Job Description - A Doula is a Greek word meaning "woman helping woman”. More frequently than not, adequate emotional nurturing for the laboring woman is not routinely provided by mainstream medical caregivers. Doctors have separate concerns requiring medical expertise that take precedence over providing constant emotional support. As a result, women are too often encouraged to accept induction of labor, epidural pain relief, episiotomy, or other unnecessary medical intervention "to speed labor along," rather than offered encouragement to value their own inherent process and power to give birth naturally. “The fact is that women need women to assist in childbirth and to provide continued emotional support and guidance throughout the joyous and turbulent postpartum time. A doula, by definition, is present to serve. She helps a woman integrate the day she will never forget.
There are 2 kinds of Doulas:
Birth Doula - A Birth Doula helps the mother prepare for the birth of a child, including educating them about the birth process, preparing a "birth plan", and providing emotional support and other similar services. If desired, a birth doula will also be present during the birth. Your birth doula will be at your side along with your care provider and partner, as part of your team for continuous support during labor and birth.
Postpartum Doula - PostPartum Doulas help mothers transition into parenthood and family by offering support services and education to them after the birth. Services include lactation education, circumcision care education, emotional support, and other similar services. Postpartum Doulas typically do not directly provide care for the child/children.
When Should I start looking for a Doula? - It's never too early to start your search for a qualified, trustworthy Doula. To ensure the broadest selection of available Doulas, allow up to six months prior to your anticipated delivery date to begin the selection process. Hiring families should request proof of training and credentials (including current CPR training and TB test) as well as references. It is also important to ask the candidates about their philosophy about childbirth and supporting women and their partners through labor.
Schedules - All domestic personnel position types registered at NannyMax.com have their availability indicated under the “When Available” section of their profile. Doulas may be available part-time, full-time or both, and may also be available during the week, evenings, and sometimes or on occasion/as needed. Please refer to the Doula’s Profiles to best determine the availability.
Salary Range – – Salaries for Doulas range close to those of Newborn Specialists (Refer to Newborn Specialist Profile). The average salary range for a Doula is $14 to $30 per hour or $150 to $300 per day. Doulas for multiples (twins, triplets, etc) typically start at $18 to $45 per hour depending on experience and qualifications. If services are needed only during the day or only during the night, the rates are typically lower. Other factors that may affect wages are the employing family’s accessibility, the region of the country where employment is required, and the family’s special requirements. Families are encouraged to SEARCH our database for FREE to see the salaries requested by the candidates registered on our site.
Benefits – Although not required by law, many families offer benefits to their domestic personnel to encourage longevity of employment and make the overall compensation package more attractive to quality candidates. Some families offer perks such as transportation and lodging. While many candidates do not expect or desire benefits, others do. In all cases, families should discuss benefits directly with the candidates.
Finding and Hiring a Doula through NannyMax.com - To find a Doula through NannyMax.com, families may SEARCH our database for FREE to preview the candidates’ resumes based on criteria entered. To gain access to candidates’ contact information, the families may REGISTER and then contact the candidates directly to begin their selection & hiring process [LEARN MORE]. Salaries, benefits and responsibilities should be discussed and confirmed directly between families and candidates. We look forward to assisting you with your search for a qualified Doula.
