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How To Start a Doula or Midwife Business

The demand for doulas and midwives has grown in recent years—a trend that may be due in part to the increased interest in at-home births since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. What's more, projections for the next several years anticipate that the birth worker industry will continue to grow. 

Translation: if you've ever thought that you might enjoy working as a doula or midwife, now is a great time to get your foot in the door. Of course, there's more to consider than just how to become a midwife or doula—you'll also need to think about how you'll create and structure your business. 

Get Certified

If you haven't already been trained as a midwife or doula, this will be your first order of business. There are a few different ways you can go about this, depending on your preferences and the type of birth worker you'd like to be. 

• Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) and Certified Midwives (CMs) must complete a graduate-level training in nurse-midwife and midwife programs (respectively) and be certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board.

• Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are certified through the North American Registry of Midwives. Avenues to a CPM certification are more diverse, and can include a midwifery program or school or an apprenticeship with a qualified midwife.

• Direct-Entry Midwives (DEMs) do not need national certification or licensing, although required education and licenses for practitioners may vary between states.

• Doulas undergo training programs and may also seek certification from organizations such as DONA International or Birth Arts International. Whether or not you seek certification depends on the type of practice you want to have; however, in general, certification will make you appear more qualified. 

Plan Your Business

Now's the time to get down to the nitty-gritty. Before you start advertising yourself and soliciting clients, it's important that you have a good idea of what you want your midwife or doula business to look like and what sort of infrastructure you'll create to support it. Consider the following questions as you navigate the brainstorming and planning process:

• What makes your services unique? This is an important selling point, and will help you stand out amongst competitors and market yourself to potential clients.

• Who is your target clientele?

• What services will you provide? 

• How much will you charge? Will you utilize a flat rate, hourly, or sliding scale fee structure?

• What tools will you use for billing, scheduling, and communication with clients?

• What materials will you need, and what sort of start-up costs will you incur?

Drafting a business model can be overwhelming for new or young entrepreneurs. During this process, finding a business mentor who can help you stay organized and troubleshoot potential issues can be invaluable. 

Create an Online Presence

Given the highly personal nature of the work you'll be doing, it's extremely important that as a doula or midwife, you give potential clients all the information they need to know whether you'll be a good fit for them—and that the information you provide looks professional. A well-built, well-written website can be the difference between booking a potential client or losing them. 

Here are a few essential items to include on your website:

• Some basic information about you, your training, and your birth worker philosophy

• A list of your services and fee structure

• The type of births and services that you specialize in (eg, home births, pre- and/or postpartum services, high-risk pregnancies, etc.)

• Your contact information
  (Pro tip: make sure this is easy to find! If you're able to, you might also consider including a scheduling widget on your website so that interested clients can book an initial consultation.)

Your web presence doesn't have to be limited to just a website, either. Directories and social media can also be very effective in increasing your visibility. 

Market Aggressively

Now that your business structure and web presence are in place, it's time to look for clients! Start by leveraging your network: ask friends and family to spread the word to anyone who might be interested in doula or midwife services, and reach out to any industry contacts you have to see if they'd be willing to share your information with their clients (generally, it's considered polite to offer to return the favor, too!). 

Social media can also be a great marketing tool. Get your name out there by joining relevant groups or connecting with other birth professionals on social media. Consider posting industry-specific content that will help you build credibility and gain visibility when other people share it. As with your website, it's important that your content looks polished, professional, and knowledgeable, so don't skimp on the graphic design and copy editing!

Get Creative

Your doula or midwife business doesn't have to focus exclusively on birthing services. While your business is ramping up, look into other options to monetize your skills through things like childbirth education, birth planning consultations, and more. Even after you've built up your business a bit, these can still be great ways to make some extra money on the side. The only limit to your ability to get that bag is yourself!

Sky's the Limit is a nonprofit organization that is committed to helping members of underrepresented communities succeed. We provide invaluable resources for entrepreneurs, including Economic Capital in the form of business funding and Social Capital via one-on-one mentors who can guide entrepreneurs through the difficulties of starting a business. If you are an entrepreneur looking for capital or other resources, sign-up today to join the Sky’s the Limit community!

Entrepreneurs with mentors are 5X more likely to launch, grow, and stay in business.