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When people think about a career as a doula, they usually picture one thing. Birth. A bag by the door. On call nights. Intense and powerful work in intimate spaces.
And yes, that is a big part of it if you are a birth doula…That work matters. That work changes lives.
But it is not the whole picture.
A doula certification is not just a path into birth rooms. It is a foundation and a skill set. With a good training, you learn a new way of seeing people, systems, stress, bodies, and care. And when you understand that, your doula career path opens up in ways most trainings never talk about.
NOTE: Please read our open letter about weekend doula trainings. Like, please, please do this if you are thinking about taking one… they are popular and buyer beware big time!
Ok, back to what we were talking about… This blog is for the people asking themselves:
Is doula a good career if I need stability?
Is one stream of income enough?
What else can I actually do when I am done my online doula training?
We like to talk about informed consent and that rings true when we are helping folks decide to doula or not to doula (here is a super fun quiz about that btw) or if they fully understand the career as a birth doula.
Soooo, let’s talk about it honestly.
Why so many doulas diversify their income
Inside the bebo mia community, this conversation comes up again and again. During our Choose You, For You week, we hosted a free session focused entirely on diversifying income as a doula. It came directly from community feedback.
Here is what people were really saying underneath the questions.
They wanted extra tools to stand out in a crowded field.
They were worried about burnout.
They were worried after the hospitals kept us out as COVID – what if it happened again??
They were worried about the ever changing housing market and wanted a safety net.
They were worried about the economy and the state of their country (big one for our US students).
They were worried that one physical job could not carry them long term.
And for many folks, especially disabled doulas or doulas with chronic illness, relying only on physical labor is not accessible or sustainable.
Multiple income streams are not about hustle culture but rather they are about safety, longevity, and choice.
Research consistently shows that workers with multiple income sources report greater perceived financial security during economic instability. That matters when care work is already undervalued and underprotected.
A doula career has such a wide lens of what is possible. That is wildly exciting for us in the industry.
Ready, get your note pad out because we have a lot of ways your online doula training can become a big, beautiful business.
Education based income beyond birth support
One of the most natural expansions of a job as a doula is education.
If you are already answering the same questions over and over with clients, that is curriculum trying to be born. We love building workshops and classes based on FAQs!
Workshops and online classes based on your most asked questions can become a powerful income stream. These might focus on postpartum planning, feeding support, navigating medical systems, or emotional preparation for parenthood.
Some doulas move into paid speaking, registering on speaker directories, working with agencies, or even securing keynote opportunities.
Love to write? Many of our students write blogs, articles, newsletters, or copy for brands in the birth and parenting space. We hire exclusively from our alumni here at bebo mia because we want the people doing the graphics and marketing and writing to have an expertise in the skill and subject. There is so much room here to do this for other brands and businesses too.
Writing is a deeply aligned extension of doula work. You are translating complex, emotional experiences into language people can understand.
That is a skill. And people pay for it!
Affiliate income and recommendation based trust
Doulas are trusted guides and that trust has value.
Affiliate links, including programs like the bebo mia affiliate program, allow you to earn income when people purchase products or trainings you already recommend.
This might include baby gear, books, courses, or services you genuinely use and believe in.
Amazon Associates and tools like Genius Links allow global linking, which matters if your audience is not limited to one country. These streams are often called passive, but the truth is they require upfront work, clear boundaries, and ongoing maintenance.
Still, when done thoughtfully, they can support your doula career without adding more clients to your calendar.
Hands on services that layer into care
Some income paths stay close to direct support while reducing the intensity of on call birth work.
Examples include infant feeding support, infant massage, or car seat installation once certified. These services meet real needs and often pair beautifully with doula packages.
Others expand into meal preparation, batch cooking in a client’s kitchen using their ingredients, or creating products like lactation cookie dough for sale.
These options allow you to support families while controlling scope, scheduling, and energy output.
Creative and digital income paths
Doula work attracts deeply creative people. Many of those skills are highly transferable.
- Graphic design using tools like Canva or Adobe.
- Curriculum building for educators and organizations.
- Digital product creation.
- Selling handmade goods through Etsy.
- Teaching crafts like quilting, knitting, or cross stitch.
Some doulas create digital magazines or coupon books by selling ad space to local businesses. Others monetize their websites with adSense or build social media income through user generated content for brands.
If you already understand Instagram or TikTok storytelling, that knowledge is marketable far beyond birth work.
Certifications that expand scope and sustainability
Some doulas choose to layer additional credentials onto their doula certification.
This might include becoming an EFT practitioner, meditation teacher, fitness instructor, or massage therapist. Services that can be covered by insurance are especially powerful, as they reduce financial barriers for clients while increasing your earning potential.
The key is not collecting certifications endlessly, but choosing strategically based on your capacity, interests, and long term vision.
Consulting, partnerships, and business minded paths
A doula career path can also move into consulting.
If you bring experience from a previous career, you can offer business to consumer or business to business services. This might include consulting for clinics, nonprofits, startups, or community organizations.
Some doulas build partnerships with fertility clinics, real estate agents, life insurance providers, or education savings plans. These relationships work because doulas are already supporting people through major life transitions.
Trust plus timing equals opportunity, y’all.
Bigger projects and long term visions
A few doulas go even further.
- They purchase franchises.
- They rent space for homebirths with proper contracts and insurance.
- They start nonprofits, understanding that this requires legal support and long term planning.
These paths are not quick wins and do have a lot of groundwork involved. But for some, they align deeply with values around systems change and community care.
Pro tips for choosing the right path
Not every idea needs to be pursued. Please note, the goal is not to do everything. You want to pick one or two and do them really, really well.
Before committing to a new income stream, get clear on expenses, time requirements, legal considerations, and emotional labor.
Some streams that look passive online require significant upfront energy and ongoing attention so we want you to be honest about your capacity. Really honest, babes.
Remember that birth work is still where many doulas create the greatest impact. Again, one or two well chosen income streams often provide more stability than trying to juggle many small ones.
Be smart. Be strategic. And most importantly, be kind to your nervous system.
So is doula a good career?
It can be. Truly it is wonderful. Like, really, really wonderful. Especially when you understand that a doula certification is not a box. It can be so many things in so many ways!
A doula career can include birth, education, creativity, digital work, consulting, and community leadership. It can grow and change as your life changes.
Online doula training gives you tools and what you build with them is allowed to be expansive.
If this blog sparked ideas for your own work, we would love to hear them. Community wisdom is how we all build careers that last.
And if you are still deciding whether this path is right for you, know this. There is more here than you have been told. And we are happy to jump on a call with you! Email us at [email protected] to book.
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BLISS IN BUSINESS RETREAT
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