The Doula Darcy Podcast

← The Doula Darcy Podcast13 jul · 18 min

The Pricing Mistake that's Driving Doulas Out of Business

The Pricing Mistake that's Driving Doulas Out of Business13 jul18 min

If You're Charging $600 for a Birth, We Need to Talk

In this episode, I dive into one of the biggest mistakes I see doulas making: setting rates without considering the real costs of running a business. From liability insurance and continuing education to website costs, self-care, and recovery after births, your pricing needs to cover far more than the hours you're physically attending a birth.

If you've ever felt guilty charging your full fee for a short birth, struggled to invest in your business, or wondered whether it's time to raise your rates, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What "cost of doing business" actually means

The hidden expenses every doula should be budgeting for

Why your rates should include recovery time after births

The difference between business expenses and business investments

How investing in yourself can dramatically increase your income

A simple exercise to calculate whether your current rates are truly profitable

Why raising your rates isn't about greed, it's about longevity

The world needs experienced doulas. Pricing your services sustainably helps ensure you'll still be serving families years from now.