In my opinion one can definitely
make money providing doula
services affordably. Anyone
seeking to become an
entrepreneur via opening a small
business should research
providing such services. Start up
costs can be minimal and many
of the services provided could be
idea for a stay at home mom
looking to supplement the
income of her household. If you
are single like me; you may not
be familiar with the term doula.
Doula is an ancient Greek
word meaning “a woman who
serves” however, presently it
is used to refer to a trained
experience professional who
provides support to a mom-to-
be prior and or postpartum to
birth. A doula offers services
that cater to the mom-to-be by
providing the informational,
emotional, and physical support
necessary to make the birth of
the child a smooth transition for
the entire family.
A doula service (also called
postpartum care service or
postpartum doula is different
from a birth doula or labor
assistant), however most services
are established to offer both
birth and postpartum care for
the mom-to-be. If you are an
individual that loves being
around and participating in the
joy a new baby brings to a
home, then this might be a
business that you’d enjoy. This
could prove to be a very
lucrative business considering
that in one year recently nearly 4
million babies were born in the
United States alone. Please note
that a doula is an assistant
that is trained and or
experienced to provide
services that will bring
comfort to mother, baby, and
family, however she cannot
replace the role of midwife or
a physician. Doula services can
cover a wide variety of support
for the mother, newborn, and
family as is revealed via the
video.
Nurturing the Family The Guide
for Postpartum Doulas
Amazon Price: $20.99
Mothering The Mother: How A
Doula Can Help You Have A
Shorter, Easier, And Healthier
Birth
Amazon Price: $10.49
List Price: $18.00
Business Overview
The miracle of having a new
baby in the house can cause a
disruption of the normal routine
that occurs within a family ’s
home. New moms, dads, and
siblings may experience
exhaustion from sleepless nights,
new worries, and other
adjustments. A new family can
enjoy a smoother transition of
having a new little one in the
house by hiring a doula
service. Many times relatives live
far away and or maybe
estranged and not in a position
to assist the new mother.
A doula service can supply the
family-to-be with whatever it
takes to help parents cope with
the demands a brand-new infant
such as coaching on breast-
feeding, baby's first bath, cries in
the night, and diaper duty.
Some of the advantages to
making money providing doula
services are:
That you can start on a
shoestring budget with
minimal costs.
Income generated can be
sizeable depending on the
way the business is
established.
It is a great business for stay
at home moms, individuals
wanting to become
entrepreneurs with a home-
base business, or college
students looking to make
additional income.
Trained individuals that are
single get all the fun of being
around a new baby without
permanent responsibility.
A business owner of a doula
service, should have a genuine
feel for new parents and babies,
as well as experience with
infants. Regardless of whether
or not you perform the
actually services or just hire
others to do the job, one
should be knowledgeable of
infants, new moms, and their
families. While your services
won't be that of a nurse or
nanny, you and your employees
will need to know how to help
new moms with breast-feeding,
changing diapers, deal with colic
and handle the other minor
crises of new babyhood that can
send parents into a panic.
Great Info Sites !
DONA International Welcome!
DONA International is the
oldest, largest and most
respected doula association in
the world. Our founders are
among the foremost experts
on doula care, and DONA
International certification...
Doula | Doula.com
For the time and services that
goes into doula work, you get
an excellent deal for your
money. "Cost ranges widely
throughout the US, based
mostly on the cost of living,"
Become a Doula - Doula Jobs
- Start a Doula Business
The FabJob.com Guide to
Become a Doula explains how
you can have a career
supporting women in
childbirth and early
motherhood.
Startup Costs and Potential
Income
As mentioned prior startup cost
will be somewhat minimal within
this business depending on the
investor. Investments factors
such as equipment,
transportation, licensing and
permits, operating location,
working capital and initial
marketing and advertising
budgets will determine your
actual startup cost.
The size of your business,
clientele base, and location
will also contribute to the
amount one might wish to
spend in getting this business
established. Estimate startup
costs I reviewed ranged from
under $2,000 to over $5,000.
While good established owners
of this type of business is
estimated to have an income
potential of $20,000 a year as an
individual performing services
alone and a potential of $50,000
and more with other employees.
Again, one must realize that an
individual wishing to offer this
type of service to a middle class
clientele would not incur the
same startup costs as someone
catering to the rich and famous.
In addition someone in a
somewhat remote location
would not have the same
expenses as an individual within
a highly populated area. The key
to remember is that a successful
entrepreneur carefully
researches and plans every
aspect of a new business
venture, including the working
capital required to achieve
positive cash flow and the
financial investment needed to
start a business.
Marketing your business
Marketing for your business will
be focused on individuals that
are about to be new parents.
One can advertise services by
giving free parenting talks to
prenatal classes, and then
passing out brochures that
describe in detail your
services. You can leave
brochures with hospital
maternity centers,
obstetricians, pediatricians
and new-parent support
groups in the area you want to
establish your business. As well
as establish a business website
detailing your services and
credentials. A doula service is a
terrific new-baby gift, so don't
forget to advertise this fact to
grandparents, other family
members, and friends!
Equipment and Credentials
Required
Again this is a shoestring
operation that will not require a
lot of equipment or office
supplies. Actually all you really
need to get started in a doula
service are your own innate
abilities to perform specified
services, a reliable vehicle or
public transport to carry you to
your assignment locations, and a
phone for communication
purposes. One can work out of
their own home and establish a
home office as the business
grows. Since you're dealing with
people and their most precious
possessions (a newborn), it is
advisable to carry liability
insurance and have pediatric first
aid and CPR certification.
