Raise your Rates and Stay Busy as a Postpartum Professional

We’ve been in this business since 2010 and across time, we’ve navigated raising our rates multiple times. This can sometimes be uncomfortable and even a little bit scary! We want to normalize this process and offer guidance and support for doulas everywhere who are ready to thrive.

Reasons to Raise Your Rates

There are lots of valid and important reasons to raise your rates, and these are some to consider:

• Cost of living/inflation: The rates of everything have increased, and you need to be making more money to sustain your life.

• Experience: Many service providers raise rates every year or two to reflect experience and training.

• Market competition: Check out what other folks are charging in your area. If you are below average, it’s time to consider an increase.

• Increased costs: While there aren’t tons of materials and supplies you need as a doula, there will always be overhead costs of running your business– from website hosting, to scheduling software, to apps you use on the job. Plus, some years you may opt to do more intensive trainings or continuing education. Your rate may need to increase to accommodate your increased costs (and value/experience, as noted above).

How to Raise Your Postpartum Care Rates

First, it’s important to land on a number that you generally feel confident in and comfortable with. If you can’t keep a straight face while saying the number or don’t fully believe you are able to provide value that aligns with the number, it may not be the best fit. 

All of this said, it’s also important to slow down and consider whether you are facing some imposter syndrome. This can arise for birth professionals who are new or experienced! Take plenty of time to sit with all the thoughts and feelings that may arise around raising your rate. 

As you are considering your rates, you may need to do some backwards planning. How many days/hours do you want to work per week? How much do you need to be making to sustain your life? (Don’t skimp on this number! It should take into account things like the monthly massage you need in order to feel physically able to do your work, stops at coffee shops on the way to shifts, and the cost of your healthcare, etc.)

Then do a little bit of reflection with this number. What would this new rate do for you? What would it make possible for you? How might you feel different working at this new rate vs. your current rate?

Next, practice discussing your rate with friends, family, or colleagues. Get familiar and confident with the number. Once it feels right, it’s time to change your rates on your website, social media, and other relevant documents.

Note: When we make changes to our rates, this only impacts new clients. We don’t change rates for families who have already signed service agreements with us at a specific rate.

Navigating Rates Challenges

When you raise your rates, there may be families who say they can’t work with you because the rate is too high. If the clients feel like a good fit, you may consider if you have the ability and capacity to be flexible. If the clients don’t feel like a good fit, you may refer them to other doulas in your community.

Check out our blog about the ways families are paying for postpartum care here. While you raise rates, you can also be creative and use systems like sliding scale or payment plans to accommodate more families, should you so choose. Families may also be open to adding postpartum care to their registry.

Sometimes there is a decrease in the number of inquiries when a doula changes their rates. This is a risk. That said, if you know you are providing excellent value and the rate really resonates with you, do your best to give it time. 

Join Us for Postpartum Doula Training

ABG offers both online (self-paced) and in-person training for folks who are interested in becoming postpartum doulas. We’d love to support you in running your business in sustainable ways!

*Photo credit: Canva