).

I really ignore due dates and take the clients that feel right to me. I have great backup and although I hate to use them, it's always turned out well. If I didn't have a backup available, I probably wouldn't do more than 2 in a month.

[courtenay_e]

I have one partner I trade on call backups with, though to be fair, she gets the short end of the stick, as this IS my full time job, and she has a day job, so can't take as many clients as I take. That said, with two of my own clients and two homebirth clients for the midwife I assist, I am REALLY busy. I would actually prefer two to three a month. I have, as I said, my "partner," and then probably three or four other midwives, midwife apprentices, and doulas I could call if I were in dire straights...and a pregnant Bradley instructor friend (hey, S!) that I would only call and wake up if I absolutely, positively had to, but I know that, if I asked, and she possibly could, she'd go for me. They're most of them just as busy as I am, though, so the answer might be NO, unless I'd arranged it ahead of time. I always try to arrange it ahead of time, especially if I have a bunch of mamas ready to go at the same time! This past july at the end of the month, I went on a four day camping trip. It took three different people to cover me, because, apparently, the ENTIRE natural birthing work force in Michigan goes on vacation in the month of July! I will NEVER plan another July vacation again if I have clients. Of course, I planned the vacation on the premise that I wouldn't TAKE any clients in July... I believe when I went I had two within their four week period, and one more entered it the day I came back. *sigh*

[rnchrista]

Originally Posted by Sarahfina

First of all, how many clients will you take in a month, and what is the closest spacing you would concider? I currently have a client for dec 5th, one potential who is due dec 6 and a fellow doula asked me to back up for her for the 1st/2nd for a client who is due the 1st. I'd be greatful for the work, but I am also working a regular job (which I can be away from for doula work without issue) so I am concerned A) that it's just too much for me to handle and B)what'll I do if they all do into labor at once?!

Also what kind of finacial arrangements do you typically have with the doulas who provide back up care for you, or for whom you provide back up care for?

Thanks in advance!!!

Sarahfina

Well, my favorite friend and doula, who occasionally reads here and who i love to butter up , says then whenever she takes on a huge load, somehow they weed themselves out to a more manageable amount.
That is what happened to me this month. I was up to assisting at 9 homebirths this month and it's going to end up at 6 due to varying circumstances.
I've had a couple births on the same day with due dates weeks apart so I don't see a big point in not accepting clients solely based on due dates alone. Just make sure you have a back-up plan. If you don't, you will most likely need one If you've got back-up plans, then you'll probably be fine.