Doula Jobs: Launch your doula business or find a doula job with an agency (Updated for 2025).

Over my 30 years in the birth world I have met a LOT of new doulas. Many thrive, going on to have successful doula businesses for decades or expanding their skills set to also serve families as midwives, lactation consultants, doula trainers, therapists and more. Others, however, have struggled to grow their business and make it a sustainable career.

Whatever your career path or age, it’s never too late to consider making doula care into your full-time job. I’ve even seen grandmothers inspired by the birth of a grandchild decide to enter the birth and postpartum care field. What will your next step to working as a doula be?

If you’re not sure having your own full-time doula business is the right step for you, don’t despair! You can absolutely work full-time as a doula contractor with a doula agency! Be sure to check out my list of featured doula agencies below now accepting applications for doulas.

Ready to become a full-time doula? This post includes:

• Doula job descriptions
• Are you ready to make doula work your job?
• 9 steps to make being a doula your full-time job
• Making the Choice: Your Own Doula Business or Working with a Doula Agency?
• How to find a doula job with an agency

What does a doula do? Doula Job Descriptions:

Birth Doula Job Description

As a birth doula you provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to expectant parents before, during, and shortly after childbirth. Your role is to ensure the birthing person feels empowered, informed, and supported in pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

Key responsibilities include:

• Prenatal Support: Meeting with clients during pregnancy to discuss birth preferences, create a birth plan, and provide educational resources about childbirth options.
• Labor and Delivery Support: Offering non-medical support during labor, such as pain management techniques (e.g., breathing exercises, massage, and positioning), emotional reassurance, and advocacy for the birthing person’s wishes.
• Partner Support: Helping partners or family members feel involved and confident in their supportive roles.
• Postpartum Assistance: Providing immediate postpartum care, helping with breastfeeding initiation, and offering emotional support as families adjust to their new roles.

Birth Doulas do not perform medical tasks or make clinical decisions but collaborate with medical staff to ensure a positive birthing experience.

Postpartum Doula Job Description

A postpartum doula provides compassionate, non-medical support to families during the transitional period after the arrival of a newborn. You have the privilege of helping parents experience a smooth adjustment to life with a new baby.

Key responsibilities include:

• Emotional Support: Offering encouragement and guidance as parents navigate postpartum challenges, including baby blues or postpartum anxiety.
• Newborn Care: Educating families on infant care practices such as feeding, diapering, swaddling, and soothing techniques.
• Parent Support: Helping parents gain confidence in their new roles, including addressing concerns or answering questions about baby care and postpartum recovery.
• Household Assistance: Providing light housekeeping tasks related to the baby, such as preparing bottles, washing baby laundry, or meal preparation.
• Breastfeeding Support: Assisting with breastfeeding techniques or providing information on alternatives if needed.
• Sibling and Family Integration: Supporting siblings in adapting to the new family dynamic.

Are you ready to make doula work your job?

If you are considering becoming a doula or a brand new doula, you may be wondering if your job can actually be as a full-time doula? What kind of doula jobs are available? Wondering if there is even room for more new birth or postpartum doulas to thrive in your community? Or perhaps you’ve been doing doula work part-time or on the side for years and you’re wondering if you should take the leap to make doula work your full-time employment.

So you love birth and babies. You’d LOVE to imagine yourself doing birth or postpartum work full-time but aren’t sure if that is a wise move for your bank account. While there are definitely factors you should consider before taking the leap into being a full-time doula as your job, if you are willing to do the work to build your doula business, the answer is definitely YES!

I still remember the very first full-time doula I ever met, way back in 2000. I was pretty much blown away that she had actually made doula work her full-time job. She had doula business cards, a welcome packet, a professional doula logo, and even a website. I had already been attending births for almost a decade, but always as a volunteer while working full-time. I was flabbergasted – families would actually PAY for me to attend their births?  Remember, DONA was founded in 1992 – the same year as I discovered birth work. We’ve come a long way!

Here are my top 9 steps to make a successful transition into full-time doula work, along with some helpful resources to start your doula business.

9 steps to make being a doula your full-time job

1. Make a doula business plan.

If you’ve been self-employed before, hopefully, you already know the importance of a business plan. It takes time to build up a successful doula practice, and finding those first 5-10 clients can be a challenge. Set yourself up for success with clear market research, plans for doula marketing and outreach, budgets, and a realistic timeline. Make sure you include gradual business growth in your plans, starting out with one or two clients per month and growing from there.

