How much do doula make a year?

Answer 1

I can answer this question only partially, as I am only familiar with the work of self-employed doulas, not the ones employed by hospitals. This is a very difficult question to answer, as most freelance doulas have very unpredictable employment patterns. Depending on where the doula lives, and how experienced she is, she may be charging anywhere from $250-$1,000 per birth.

This sounds like a lot, but keep in mind that she may only take clients with due dates more than one to two weeks apart to prevent the labors from overlapping(So, using numbers above, a doula can make anywhere from $6,000 to $48,000 a year pre-tax). She will also have to deal with clients canceling for varios reasons (there is usually a non-refundable deposit/fee of half the total payment). Another issue is the demand for doula services, which is not always steady. Many doulas go through professional drought seasons, where they have to rely on other sources of income. Such unpredictability is the reason many doulas also teach childbirth classes and doula training workshops, or work as post-partum as well as birth doulas.

To sum up, being a self-employed doula is an unpredictable part-time job that requires as much time as a full-time job, and it won't make you rich. However, if you are passionate about birth, and are willing to learn, be creative and work very hard, being a doula can be a wonderful way to make a decent (in my understanding of the word) living.

Answer 2

Depending on the geographical area, Doula's charge from $200 per birth to $1000 per birth. Doula's are paid by the couple who decides to use the Doula as a support during the birth of their child. It has not been until recently that some health insurances have begun to see the value of a Doula's presence for their patients delivery. The presence of a doula decreases pain medication use, decreases the risk of medical complications, and provides many other benefits that decrease the risk of cesarean section and other complications during labor and delivery. Because of this, some insurance companies have started offering to reimburse pregnant patients for the Doula fee.

To learn more about the benefits of having a doula for your birth visit http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/havingadoula.html