Accreditation and certification
are available, but not
necessary from the National
Association of Postpartum
Care Services. However,
personally I feel the more
professional your business the
more clients willing to trust your
reliability. Your business will be
viewed as one step ahead of
credibility if you or someone with
your business is a nurse, medical
assistant or other health
professional.
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Mother-to-be may need a
relaxing massage...
The Cost of a Doula Service
Typical cost of a certified
doula’s service ranges
between $300 to a $1000
depending on the type of
service and support the new
mother-to-be requires during
childbirth and or postpartum
thereafter. Obviously, such costs
also depend on whether one
lives in upper New York, lower
New Mexico City, or overseas in
another country.
In addition the length of time
services are rendered and
experience of the trained doula
will affect cost as well. Most
doulas will have a brochure
listing services performed and
prices of each including package
deals. Many will be willing work
with you to help you afford the
service and offer payment
options.
A doula’s support is priceless
so it pays an individual to
make several calls to
different services to find one
that meets the needs of the
mother-to-be at a price that is
affordable. Also check to see if
your insurance provider includes
a provision for doula services;
some providers do while others
insurance policies do not.
Another option is to check to see
if the hospital that is handling
the delivery of the child offers a
doula program.
Ending thoughts
My thoughts are that one can
make money providing doula
services provided this is a small
business that is doing something
that you love to do. This is a
prime opportunity for mothers
to empower other mothers-to-
be by providing support and
insight of the natural
occurrences within
motherhood. It can be a
rewarding career and or
business owner provided you
are an individual that loves to
touch the lives of others by
participating as a witness to the
miracle of childbirth and assisting
in the care of a family as it
adjusts to the arrival of a
newborn into their daily lives.
As a doula and or business
owner of a doula service you can
assist other women during the
early stages of motherhood by
providing the physical,
emotional, and even spiritual
support needed to overcome
fears and maintain her
household. In addition while
helping someone else; one in
turn is helping oneself by gaining
income to maintain your own
household. Below I am providing
numerous links you might like to
research if interested in owning a
small business offering doula
services and please remember
your comments are always
welcomed...
The Doula Book: How a Trained
Labor Companion Can Help You
Have a Shorter, Easier, and
Healthier Birth
Amazon Price: $9.21
List Price: $20.00
Business Info...
Start your own home
business, work at home
resources
Mommy's Helper, work at
home resource
Avoid These 5 Common
Mistakes -
WomenEntrepreneur.com
Reviews what common
mistakes do women
entrepreneurs make, and
offers suggestions as how I
can I avoid them...
Moms Are Great
Businesswomen -
Entrepreneur.com
As a mom entrepreneur, we
create vision and mission
statements, set goals and
strategical run a business. We
meet monthly and even do
team-building activities.
More Links of Information...
Becoming a Doula
Why do women become
doulas? Some of us feel it was
a spiritual calling, others were
motivated by their own birth
experiences-both positive and
negative.
Doula Information
The word, "doula," comes
from the Greek word for the
most important female slave
or servant in an ancient Greek
household,
Find a Doula - Just for
professionals
Childbirth international -
Training for doulas and
childbirth educators across the
world, by distance
Mother to Mother Doula
Services
Mother to Mother Doula
Services
Doula Service - Small Business
You Can Start
Small business plan, doula.
Best Home Based Businesses
for women.
Hardy Alternative Health
Services - Labor Doula
Services
So, you are looking for a
doula - congratulations!!!! I
am so happy that you are
expecting and that you are
here learning more about me,
my services and how I can be
of assistance to you.
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More books on Doulas
The Doula Advantage: Your
Complete Guide to Having an
Empowered and Positive Birth
with the Help of a Professional
Childbirth Assistant
Amazon Price: $22.00
List Price: $13.95
Doula Programs
Amazon Price: $29.95
Hypnobabies Hypno-Doula
Workbook Plus 5 CDs
Amazon Price: $57.95
List Price: $97.85
The Business of Being Born
Amazon Price: $12.04
List Price: $19.98
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Was this Hub ...?
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Princessa 9 months ago
What a great idea, I would have
certainly paid for those services
when my children were born. I
like the idea of mothers
empowering mothers to be and
new moms. Motherhood is not
easy, options are not ovbious.
This type of service should be
more expanded.
The Rope 9 months ago
Great idea MG! I know of several
people who would have used
this service and been a lot
happier in the long run and had
a lot less stress. Thanks for
sharing the idea!
emievil 9 months ago
Never heard of the word 'doula',
so like Princessa, I was drawn to
this hub because of this word.
Never heard of having another
woman attend to a pregnant
woman who's about to give
birth, and even after :). Maybe
we can have this kind of services
here. God knows, I'd like to have
one when I give birth. Thanks
MG!
Money Glitch 9 months ago
@Princessa - Thanks for the
support Princessa, I saw a lot of
potential with this business idea
and really enjoyed the
information I found. Especially
because many women live far
away from their moms or others
that could offer them support at
such a wonderful, but stressful
time.
@The Rope - Thanks the Rope,
for sharing your insight about
this type of service. Everyone on
the videos seemed to be very
pleased with the assistance of a
doula. However, it is always great
to hear from someone who
knows individuals that have used
the services.
Thanks so much for both of you
stopping by and commenting.:)
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