2. Invest in your doula practice.

When you decide to be a full-time doula it requires a big investment of both time and money. Creating strong marketing materials, including a doula logo, doula business cards, and a high quality doula website, is one of the best moves you can make as a new doula. You might decide to take your profits from the first few births to pay for these business costs. In most cases, however, it will end up taking you way longer to find those clients. I’ve seen countless doula clients build thriving doula businesses using their websites as the foundation for growth.

Remember you don’t have to start out with a custom doula website with all the bells and whistles – keep it simple, and let your website grow as you go. It is always better to start out with something that you can feel proud of & that will transform visitors to clients, than a DIY doula website that doesn’t attract new clients.

3. Know what doula salaries are in your region.

In North America, a birth doula fee can range from $400 – $4000+ per client depending on the city, level of experience, skillset, and level of services included. Be sure to do your research on the norms for doula salaries in your community, including what new doulas charge compared to more seasoned doulas. When estimating your income potential as a doula, be sure to base this on real local rates. Here’s why you should list your doula fees on your website.

4. Define your niche & what makes you unique as a doula.

Are you in an area with a strong doula community? If so there is likely already a good public awareness of the benefits of doula care, but this is balanced with lots more competition. It will take time to build a name for yourself! A great way to do this is to have a defined niche for your doula business, and be clear on the characteristics that set you apart as a practitioner.

If you are one of very few doulas in your region, it will likely be harder to sell the idea of doula care, but you will also have lots of room for creative marketing and collaboration in the community.

5. Be honest about your limits as a doula.

It’s easy to imagine doing 5 births/month, but consider the reality of actually holding five families in your care. Juggling their needs while being continuously on call is not for the faint of heart. You have to balance the needs of your own family, your personal needs in terms of sleep and downtime, and any other work obligations as you consider the lifestyle of a full-time doula. Doula burn-out is real…

Consider self-care practices you may want to include in your doula business budget such as regular massages to care for your back after the hard work of labor support. Also, be sure to book vacation time every year. You’ll find a few tips here on taking a doula vacation!

6. Understand what doula work will require of you.

Doula care is not for everyone. It can seem really romantic and exciting from the outside, all precious newborns and glowing parents. However the erratic long hours, the stress of self-employment, and difficult births can really take their toll. I encourage you to identify a few professional doulas in your community and ask for their advice on being a full-time doula. Doula jobs unfortunately have a high burnout rate, and it is important to understand the full reality of what it means to serve as a doula.  It will also require, for many of you, regular doses of chocolate.

7. Take the leap to becoming a full-time doula as soon as you are able.

Balancing a part- or full-time job in addition to supporting families as a doula is Not an easy feat. You have to either be self-employed with flexible hours or have the world’s most understanding employer to make it work. In my early years of doula care, I was blessed to have a job that I loved that allowed me to come and go as I pleased to attend births. Even in this scenario, however, when your energy is divided between jobs things just don’t tend to flow as well. Your doula business will be stronger and grow faster once you take the leap to make doula work your full-time job. If that’s too much, consider a freelance job on the side that you can do on your own time.

8. Invest in business support as a new doula.

While some doula trainings include business skills for doulas (I’ve included a few great options below!), many unfortunately do not. And while birth doula training is a rich & meaningful learning experience, many new doulas emerge ready to begin their new career with only minimal business skills. The reality is that in order to practice as a doula you have to find paying clients as a doula!

• Sharon Muza DONA Birth Doula Trainer
• Doula Trainings International (Birth, Postpartum & Full Spectrum Doula Training)
• Apprenticeship for Perinatal Professionals with Dr. Britta Bushnell (Support for the growth of your business in a heart-centered & values-aligned way & personal development and growth as a birth professional).
• My Doula Village is a membership community for doulas that gives you affordable access to a doula business coach & marketing expert (The Doula Darcy) AND a supportive community of other doulas. Or, work 1:1 with Darcy as your doula business coach. Save 10% with coupon code SJWEBSITE10.
• Postpartum Doula Business Mentoring with Jen Chandlee of Luminous Postpartum

9. Have a great doula website!

Ok, I’m biased. But if you want to really grow your doula practice, you need folks to land on your website and feel motivated to take the next step! A strong online presence can make the difference between a doula practice that is doing “ok” and one that is thriving.

