How to afford doula or childbirth classes
Hi there!
Sometimes, families would really love the support of a doula or taking a childbirth education class outside of the hospital, however cannot afford this service. I have put together some ideas on how you might be able to fund my fee.
Insurance: You will have to call your insurance company to see if they participate. Here is an in depth article about how you do this:
Health Savings Account or flex funds: A doula or childbirth education class is a health related service!
Income tax return money: Allocate your funds from your tax return to your doula/childbirth education fund.
Baby shower: Instead of getting 100 newborn onesies, you can ask people to contribute to your doula/childbirth education fund!
Put out a jar for donations at your baby shower
Use a QR code people can scan to donate money to a Venmo, paypal, etc.
Put cash/checks that you received as gifts from the baby shower in your doula/childbirth education fund.
Baby registry:
Use online registries like, “Baby List” or “Be Her Village” to add “doula services” or “childbirth education” to your registry that people can contribute to
Make a GoFundme page
Barter: Do you have a service or product you can offer me? I would be willing to take barters for a discount on my doula or childbirth education fee.
Payment Plan: Talk to me about possible ways to structure a payment plan so you can pay a little bit at a time, versus one large lump sum.
Add doula services or childbirth education to your holiday or birthday wish list that others can contribute to!
Sell items you don’t need anymore: This is a two-fer, you are clearing out items you don’t need anymore to make room for the baby, while also raising some funds to pay for your doula/childbirth education!
Yard sale
Facebook marketplace, Mercari, Bismanonline, consignment, etc.
Look at your budget and see where you can make small changes to save money: Making your coffee at home instead of getting Starbucks, or buying something used instead of brand new
Start saving early: Put away $10 a week into your doula fund right away when you get pregnant and you can have a major chunk of your doula/childbirth education fee covered!
Credit card: Open a new credit card with 0% interest and pay it off by the time the offer expires. This could let you spread the payments out over several months.
I hope these suggestions have been helpful for you in thinking of new ways to afford doula services! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions or comments!
