How much do your services cost?

Comprehensive classes

Tuition

I charge $400 for a comprehensive 24-hour course, which includes:

• a full toolkit of ways to make your baby as healthy as possible and your labor and birth low on interventions
• 24 hours of learning and rehearsal time in a small group setting
• lots of videos (both in class and for lending)
• access to my lending library (hundreds of books on pregnancy, childbirth, baby names, and other parenting topics)
• answers to all kinds of questions by phone or email
• recent learning materials and handouts

Whether your course meets for six, eight, ten or twelve weeks, it will still contain the same 24 hours of instruction:

• 6 weeks: four-hour sessions
• 8 weeks: three hours
• 10 weeks: two and a half hours
• 12 weeks: two hours

Deposits

I ask for a $50 deposit to cover the cost of ordering materials, with the balance payable by the second session (for a course of eight weeks or more) or the first session (in a six-week course).

The deposit is refundable only if the class schedule we settle on turns out to be unworkable for you and your partner.

Hardship

If you are experiencing financial hardship -- such as unemployment or homelessness, or the need for food assistance -- please let me know! I'm willing to work out special arrangements, and have done so with students in the past.

Insurance

I'm happy to provide a receipt for your insurance company on completion of a course.

Special classes

Early-bird classes

These introductory sessions, when offered to groups, are low- or no-cost. Check the announcement or flyer for the suggested fee. If you want to schedule a private early-bird session, I charge $25/hour.

Private 24-hour courses

Full comprehensive courses take just as much time to prepare whether I have one couple or eight! If you prefer to arrange a private course, I have to charge more than the single-couple registration fee for a group session — fees start at $500. If you live within reasonable driving distance and would like a full 24-hour course in your home, fees start at $700.

Crash/review courses

If you decide on a comprehensive course late in pregnancy but don't have time even for six weeks of classes, I can arrange a crash (day-long, two-day, or two to four evenings over the course of a month) course which covers much of the same material.

If you have already taken a comprehensive childbirth class (at least twelve hours' worth — in this pregnancy or a previous one), we can discuss a condensed course which reviews the principles you feel you need most (and adds any, like relaxation, which your other course missed).

Fees for both kinds of condensed courses range from $25 to $40 per hour of class time.

Doula services

Rates

I charge on a sliding scale, with adjustments up (for extra travel, or more prenatal visits — needed if you are planning a hospital birth, or you are not taking a comprehensive childbirth class which is at least six weeks long) and down (discounts are discussed below).

The fee we'll arrange covers our interview, two or three prenatal appointments, and one or two postpartum visits. It also reimburses me for being on call 24/7 for your birth, for consulting with you by phone/SMS/email, and for staying with you continuously during your labor and birth.

Here, by another birth doula, is an explanation of what goes into a doula's fees.

As an experienced childbirth educator, I charge up to $1050 per doula client; this includes intensive childbirth education, and unlimited consultation. I do offer reduced doula rates to:

• students in my childbirth classes
• women planning home birth
• women facing financial difficulty (such as unemployment) — if you would love my services but feel you can't afford them, please let me know and we'll talk.

I cannot attend births for free. Like most doulas, I have a family myself, and they would rather not donate my time! I also need to cover not only travel costs for visits before and after your birth, but also birth-related expenses like parking, food, and childcare — on short notice, at all hours. The lowest end of my fee range is $300.

Deposit and payment plans

Once we've signed a contract, you can pay in full, or choose to pay me a nonrefundable deposit (half the fee) plus two more payments; the last payment is due four weeks before your EDD (estimated date of delivery, or "guess date"). If you need to arrange an alternate payment plan or request a discount, please bring this up at the end of our interview.

Once we have determined a fee structure and payment plan, you are responsible for paying as agreed; I cannot go on call for you until full payment has been received.

Partial refunds

I am very cautious about accepting doula clients who are expecting during blizzard season. In the unlikely event that neither I nor my backup is able to make it to your birth, I will refund the second half of your fee. (The first half covered education, discussion of options, birth planning, and other services already received; it is nonrefundable.) I will still make your postpartum visits as agreed.

If you need to schedule a C-section before labor begins, please talk to me about a fee reduction. And I'm still happy to support you through a surgical birth, if your providers and hospital allow it.

Insurance

Note that some healthcare flexible spending accounts, as well as many health insurance policies, will reimburse in part or in whole for labor assistance; please talk to yours. I will provide an itemized bill for your FSA or insurer on request.