Worried about the investment? Remember it only takes a few new clients to cover your costs.  Reach out today to learn more about all my options for doula website design and support.

Making the Choice: Your Own Doula Business or Working with a Doula Agency?

Choosing between working with a doula agency or operating your own business depends on your personal preferences and how you want to invest your time, professional goals, and the stage of your career. For me, the choice was clear – I simply loved having my own business.

That said, back when I was a practicing doula there was no such thing as an agency, so running my own doula and childbirth education business was the only option. When I began to expand my business and needed help, I began to take on childbirth educators on a contract basis, enabling me to grow my class offerings without spending every waking minute away from my family. For the women who taught classes with my company, they loved teaching and didn’t want to have to market the classes.

Here’s a breakdown of the considerations for each option:

Benefits of Working with a Doula Agency

1. Steady Flow of Clients
   Doula agencies market their services to bring in the clients, providing a more consistent balance of work hours without the need to actively find work every month.
2. Administrative Support
   Agencies typically manage contracts, payments, and other administrative tasks, allowing you to focus on providing care. It’s mundane, and sometimes tricky work that is essential to the business but rarely enjoyable.
3. Networking and Community
   Working with an agency will mean you are part of a larger group of doulas, building new friendships, collaboration and even mentorship opportunities.
4. Lower Startup Costs
   The agency website does it all for you – you can have an instant doula business and be self-employed full time as a birth or postpartum doula contractor without having to invest in a logo, marketing, website, etc…
5. Work-Life Balance
   When your doula job is through a doula agency you have back-up support for emergencies or sickness, reducing stress on you – and your family.

Benefits of Having your Own Doula Business

1. Autonomy
   If you want full control over how you run your business, market your services, care for families, and the services you offer, having your own doula business might be a better choice for you.
2. Earning Potential
   When you work with an agency, you are working on fixed rates that they decide on, and they keep a % of your earnings in exchange for the support you receive as a contractor. As an independent doula, you can set your own rates and keep 100% of your earnings (minus business expenses).
3. Personal Branding
   Running your own business allows you to create a unique identity that reflects your values and expertise. Some doulas I work with want to show up as evidence-based and non-judgmental, others what website that convey them as advocates, and others want to set a compassionate, gentle tone.
4. Growth Opportunities
   Owning your business gives you the potential to expand by adding services, hiring other doulas and becoming an agency, or creating online courses, etc…

How to find doula jobs with agencies

Don’t want to manage your own independent business as a doula? You don’t have to! You can work full-time as a doula with an agency – doing the work that you love without any of the stress of finding clients! Some doulas start by working with an agency to gain experience and build a client base, then transition to running their own doula business. This can be a great way to explore both worlds.

I have listed below some of my fantastic web design clients with doula agencies across the USA. Looking for full-time or part-time contract work as a birth or postpartum doula? Find your dream doula position below!

MAMMA AND BEBIS

We are a group of fun, loving and experienced baby lovers who are passionate about offering peer guidance and support for new families entering parenthood for the first time, or adding additional babes to their crew. We offer birth and postpartum doula care, and we will soon be adding perinatal behavioral mental health coaching as well for parents. We’ll grab you a coffee, and you can cozy into new parenthood with us.

SEEKING: Certified Birth Doulas, Certified Postpartum Doulas

SERVICE AREAS: MA, TX, RI, CT, NJ, NY, VA, FL

ABOUT US: Six years in business with a team of 40 doulas.

WEBSITE: https://mammaandbebis.com

APPLY: Kate Wallace, mammaandbebis@gmail.com

QUEEN CITY DOULAS

At Queen City Doulas, we’re dedicated to empowering new families with the support, education, and care they need to thrive in the early days of parenthood. Our agency philosophy is built on compassion, inclusivity, and a personalized approach, recognizing that each family’s journey is unique. We foster a collaborative and supportive culture among our doulas, who are encouraged to bring their authentic selves to their work while honoring the values and traditions of the families they serve.

