Doula Consult Fee? - Page 3

[homebirthing]

I understand the cost of gas and childcare, but a doula chooses to be self employed, and that is part of your driving to work. Interviewing is part of your service. What if you have to pay three doulas before you find yours. That is money wasted that could have gone to the actual doula fee.

Also, you can and should be keeping track of your money spent and gas miles, as it is something you can write off on your taxes.

[tlcdoula]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna

Also, I spend at least two hours with a potential client in general, before I pull out my contract and pen. Two hours of childcare around here is at least $20.00., and with travel time, it add's up. And I have three children.

Best of luck!
Jyotsna

Wow, two hours is a long time to spend with a perspective client. What in the world do you discuss for that long?

When I do interviews they are just that interviews - to me it is the final step before they decide whether to hire me or not, because prior to the interview they may have e-mailed me several times or called and talked with me, have visited my website where I have extensive information and therefore my interviews never take more then 1/2 hour.

I do not believe in doing education during the interview because that is a service that is included in my fee, so all education comes after they signed the contract - during their prenatals. What I found was that the more educating I did during the interview the less people hired me because they left feeling like they knew so much that they didn't need a doula anymore.

[onlyboys]

Well, I think that $100 would weed out a lot of clients who may not be able to pay, so perhaps this is what the doula is aiming for?

It seems very restrictive and definitely over the top. I do not charge for consult visits.

[teachinmaof3]

I don't charge.

Childcare isn't an issue because I do interviews in the evenings. That way my dh is home and it gets me out of the house for a while. LOL!!

[Jyotsna]

TLCdoula,

<Wow, two hours is a long time to spend with a perspective client. What in the world do you discuss for that long? >

Yes, it is a long time, however I have had a 99 % hire rate. I did have one family who chose do the hospital birth with their mother, and were still thinking about it when they talked to me. Honestly, I take time now (since that client) to make sure that the couple would likely hire me, and I would likely sign them on, before I come to their home.

As for what I discuss? First I answer all of their questions as far as what I can do for them.
Next I listen to their birth stories with other children (if they have given birth before).
Then I share the policy of Informed Consent / Refusal in the hospital. And many questions pop up in concern to this.

I also share information about prevention and early detection of pre-term labor and preeclampsia (I experienced pre-term labor, and no one had ever told me what the warning signs were, or how to prevent this (of course some cases can't be prevented) like keeping up your consumption of proteins and staying hydrated. I added this after getting a call from a woman who made an appointment with me. She told me that she was in the middle of a miscarriage and couldn't make it. How sad. Having experienced birth loss myself, I like to include information.

Also, talk to them about natural childbirth preparation, local support (LLL), and national support (MDC) ect.

I believe that they should get something out of my visit, or both of us have wasted our time.

As for the $100, again as everyone has said, "way too much". I wouldn't mark this doula off your list entirely. Also, she could be just getting started and have no idea that she should have a free consult. Talking it out is the best way to work through that.

And when looking for a doula, in addition to matching your personality and workability, think about the final outcome. Does your doula have a track record with hospital births, VBAC's, or other things that you need? Can she honor your request during the birth? Do you think that she can truely help you to avoid a c-section? Will she help you (if needed) to latch your baby on after the birth, and assist you in ways to keep that breastfeeding relationship going? Does she have community contacts for new parents? Does she have a back up for your birth?

I think focusing on what she can do for you and your partner on the day of your birth, is far more important, than IF she charges for a consult. And definately if you don't like your doulas fees, ASK her to give you reduced fees (if you can't afford to pay, or like her but find her to be the most expensive).

Many doulas will work with families who don't have the resources for paying, or allow the family to pay out the fee's over several weeks or months. Some doulas accept Paypal, so you could use your credit card. The point is that I don't know a single doula who wouldn't work with you in some way to make this situation just right, so that she could be at your birth.

Good luck in wading the waters!

[ldsapmom]

I guess I am not looking for a 99% hire rate -- I am looking for a good fit, a mutual understanding, and a desire for a synergistic relationship.

Like I stated before about not taking money/signing contracts at an intitial meet: If you charge a consult fee, and you detest the couple, are you then required to take them as clients because they paid that fee, which was understood to carry over to your doula fee? Are some doulas just not that picky? Or do some doulas work well with everyone?

I am not saying I am choose-y, but there are things I would rather not deal with, like a mom who smokes, or birth choices, from the get-go, I am not challenged by, such as all-the-meds-as-soon-as-she-can-get-them client. If I took everybody who wanted me as a doula without thought to my own beliefs, sanity, and gut feelings, there wouldn't be an issue. But I have to also enjoy what I do. I don't need clients that badly.

[Jyotsna]

idsapmom,

Your point is well taken about the fee. I don't do that, and still could see that some may like to do so, but if you don't like the couple, you are stuck possibly accepting them, working with them ect.
It can't be the best of circumstances.

I'm glad there is a forum where we can express these thoughts.

Thanks for sharing!

[tlcdoula]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna

TLCdoula,

Yes, it is a long time, however I have had a 99 % hire rate. I did have one family who chose do the hospital birth with their mother, and were still thinking about it when they talked to me. Honestly, I take time now (since that client) to make sure that the couple would likely hire me, and I would likely sign them on, before I come to their home.

