Doula Business Advisor: Establishing a Payment Timeframe

Once you have set your rates for birth doula or postpartum doula services, the next step is to become proficient at collecting your fees. It will help considerably if you have set a fee that you believe is reasonable and feel, in your heart, that you are worth every penny. Commit to writing a payment policy. It is an essential piece of your client contract or “letter of agreement.” When must payment be made? How much is due each payment? At what point must the client pay in full? Communicate your fees and payment policy, without hesitation or apology, to the client.

I recommend that birth doulas collect their full fee prior to the start of the
“on-call” period, as defined by the contract. I ask for 50 percent of the total as a retainer fee at the time that the client hires me and signs the contract. If you can only accept two clients per month, then you may be turning down other work. You are being asked to make a commitment and you need the client to reciprocate. Commitment is a two-way street.

The balance is due at the final prenatal visit, scheduled at 36 weeks. That way, I am not in the position of asking for payment at a postnatal visit—a time when I want to continue my focused, caring support. If I have a tearful postpartum mom who is struggling with breastfeeding, it can be very difficult to bring myself to ask for payment if she doesn’t remember to pay without prompting. And, frankly, it is not likely to be the top thing on new parents’ minds. If the situation drags out, it is
amazing how quickly the doula will fall down on the list of priorities for who gets paid after the birth has concluded.

The Doula Business Advisor blog is designed to support the establishment and long-term sustainability of private doula businesses. Patty Brennan is the author of The Doula Business Guide: Creating a Successful MotherBaby Business.

Posted by Patty Brennan on April 5, 2011 • Filed under Doula Business Advisor
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