We are looking for empathetic, skilled practitioners who are passionate about maternal and infant wellness and who are committed to continuous learning and personal growth. Ideal candidates are team-oriented and aligned with our agency’s mission to provide nonjudgmental, family-centered support. Join us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of families in Charlotte and beyond, as we guide them through one of life’s most transformative moments with care and confidence.

SEEKING: Nursing Licenses, Certified Postpartum Doulas and Newborn Care Specialists

SERVICE AREAS: Charlotte, NC and surrounding areas

ABOUT US: Founded in 2022 with a team of 30 doulas.

WEBSITE: https://queencitydoulas.com/charlotte-doula-jobs/

MICHIGAN FAMILY DOULAS

Michigan Family Doulas (MFD) specializes in birth, postpartum, and newborn care, providing families with compassionate, evidence-based support. MFD is looking for practitioners who are certified birth and postpartum doulas, newborn care specialists, and infant feeding specialists. We currently have doulas working anything form 50 hours a week to only working part time in the summer months so we can accommodate whatever schedule you are trying to achieve.

We value professionals who are insured, CPR-trained, and committed to ongoing education and certification through top doula training organizations. Our agency emphasizes non-judgmental, personalized care that bridges gaps left by traditional Western medicine. MFD’s culture is built on the principles of empathy, support, and empowerment. We aim to affirm and normalize the experiences of new parents, helping them feel confident and capable on their parenting journey-whether it’s baby #1 or #7! This supportive approach is our “doula magic,” and reflects the profound impact our care has on families.

Michigan Family Doulas offers full birth support, day and night time postpartum support and even 24/7 live-in postpartum support. Our team also has professional IBCLC lactation support, placenta encapsulation, nutrition and meal planning. We also offer a plethora of in person and virtual classes to clients by our doulas, giving doulas even more opportunities to build their career!

SEEKING: We are looking for certified birth or postpartum doulas or individuals who are working towards completing a certification. Haven’t started the process yet, not to worry, Jodi Graves is a Postpartum & Infant Care Doula Trainer with the world-renowned organization, ProDoula. She is ready to help you get started!

SERVICE AREAS: Serving new families in Metro Detroit, including Ann Arbor, West Bloomfield, Brighton, Grosse Pointe, Rochester Hills, Farmington Hills, Birmingham, South Lyon, Auburn Hills, Novi, Royal Oak, Livonia, Franklin, Fenton, Howell, Chelsea, Dexter, Northville, Canton, White Lake, and Plymouth and beyond! We even serve Northern Michigan whenever called! 

ABOUT US: Founded in 2017 by Jodi Graves and growing every year since! Jodi has been a doula in Michigan since 1999. Our team consists of our fearless leader, Jodi Graves, 1 client service manager/doula concierge, 1 executive admin, and 45+ amazing infant care specialists, birth and postpartum doulas!

WEBSITE: https://michiganfamilydoulas.com/join-our-team/

Or reach out anytime to info@michiganfamilydoulas.com or 734-834-6751

NIGHTINGALE NIGHT NURSES

Nightingale Night Nurses offers in-home postpartum care for newborns, specializing in overnight shifts to help new parents rest and recharge. Their skilled and compassionate team provides personalized support tailored to each family’s unique needs. They are seeking Newborn Care Specialists, Postpartum Doulas, RNs, LPNs, and anyone who loves babies and is eager to seek out training in this field. Team members will assist with feeding, diaper changes, and all aspects of newborn care throughout their shift. Nightingales excel at creating calming environments, implementing safe sleep practices, and working on sleep shaping/sleep conditioning to encourage longer sleep stretches between feedings.

Team members for Nightingale Night Nurses are independent contractors, they can work 1 shift a week or provide live-in 24/7 coverage to families. They have the freedom to choose the types of positions and families that are a good fit for them!

SEEKING: We look for a well rounded individual, but a Postpartum Doula or Newborn Care Specialist training from a leading organization is required

SERVICE AREAS: Nightingales has teams in 14 states but offers support nationwide! We are happy to talk to team members living anywhere in the continental USA.

ABOUT US: Established in 2016, as of 2024 we have over 120 team members but are bringing on new people every month!

WEBSITE: https://nightingalenightnurses.com

APPLY: https://www.nightingalenightnurses.com/apply/.  We have a matching process based off of team member and client needs/requests.

