I remember completing my Doula training back in 2007 like it was yesterday. I remember feeling excited and hopeful for the families I was about to serve. I also remember quickly learning that it can be a challenge to survive as sole proprietor doula serving marginalized communities. You see sometimes the most vulnerable folks that could use doula services are the ones unable to pay for our doula services.
I have done way too many pro bono doula services, and had to at some point stop and think to myself whether it was even worth it for me to continue on as a doula. This job is grilling at Texas, your body, while at the same time, so rewarding and tangible for the changes that we are affecting. Often we can lose good doula because they are not making ends mean. This was one of the reasons why I started the global Perinatal services nonprofit organization as a means to train and hire Doulas from the marginalized communities so that way they don’t have to worry about finding clients or getting paid for those clients.
So, in this post this week I would like to shed some light on how to sustain your Doula business.
- Join an existing nonprofit org or hospital based doula services
This is a great way to ensure that you get clients without having to do the overhead of outreach and you also get paid as a salary Doula or as a Contract Auto. To meet this is a perfect option for someone who is beginning to do the do the work, and who doesn’t want to do the legwork that comes with starting a solo Doula practice.
- Have a niche services: bereavement doula, high risk doula, teen doula
Another way to ensure sustainability in Doula work is to figure out a niche of services that you want to provide something that makes you unique from the other Doulas. This could be serving a particular population that say the immigrant refugee or teen Doula or high-risk Doula. This will help you be sort out and ensure that your caseload is always at its max because you are unique your services are unique or you are a handful of people who are providing particular services.Get yourself training in this area that will help you stand out.
- Make connections with org that work with your niche population. Fertility clinics, fetal medicine, teen clinics etc.
Once you come up with an edge, make sure that you reach out to clinics or provider practices that also cater to people in your niche services. For instance, if you are a high-risk Doula, make sure you make connections with local fertility clinics or fetal medicine clinic.
join a collective doula team
- Have a doula partner
Joining a collective dual team or getting a dual partner is another way to help you sustain yourself in this line of work. This way you are not straining yourself, you are able to take multiple clients because you know you have a backup person in the event they are more than one client who is needing your services.
Feel free to share other ways that you find helps sustain your doula services.
Till next time keep on douling!
Faisa
