Doula Rates in Oakland
Hi There -
My husband and I found a Doula we really like. But we have no idea what a normal Doula rate is here....she is $1800 for the full package.
What we like about her is she used to work in a similar industry as us (advertising), used to be a sports coach, has a very strong commanding energy (which I like), and lots of experience.
Does the rate seem fair? Or anyone have any recos of someone who is similar to the above?
Thanks!
Jul 31, 2018
Parent Replies
We paid $1600 for our Doula in Berkeley April 2017.
That is fair depending on how many births she has been involved in and certified through DONA. My doula a couple years ago was 2200 and she had a little over 300 births. A newbie doula who is still trying to get her certification may charge only $500. And I’ve met doulas who charged $3k. All depends on experience. Good luck! Having a doula was the best thing we did and would hire one again for a second birth. :)
I think this rate seems fair. For me it depends on what she brings to the table, rather than her experience. My doula charges a sliding scale, and the top of the scale is $1600, plus $300 for placenta encapsulation, so we're paying a similar rate.
I know you can find doulas for cheaper, but I think it matters more that you get the doula you like.
We paid $1500 for our doula services 2 years ago and felt it was worth EVERY penny. We worked with Shoshana Friedman-Hawk and Lori Jaffe; they both attend prenatal and postpartum visits and then alternate "on-call" weeks for births. Shoshana has the more outgoing personality and did most of the talking in prenatal visits, and went a long way toward calming our anxieties. Lori was the one who attended our daughter's birth and was a rock for us through a LONG (multi-day) labor and delivery. We would use them again in a moment :) Happy to give more details if you're interested -- PM me!
This is so helpful! We pulled the trigger and are doing it! Thanks for the advice!!!