How Much Does a Doula Cost in Asheville, NC?
As you begin your search for a doula in Asheville, NC you may be surprised in the variation in prices that you see. Doula costs vary widely based on their experience, their qualifications, trainings, certifications, their clientele, their client load, their offerings, if they are full-time or part-time, and more.
Birth doulas cost anywhere from $500-$3000 on average in Asheville, NC. Some doulas also offer free services, sliding scale, or payment plans to be able to offer an accessible price point for all families. There are several important things to consider when choosing a doula that feels right for you and your family:
How much access and interaction do you want with your doula?
There is a lot of variation in how much time you spend with your doula before birth. Some doulas only offer their services after a certain point in your pregnancy, some offer immediate unlimited text/email/phone support upon signing a contract, no matter where you are in your pregnancy. Some doulas offer 1 prenatal appointment, some offer 2-3+. Some prenatal appointments last 1-2 hours, some last 3+ hours. Some doulas offer 1 postpartum visit, some offer 1 postpartum visit + 1 month of postpartum unlimited text/phone/email support. The experience you want with your doula is a very individual and personal choice!
Independent Doula vs. Doula Collective vs. Doula Agency vs. Community-Based Doula
Independent Doulas are often self-employed with varying levels of training and education. Independent doulas may have special interest groups in who they provide care to, and can offer services and set prices as they see best fit for them and their clients. With an independent doula you may want to ask about their doula training, experience, and approach. Independent doulas may have several other doulas they work with to provide back up doula support. (A backup doula is a doula that will step in, in case of emergency, conflicting birth, or extenuating circumstance, so you always have support!) Some independent doulas do not work with back ups, but having a back up is best practice, so this is a good question to ask during an interview!
Doula Collectives “A collective is a model by which a group of doulas, who each sets up their own practice individually, comes together to participate in key activities such as special events, mentorship, continuing education, business sessions, and more. “-Doula Trainings International. Doula collectives typically work towards combining resources and sharing educational opportunities. Collectives are similar to an independent doula model in which they often serve as back up doulas for each other and may have their own special interest groups. Collectives may charge doulas a monthly fee and may provide varying levels of administrative and marketing support.
Doula Agencies “ Agency owners are responsible for finding clients, scheduling interviews, and the execution of contracts and payments. Agencies invest in marketing, advertising, and will generally take a percentage of the doula’s fee to cover these expenses. Some agencies may have a system in place to provide vacation time/off-call days for its doulas. In this case, clients hire birth doula support, knowing there’s a possibility that any of the doulas from the agency could be present on the day they give birth.”-Doula Trainings International. This means clients may or may not be able to choose their doula depending on the model of the doula agency. Some agencies do allow you to choose your doula. Agencies may also provide continuing education and additional resources for their doulas. Each agency is different in their policies and procedures, you can reach out to your local ones with any specific questions you may have!
Community-Based Doula A Community-Based Doula primarily serves marginalized and underserved populations. These doulas are often from the same community as their clients, and they are able to understand language and cultural needs and create long-term links to support networks.
Some doulas may also work in partnerships, meaning you will work with both of them during your pregnancy and either may be the one “on-call” during your birth. Doula partnerships, independent doulas, doula collectives, doula agencies, and community-based doulas all vary in their offerings and approaches. All models have different benefits, and having a doula in general is always a great decision! It all comes down to the individual experience you are looking to have during your birth journey.
Interested in hiring a doula but wondering how you’ll afford it? View my How to Afford a Doula blog post to learn how hiring a doula could actually save you money!