Is this your first baby?  Do you plan to hire a doula?  Is this your second, third, or fourth baby and you plan to hire a doula?  It makes sense if you do.  There are many benefits to hiring a doula, and there are many reasons to really want to hire a doula.

One common reason women don’t hire doulas though, is the idea that having a doula is a luxury they can’t afford.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.

If you want to hire a doula, but think you can’t afford one, take a look at this list of 5 creative ways you absolutely can afford a doula!

Crowd Fund

According to Popsugar, there is a new trend of crowdfunding for childbirth. A quick search on GoFundMe, and you can find several examples of crowdfunds to cover doula expenses.  While some families were able to reach their goals in as little as 15 days, you may want to give yourself anywhere from 2 months to 12 months to reach your goal.  Plan early!

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Request A Doula As A Holiday or Baby Shower Gift

One creative way to afford a doula is to request a doula as a gift for your baby shower or as a gift for the holidays.  A doula can be a gift from a single loved one, or from a collection of several aunts, cousins, friends, co-workers, etc.  It can even be your gift from your church or from your community organization.

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Use Your Tax Refund

What do you usually buy with your tax refund?  Is there any possible way some of your purchases can be substituted for doula support?  At the least, might you be able to use a portion of the return to cover the majority of the cost?

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Start A Savings

You saved for baby’s college fund, for your wedding, for your baby shower, and for your girls trips.  Why not start a fund for your labor and childbirth experience?  While most doulas are not covered under most insurance plans, you may be able to cover doula expenses with a Health Savings Account (HSA).  If you don’t have an HSA, you can start a simple savings account with your bank, or you can simply set up a piggy bank in your home.  There are even custom-made piggy banks that allow you to add your baby’s name in any color you like.

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Barter

Most doulas are entrepreneurs.  Yes we need money, but there are always other needs associated with running a business.  Do you have a skill, set of skills, or a business of your own that provides marketing, finance, photography, printing, design, access to products, or resources that might be professionally or personally valuable to your doula of choice? Not all doulas will be open to this type of arrangement, but if you communicate your value and present a fair exchange, and it is likely a doula will work with you.

 

 

 

Those were 5 creative ways you absolutely can afford a doula.  What are some creative ways you’ve either used, or seen used to afford doula support? Share your ideas or share link in the comments to your doula (fertility, prenatal, labor, postpartum), your lactation consultant, or your midwife and tell us why you are GLAD you invested in them!

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