METROPOLITAN DOULAS

Metropolitan Doulas is a dynamic team of postpartum doulas serving the Washington, DC metro area. Clients value our service for professional, non-judgmental care for day or night support. In nearly a decade, we have served over a thousand families with a unique focus on the postpartum period. Our team of independent contractors brings diverse experiences, training, and expertise to support each other through work that can be rewarding but challenging. Our competitive pay recognizes both experience and continuing education and lets you focus on the care work, while we take care of the red tape.

SEEKING: Our doulas have a wide range of experience. We contract with newly trained doulas, offering support as they build their new careers, and with doulas with decades of experience. Having a strong team with a diversity of personal and work experience, identities, and goals makes our agency stronger.

SERVICE AREAS: Washington DC metro area, including Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs

ABOUT US: Established in 2015, we have a team of 25 doulas, along with two office staff.

WEBSITE: https://metropolitandoulas.com/

APPLY: https://airtable.com/app2K0nQaIlvTrsNs/shrqrdFg9AU6bOs3y

CONNECTED DOULAS

At Connected Doulas, we’re more than just a doula collective—we’re a supportive community built around compassion, connection, and empowerment. We believe in a connection-centered approach, not only when caring for families but also in how we treat our team. Whether you’re a Birth, Postpartum, or Full Spectrum Doula, we value the unique expertise you bring.

Our matching process is thoughtful and connection-centered, ensuring doulas and clients are matched based on shared values and needs, to create a meaningful and trusting relationship. We strive to cultivate an inclusive, empowering environment where doulas can grow and thrive.

If you’re a compassionate, skilled doula who believes in the power of community and connection, we’d love to get to know you more. Here, you’ll find more than just a job—you’ll find a space that supports your growth and well-being. Join us in creating meaningful, empowering relationships with clients and your fellow birthworkers.

SEEKING: Valid training from a reputable doula organization with the goal to complete certification. Prefer that candidate has some relevant experience. 

SERVICE AREAS: Greater Philadelphia Region: Philadelphia County, Montgomery County, Delaware County Chester County, Bucks County, Berks County, Wilmington, DE, Camden County, NJ.

ABOUT US: We have been in business as an agency for 2.5 years and have a team of 45 doulas.

WEBSITE: https://connecteddoulas.com/

APPLY: Email us at info@connecteddoulas.com

EUGENE BIRTH AND FAMILY

Eugene Birth & Family Doula Agency arose from the careers of 2 independent doulas who saw a need for a better community and better support for doulas, as well as a commitment to excellence in doula service for families.  We intentionally foster community, support, and excellence in all we do.  We aim to connect each family with the right doula for them, and our model reflects that aim – we don’t assign doulas; we match them. 

Our doulas consistently talk about how much they appreciate our transparency and support.  We are a doula-and-family-focused agency providing birth and postpartum doulas, and we are currently looking for more postpartum doulas.

SEEKING: Doulas who have completed an Oregon State-approved Traditional Health Worker (THW) birth doula training. We provide support with certification paperwork and insurance credentialing as needed.

SERVICE AREAS: Eugene/Springfield and Lane County, Lebanon, Albany, Corvallis, Creswell, Cottage Grove, Roseburg, Leaburg & Vida in Oregon.

ABOUT US: Established in 2021, there are 16 doulas on our team, including co-owners Laura and Tiffany.

WEBSITE: https://eugenebirthfamily.com/

APPLY: Contact us at eugenebirthfamily@gmail.com.

There are of course many fantastic doula agencies out there to choose from, along with online job listing sites such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter. Whatever your choice, be sure to research the agency you are signing up to work with to be sure they are a fit for your philosophy of care and what they can offer you as a contract team member.

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Finding the right doula job is all about discovering what works best for you. Whether you’re excited about running your own doula business, prefer the stability of working with an agency, or want to blend the two, there’s a path that fits your style and goals.

Being a doula is as much about your own journey as it is about supporting others, so take your time and explore what feels right. Stay open to learning, connect with your community, and make self-care a priority. You have chosen a career that is meaningful and fulfilling, and one that can transform over the years to fit your needs and dreams.

As The Website Doula, I’m here to support you with web design, seo & marketing when you’re ready to launch your own doula business or transform your solo practice into a doula agency. Book your free discovery call!