KERRY - a quick question!

[petchy]

i don't know if you remember but i emailed you earlier in my pregnancy because i am thinking about training to become a doula after my maternity leave. just wondering if i can bee cheeky and ask how much i could realistically expect to bring in each month on average if i do become a doula? and how many women you can "fit" in a month if you know what i mean! lol - as i suppose you don't want to end up with two clients in labour at the same time!! PM me if you don't want to broadcast it to the entire forum. or feel free to tell me to bugger off if you'd rather not say!

you see i've just worked out that as long as i bring in a minimum of £500 per month after tax from my freelance design and/or working as a doula, i will be better off than going back to work FT and paying travel costs and FT childcare!

 

[Kerry]

Hiya Hun,

Its a really tough question to answer!

Some months you could earn that in a week and other months you may not have any work at all. It depends how busy you are which is obviously really hard to predict. As long as you are good with your money you may be ok as you could save it when you are busy.

For example if you had one birth a month then thats £500 straight away (once you are qualified and done your 4 births etc) then you can charge £10-£15 per hour for post birth work as well so if you did 10am-4pm monday to friday that could be £450 per week but not many people want that many hours for very long.

A lot of it also depends on what area you live in and what the demand for doula's is like - you could always look at the 'find a doula' map on www.doula.org.uk and contact a doula near to you to see how much work they get - you may find they are turning stuff away and that you would do really well or you may find that they too are looking for work.

I tend to have busy times and quiet times, nothing for ages and then all of a sudden a baby boom and the whole world wants you.

The money you need is not at all unrealistic if the work is there so maybe do a bit of research in your area.

Much love, shout if you need any more help!! xx

 

[Urchin]

This is something I've always wanted to do too

 

[Kerry]

It's a great job but you can get burnt out quite easily especially if you are busy. Its a very giving job and you are constantly giving yourself to others and caring for others, it can be easy to forget about you and yours.

Thats why in Jan this year I decided to take a year out after three really busy years, I just felt I didn't have any more of me to give and wanted to be with hubby and MY kids instead of other peoples.............and look what happened!! We decided to have another baby!! So now I will be at home again for a few years which I am looking forward to.

Its a lovely job and very rewarding but you have to be very strict with what you can and will offer and make sure you put you and your family first as its easy to say yes to people when you are like me and hate saying no!!

 

[petchy]

thanx for great info kerry, you're a star!

 

[Urchin]

I'd be more worried about not having enough work.

I've looked into local courses, and there's one near me at the start of march It's £275 but I'm not sure I would get my money back hmmmmm.

 

[Kerry]

Again that depends on demand in your area but if you only got one post birth job or one birth you could make that easily.