That is very interesting because I have found the opposite When I hold long interviews I don't get hired, but when I keep them to interviews only then I get hired - same as you about 99% of the time.

[tlcdoula]

Originally Posted by ldsapmom

Like I stated before about not taking money/signing contracts at an intitial meet: If you charge a consult fee, and you detest the couple, are you then required to take them as clients because they paid that fee, which was understood to carry over to your doula fee? Are some doulas just not that picky? Or do some doulas work well with everyone?

That is a good point!!! I wonder what the doula will do in a case like that? Like you I feel it is important for them to be comfortable with me and me with them. Honestly when I first started out I took anyone that wanted to hire me, and I remember one birth being so bizarre that it really left me scratching my head and when I sat down and thought about the whole thing my gut was right and it made lots of sense LOL Now I only take on clients if there is that mutual comfort!! You do bring up a good point though and it would be nice to know what the doula does if she doesn't like the couple.

[pigpokey]

Originally Posted by nhapmom

nope. i wouldnt pay. im a lawyer and when i was working didnt charge for a first time consult. i think its bad business practice.

When I was a lawyer I did. If they wanted to talk on the phone at my convenience, I would of course speak with them to the extent I could. If they wanted to sit down and meet, I charged an hourly rate lower than my general hourly rate, but I charged nonetheless.

It depends what kind of cases you take. A doula client is a fairly small, limited case and if a doula wants to prevent lots of unpaid overhead, I'm supportive. After all, she is typically doing a lot of education in that first meeting. I doubt the conversation is solely related to her qualifications.

[deuxceleste]

I don't know much about the market for Boston area, but some of the doulas in this area do charge for a consultation. Personally, I do not... my contract allows for a "charge" for prenatal visits which is prorated if my client decides at the last minute that she doesn't want me there, but not for a consultation.

[nashvillemidwife]

Wow. You let them get out of paying you if they decide they don't want you there? That's a real disservice to yourself. You deserve to have a dependable income, whether or not the clients dependably want a doula.

[ldsapmom]

Originally Posted by pigpokey

When I was a lawyer I did. If they wanted to talk on the phone at my convenience, I would of course speak with them to the extent I could. If they wanted to sit down and meet, I charged an hourly rate lower than my general hourly rate, but I charged nonetheless.

It depends what kind of cases you take. A doula client is a fairly small, limited case and if a doula wants to prevent lots of unpaid overhead, I'm supportive. After all, she is typically doing a lot of education in that first meeting. I doubt the conversation is solely related to her qualifications.

But with a goal, it can be this basic. I don't just "tell" my clients things, like x reduces your risk of y, without having the back-up to prove it. So they won't get a lot of information out of me at that first interview. Without the data, it could be construed as my opinion. If there are specifics they want, like info on gestational diabetes, then once hired I will dig around as much as I can and bring them the actual articles, books, studies, etc.

The initial meet is, for me, concise, and I work hard to be thorough about myself and my normal walk-through doula scenario of how I help, answer any questions which help them understand my role, and then I get out. For me, brevity is key.

In the beginning, lol, much like TLC, I would spend hours on at an initial meet. I wanted them to know I was good, smart, in-touch. I wanted them to see I was the doula for them -- help convince them. Now that I have been here a while, lived and learned, it is just as much about me as it is about them. After stating that, I guess I could see why some doulas have a fee for an initila meet. The way I do things now, though, make sense for my area, for me, and for my family. I don't see a reason why, in the furture, I would change that. Who knows, though?

[Maggi315]

I don't charge for the initial interview either as a doula or a midwife. Many of the pediatricians around here also do free consults for new/potential clients.

I now meet clients at my office where I rent space once a month, since I am seeing other clients anyway, I've already got a babysitter and paid for the space. When I only worked as a doula, I would meet them at a coffee shop, somewhere near my house so I wouldn't have to pay the fees to travel or the time. I also didn't give them tons of handouts, I have a potential client folder, with a few forms and information (general FAQ;s, brochure, etc). Once you hire me, you get the full bundle.

I wouldn't pay to meet a doula, that's just my opinion. Around here, the fee is $300-$400 for a doula, so $100 for a visit would be out of the question.

I do understand peoples reasons for charging, but I don't think it's a good business practice in this business, again, just my humble opinion. One idea that others have done, and I've thought about starting is having one night per month for potential clients, that way, everyone can come and meet you, you can give your spiel once, and only pay for sitting, etc. once. Also, why not have it someplace where you can bring your kids? I don't go to their homes first, but around here, you can rent out the community room for $5-10/hour, not bad.

[kimiij]

I think that a $100 consult fee is inappropriate but I think you should try talking to her about it- perhaps its a negotiable fee. In the meantime, interview other doulas!

[1972momma]

I am a doula, and honestly, I would never charge for a consult, nor do I know another doula who charges for a consult. It's part of the cost of doing business, and in my opinion any expenses a doula incurs doing meet and greets should be built into her total fee, so that at the end of the day, she's getting paid for her time and everything else.

For what it's worth, I also would not pay a doctor for a consult, if all we did was talk.