tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post4972922307288295098..comments2024-02-09T05:15:53.718-05:00Comments on The Doula Guide: Doulas Working in Pairs: A New Business Model Your doula Anandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10616355931173462549noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post-60537005573947329032013-06-18T21:18:30.872-04:002013-06-18T21:18:30.872-04:00I have a very reliable backup and if we have to at...I have a very reliable backup and if we have to attend others birth, we get $100.00 of the basic fee. I have never had to use her for any of my births or me for any of her births. My real desire is to have a doula in training to follow my whole process with my clients from the initial meeting through the postpartum interview. However for me, it takes a special client to be dependent on a doula in training, if I am not available. However, I have never missed a birth, nor required relief due to long labors. I think to have a DIT with you at a birth, she can learn from my years of experience and can actually help with comfort measures, creating a rhythm and visualization. I have approached this with some couples that I think would be open to this tandem operation, but they eventually chose my backup and not the DIT plan. I think to do this, your second doula needs have a common birth philosophy and you must keep her abreast of your clients needs and progress. I am not against this philosophy, but I think the client should have the final say about who she wants as her backup or tandem doulas at their birth. It is probably the responsibility of the main doula to sell the advantages of a second doula and ensure the client meet the second doula either in person or in a phone interview.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post-42424525304745088882013-06-17T22:49:00.972-04:002013-06-17T22:49:00.972-04:00Having done both a partnership and a solo doula pr...Having done both a partnership and a solo doula practice, I find that they each have their own stresses. In a partnership, trying to coordinate times to both go to the prenatal visits can be overwhelming, and being away from my family for double the prenatal visits is taxing on my children. But feeling more comfortable to take time off and to call in my partner for a long birth was beautiful as well!Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02413057024346809173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post-49215982356111545002013-06-10T14:38:29.551-04:002013-06-10T14:38:29.551-04:00I have been in two different doula partnerships, b...I have been in two different doula partnerships, both with very dear and trusted good friends. <br /><br />In the first we each had our own solo practices and we were each others' back-ups as doulas and childcare. We both had 2 children under 7 at the time, and being successful as a doula meant we needed absolute, middle-of-the-night coverage for our children, and this made it possible. We did not pay each other but we traded back and forth. I only had to back her up once as a doula (when she had a client go 13 days over and was already scheduled for an out of state vacation), and she didn't have to back me up as a doula; this arrangement was more often to provide childcare for each other. Then she moved away :(. <br /><br />About 6 years later I entered into another partnership. We were total doula partners this time. Potential clients would come from her solo practice days or my solo practice days, and we would explain our new practice and how it worked -- it is of absolute importance that potential clients understand they can't enter into this really, really hoping they are going to get a specific doula -- they need to be okay with the idea it could be either of us. Of our fee, the deposit was split evenly between us, then the doula who attended the birth got the remainder, simple as that. We did all prenatals together, and the doula who attended the birth did the postpartum visit. Between the two of us we decided who was primary and thus more likely to attend the birth (in a manner of taking turns, whose turn it was, but we didn't frame it like that to clients). Once that was decided, we gave info to our clients for who to call first, etc. If the secondary had to step in we would take the total of the remainder of the fee and divide it up by hours, paying each doula her share according to how many hours she was there. In some situations couples wanted both of us there, and if we were agreeable (schedule being the biggest factor) we would just split the whole fee, and enjoy our time together at a birth! We worried clients wouldn't like this arrangement, opting instead for a solo doula. We thrived, and were even able to raise our fees (being the highest-paid doulas in our area, and the only ones working in tandem). Then I moved away :(.<br /><br />After many burn-out cycles, I kept envisioning a larger partnership, and as such I was heavily involved in creating a doula circle. The advantage to the client is a reduced fee and group structure where they get to meet with other pregnant families (and of course always a fresh doula), and the advantage to the doula was, a more livable life and less burn-out! Here is more info about that: http://www.staciebingham.com/2/post/2013/01/chico-doula-circle.html <br /><br />It is hard to work alone as a doula, but the biggest factor that must hold true when entering into a partnership is, you have to absolutely trust the other doula(s) implicitly. You cannot be in a relationship with someone who is either rogue, very different from you, doesn't follow your standards of practice or code of ethics, etc. And sometimes that can be hard to find. Stacie Binghamhttp://www.staciebingham.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post-20089260150572351642013-06-06T19:25:11.613-04:002013-06-06T19:25:11.613-04:00I love this idea!
Maria.I love this idea!<br /><br />Maria.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802927636637071753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post-45899810034724765212013-06-06T18:56:41.526-04:002013-06-06T18:56:41.526-04:00In Central Florida we have a 'Doula on Demand&...In Central Florida we have a 'Doula on Demand' program where doula members enter their availability on the calendar and women that need a last minute doula, or a doula that needs a last minute back up, can find someone prepared to arrive within the hour. You can see the site at: http://www.centralfloridabirthnetwork.org/Cynthia Koernerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15961553788845100065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1093380192551908353.post-2188705917318854902013-06-06T13:49:38.499-04:002013-06-06T13:49:38.499-04:00I have a similar partnership with one of my back u...I have a similar partnership with one of my back up doulas but it seems it is difficult at times to get a doula to charge her worth!!! I appreciate your blog and look forward to more....we are on the same page<br /><br />Dale Kaplan<br />Coola Doula 410-608-7009dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11342152763696729755noreply@blogger.com