What does a Professional Doula cost?
Why should I hire one?
What do doulas charge?
Doula fees vary by geographic area, level of experience, and additional skills that may be offered (such as lactation consultation, photography, or massage therapy). Doula fees in the Denver metro area range from $700 (newer doulas) to over $1800 for doulas with extensive experience and service packages including additional skills.
Recently trained doulas (having completed a training workshop and working on gaining experience and building their practice) often have flexible fees that are lower than more experienced doulas. Find out more about working with a recently trained doula.
Why is a Professional Doula a good investment?
Actually, no, it’s not. While the loving support of your family and friends, and the skilled attentions of a labor nurse if you’re birthing in a hospital or birth center are incredibly important, none of those people are qualified to do what a doula can do for you. Studies have shown conclusively that the benefits of having a doula are not duplicated by either family/friends or nursing staff.
What research tells us about hiring a doula:
%
Labor Length
%
Narcotics
%
Forceps
%
Pitocin
%
Cesarean Birth
%
Epidural
In addition women attended by a doula are also:
- Less likely to have babies with APGARs of 5 or lower
- 27% less likely to be dissatisfied with their births
- Significantly more likely to have a spontaneous vaginal birth
- Significantly less likely to feel a loss of control in labor
Other long term benefits of working with a doula include:
- Improved breastfeeding
- Increased time spent with baby
- Decreased postpartum depression
Work with Ana
I’ve been providing doula services and perinatal education in the Denver metro area since 1998, and am also a lactation consultant (IBCLC). I’ve worked extensively with families desiring natural (unmedicated) birth and families open to pain medication. I’ve also supported families through cesarean births, and experienced the special joy of walking alongside families planning to have a VBAC. I have extensive experience with hospital and home birth, as well as having attended births at Denver’s free-standing birth centers, such as Mountain Midwifery.
All these experiences have led me to create several service packages to meet a variety of needs, with packages from $650 through $1750. Contact me for more information about Doula Services.
I’m on a budget and can’t afford typical doula fees for my area. What do I do?
One option is to work with a recently trained doula. These are doulas who have been through doula training and are working on gaining experience and building their practice. Fees may be flexible with doulas who are seeking to increase their experience. Click here for more information on recently trained doulas.