Ask the Pros

Do you have a question related to your birth business? Our experts Janice Banther and Polly Perez are here to answer all your inquiries*! You can submit your question by filling out the form here, or you can browse past questions by scrolling down.

* Please note that this section is devoted to questions pertaining to running your birth business, such as "How do I network with other doulas in my area?" or "A client had a C-section and wants a refund. What should I do?" If you have a general CAPPA question, please email info@cappa.net or join the CAPPA Info Yahoo! group, a large network of professionals who seek support and information.

Meet the Pros!

Janice Banther

Janice Banther

Janice has been helping women during their birth since 1982 and has attended over 500 births. She is a certified childbirth educator, certified labor doula and an approved trained counselor and trainer with RTS Bereavement. She is also a postpartum doula and breastfeeding counselor. Janice is the founder and executive director of For The Love of Birth, Inc. which is a non-profit organization in Tarpon Springs, Florida. She teaches childbirth classes and is a doula for one of the county jails. Her greatest pride and joy is her husband Barry, her two sons, David and John, and her daughter-in-law, Ruth. You can learn more about her by visiting her website, birthingwithlove.com.

Polly Perez

Polly Perez

Paulina G. (Polly) Perez, R.N., B.S.N., F.A.C.C.E., is an internationally known perinatal nurse and lecturer. She is the author of Special Women: The Role of the Professional Labor Assistant and numerous journal articles.

Our Newest Question

I am considering becoming a doula and wanted to find out a little bit more. How much should a doula get paid and how do they get paid? How much is the total cost of becoming a certified doula including all the materials? Are there any recommendations you would make before I commit to a course?

One of the first things I would recommend to you is to read the book Special Women: The Role of the Professional Labor Assistant as it is the most comprehensive book on becoming and being a doula. This guidebook to the potential for wonder in birth grew out of the author's 25 years of pioneering experience (e.g., hospital consultant, perinatal nurse, childbirth educator, montrice). To her own experience she has added the cumulative wisdom of 75 families who chose to hire professional labor support, whose descriptions of their experiences enliven and enrich the discussions. It includes information on why parents need labor support, why women want to be a doula and the reality of the job they love, setting up practice as a doula, relationship with hospital staff, advocacy and community image, communication and psychological issues, views of three obstetricians, birth stories written by doulas, mothers and dads, and much more. This book is available at the CAPPA online store. Reading this book would help you decide if a doula career is for you.

The fee range in North America for doula care ranges from no charge to $1,500 per birth.

The usual charges for both the traditional program and the distance program are the following:

Traditional Program

The required reading varies (library, used books, borrowed books or new books) from free to approximately $100.00.

Distance Program

The required reading varies (library, used books, borrowed books or new books) from free to approximately $100.00. Program registrants must get Special Women, Gentle Birth Choices and Labor Support: A Comfort Guide DVDs. These DVDs are the companion videos for the distance labor doula program and equal $103.40 when bought together as a set in the CAPPA online store.

- Paulina (Polly) Perez, RN, BSN, FACCE, LCCE, CD

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