Who owns the collective?

Nobody owns our collective: we're all independent doulas who came together to help prevent burn out and take the best care of our clients. Our clients hire us individually but receive the benefit of our collective knowledge, built-in backup, and a community of other parents.

What are the benefits of hiring a doula from this collective?

We believe in community over competition and it shows in how we are able to show up for our clients. We offer in-person meet ups once a month that any of our clients are welcome to come to so that they can meet the other doulas that might back up for their birth. We use a rotating schedule that means we always have backup available.
We host a parent community on Group Me and have a huge lending library of birth and parenting books and even baby carriers. We also host community events such as our annual Trunk-Or-Treat.

How does a back-up work?

We might need to call in a backup doula for a few reasons, including contagious illness, an overlap with another client (even with ideal spacing, babies come when they want to !), or to step in and allow us to rest during long labors.
Because we have a rotating call schedule, there is always at least one other doula available to back up if needed. We let our clients know with as much notice as possible if we may need to call in backup and can even tell them which other doulas are available. We take care of payment to our backup doula so that all our clients have to worry about is welcoming their baby! 

What should I ask when interviewing a doula?

This could be an entire blog post, but here are a few things we recommend asking:

• What is your philosophy about birth?

• How do you incorporate my partner/other birth support into your care?

• How do you help me navigate if my birth plan needs to change?

• How soon do you meet me in labor? How long do you stay after the birth?

• If you are unable to attend my birth for some reason, do you have a backup and how do I contact them?

Can I choose multiple doulas for a variety services?

Yes! We have doulas in the collective with a wide range of services and we love working with one another! If, for instance, you connected best with one of our doulas that doesn't offer birth photography but also fell in love with a different doula's portfolio, you can absolutely hire both to attend your birth! Many of our doulas only offer birth work, so you could also select a separate doula for your postpartum care.

Does the collective offer discounted birth services or accept insurance?

Each doula in our collective makes every effort to ensure than every family can have a doula. Many of us offer payment plans, the option to trade/barter, or accept HSA or insurance. Eventually, we're hoping to be able to set up a scholarship fund to help cover costs for those in need while still enabling our doulas to provide for their own needs.
We don't currently have a list of which doulas in our collective can accept which types of insurance, but this is a fantastic question to ask in your contact form or during a consultation.