Can You Actually Become a Doula With a Busy Life?

Real talk, babes, you have been doula curious.

AND, you have probably talked yourself out of this over and over.

Wait until your kids are older
Wait until your partner’s promotion
Wait until you move
Wait until you save more money

It just isn’t a good time.

But if we are being honest, so much of that is fear masking the real question:

What If You Become a Doula and It Doesn’t Work?

What if you take the time and money from your household and for what?

I get it.

I was there. I was you in 2007. I had a new baby and knew this is what I wanted to do but time was tight and money was even tighter.

And I wanted this so bad that I knew I would make it work.

I don’t know where that blind faith came from, but I had it in spades.

And I had no support.

None of my friends had kids. No family close by. A partner that mostly hated me and wasn’t around. And the start of a 2.5 year battle with postpartum depression.

This was a risky move.

And then my doula training was a weekend crash course with no business support or community tools. I didn’t even see my instructor again. Like, ever again.

So if you are scared, that makes sense.

But here is what I want to promise you.

If you take this super brave move, you do not have to do it alone.

What Does a Doula’s Life Actually Look Like?

Let’s talk numbers. You are not on call every second of every day.

Most days look… normal.

Morning:

Get up
Have your coffee or juice or lemon water or whatever you love
Get kids off to school or daycare or snuggle them on the couch
Do whatever you need to do in your life

Afternoon:

Lunch
Keep your kid(s) alive and well
Run errands, nap, volunteer, write, sing
Do 1 or 2 of your 15 minute tasks that get you clients

Evening:

Dinner
Bedtime routines
Maybe check email or connect with your community
Watch Netflix or read or do something that is not laundry

And then yes.

For those 1, 2, 3, or 4 days a month when someone is in labor, you go.

That is the rhythm.

If you want to understand that more clearly, read this.

Can You Be a Doula With Kids or a Full Life?

Yes. Yes, you can. 

The beauty of doula work is that you can build it right into your life.

You can do prenatal visits on evenings or weekends.

You can cluster appointments.

You can do care swaps with other doulas to avoid childcare costs.

You can grow your business slowly.

I lived this.

I worked about 5 days per month and made enough to be financially self-sufficient while being home with my baby.

You can build a doula business that lets you be present for soccer games, dinner, bedtime, and still bring in meaningful income.

If you want to see how that works part time, go here.

What About the Mental Load You Already Carry?

The mental load of all the invisible and unpaid labor we do is bonkers.

No one notices the constant stream of things we do all day.

Vacuuming the lint trap
Unclogging the sink
Cleaning out the gross fridge mystery
Wrapping another birthday gift

It is constant.

And we do it.

All. The. Time.

And most of the time, no one says thank you.

Do you know who does say thank you?

Your doula clients.

They say thank you when you stroke their hair.

When you bring them ice.

When you hold their baby so they can shower or nap or just poop in peace.

They say thank you when you clean up their amniotic fluid off the bathroom floor.

They say thank you when you get them through those first brutal postpartum days.

They value you.

They appreciate you.

And if you are someone who is drawn to care work, that feeling hits different.

Can You Actually Make Money as a Doula?

Let’s talk about it.

Yes.

You can make real money doing this work.

You can build toward $50,000 to $80,000 or more depending on your structure, your pricing, and how you grow your business.

And you can do it without missing your life.

If you want the full breakdown of numbers, go here.

And if you want to understand why some doulas struggle, read this.

What If You Need Flexibility in Your Doula Training?

This is something I realized recently.

When I invest in programs, I ask a million what if questions.

What if I get sick?
What if I fall behind?
What if I can’t make class?

And I need to know if there is a plan should I catch the measles or get hit by a car.

We do this inside our online doula training, but I have not talked about it enough.

We built certification tracks so you can go:

Super slow
Slow
Average
Fast
Really fast

You can shift anytime.

Life gets chaotic, slow down.

You have extra support, speed up.

You track your progress and move at your pace.

Best part? We hold your hand the entire time.

Like, actually.

Because getting you across the finish line matters. It matters to you and your family and the folks waiting for you to help them.

Why Most Doula Trainings Set You Up to Struggle

I need to say this clearly.

If you want a real doula career, weekend trainings are not enough.

They give you information but not integration. They do not teach you how to get clients. They do not teach you how to build a business. They do not support you after.

And that is why so many doulas feel lost after they finish.

If you want the full breakdown, read this. I feel so wildly passionate about this. They are a disservice to our industry and they are antiquated and have to go.

So… Can You Actually Become a Doula When You Are Busy?

Yes.

Even if you have kids.
Even if your life is full.
Even if you are scared it might not work.

I did this with no money, no support, and a newborn.

And I built a life and a career that changed everything for me and my daughter.

You do not need perfect timing.

You need support, a plan, and the willingness to leap.

The biggest mistake is waiting so long that you never start.

Because this is the kind of work that changes your life. And the lives of the families you support.

And if you feel that pull, you already know.

You are not too late.

You are right on time.

We offer one of the most comprehensive doula trainings and it is taught live in our online classroom so it too can work around your retired life and schedule. Please check this out if you are considering registering for a weekend training.

If you are thinking about doula work and you have specific questions about your life and situation, we are happy to jump on a call with you. You can ask us anything and we chat it out. Just shoot us an email at [email protected] and Kelly will set that up with you.