How many hours does a doula work?

Babes… this is one of those questions that sounds simple and then immediately gets complicated.

“How many hours does a doula work?”

Because you are probably trying to figure it out, like how it will fit into your current world…or your parents or partner have asked you because they are not totally clear on what a doula is. But really you are trying to decide:

Is this going to take over my life?
Can I do this with kids?
Can I do this with another job?
Am I going to be exhausted all the time??

All very valid questions.

And the answer is…

It depends.

(We know. Annoying. Stay with us.)

Because doula’s hours look very different depending on the type of work you are doing and how you build your doula business.

Let’s actually walk through it so you can picture it in real life, because heck, it is exciting to imagine yourself helping parents get comfortable as their babies are born. 

Birth doula hours are not predictable (and that’s part of the deal)

If you are working as a birth doula, your hours are… chaotic is maybe the nicest word for it.

You are on call.

Which means your client could go into labor at 2pm… or 2am… or right as you sit down to dinner… or during your kid’s soccer game.

Birth does not care about your calendar.

When you get the call, you go within a few hours.

And that can mean:

8 hours
12 hours
24 hours
Sometimes longer – but not that often. 

And then you stay a couple hours after birth (you know the drill… snacks, fluids, laundry, finding the chapstick that somehow disappeared mid-labor).

So yes, those days are big.

But here is what people don’t always realize.

You are not doing that every day.

Most birth doulas take around 2 to 4 clients per month.

So you might have a few very intense days… and then a lot of regular life in between which is so awesome.

If you want to understand that flow better, go read this.

Because the hours are not constant, they come in waves, just like contractions. See what we did there? 

Postpartum doula hours are way more structured

Now let’s shift to postpartum doula work.

This is where people go “ohhhh ok, this makes more sense for my life.”

Because postpartum is scheduled and you agree on shifts ahead of time.

You might work:

3 hours in the morning
4 hours in the evening
A few overnight shifts per week

You know when you are working and you know when you are off.

This means that you don’t really have any surprises. No sudden “drop everything and go” moments when you are doing postpartum doula work.

This is why postpartum doula work is such a great option if you want a more predictable doula business.

You can build it around your life instead of constantly reacting to it although you can make more money as a birth doula FYI.

If you are curious about how this fits into a real doula business, this is a good read

Can you be a doula part time?

Yes. Fully. You do not need to jump into this working 40+ hours a week.

In fact… most people don’t.

Many doulas start part time:

One birth client a month.
A couple postpartum shifts a week.

Something that fits into the life they already have. And then it grows over time if you choose that.

Or… it stays part time because that is exactly what they want.

This is one of the best parts of doula work, is that it is flexible in a way most jobs are not.

If you want to see what that actually looks like if you have another job or other responsibilities, go here.

Because you can absolutely build this alongside another job, kids, or honestly just wanting a life outside of work.

The hours you don’t see as a doula (but definitely feel)

Ok, let’s talk about the invisible hours because this is where people underestimate things.

It is not just the birth or the shift. You are now an entrepreneur… although many doulas get jobs with agencies or hospital programs so you do not have to necessarily do all these parts. But if you are starting your own doula business you will have to do tasks like:

Answering texts
Prenatal meetings
Checking in with clients
Planning
Following up
Thinking about your clients while you are doing other things

This is emotional labor. And if you are not careful, it can sneak into every corner of your day. This is why boundaries matter so much in a doula business.

Because yes, you care deeply. But you also need to rest. Annnnd rest is resistance! 

If you want a reality check on this side of the work, read this.

PIN IT

Why your training matters for your hours

Here is something people don’t always connect when they are thinking about becoming a doula… Your doula training directly impacts your hours.

If you are well trained, you are more efficient and you do not have to figure so much out on the fly.

You know what to do.
You know how to support without second guessing everything.
You are not staying extra hours just because you feel unsure.

When you are undertrained, everything takes longer and you typically need to scaffold your education with more education which is so expensive for your time, wallet and heart. You might find that you are doing these things which tax you and your doula business so much!

You stay too long.
You overextend.
You burn out faster.

This is one of the biggest issues with quick/weekend or cheap trainings.

They don’t prepare you for the real flow of the work.

If you want to understand that more, go read.

Because this part matters more than people think. Seriously… we promise!

So… how many hours does a doula work?

Some days? A lot of hours.

Some weeks? Not that many hours.

A birth doula might work a few long, intense days and then have lots of space in between.

A postpartum doula might work steady, scheduled hours every week.

A full spectrum doula might blend both.

There is no single answer, and that is actually the point of doula work. Because you get to build this in a way that works for you. 

If you are exploring online doula training or thinking about becoming a doula, the better question is not “how many hours will I work?”

It is…“How do I want my life to feel?” Because you can build a doula business that supports that. And yes… that is as good as it sounds.

If you want to chat with us about doula work or training, we would love to jump on a call with you. Email us at [email protected] and we can set that up with you!