Frequently Asked Questions
What is a birth doula?
A trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a family before, during and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.
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A Birth Tribe birth doula understands the physcial and emotional needs of the birthing person, while helping them to carry out their wishes for birth. ​Our doulas will help to educate you from the time they are hired into the postpartum period, so that you can make informed decisions during pregnancy, birth, and the start of your journey into parenthood.
What is a postpartum doula?
A postpartum doula provides evidenced based information on things such as infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, family–baby bonding, infant soothing, and basic newborn care. A postpartum doula is there to help a new family in those first days and weeks after bringing home a new baby.
How does it work?
We will take the information that you have provided and set up a short session for you to meet with each of the doulas that best match your specific need. Most appointments last 90 minutes or so. We will then guide you through the process of starting a relationship with the doula you choose.
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Birth Tribe Doulas operate independently, but must pass a screening, have been properly trained by a nationally recognized organization, and must maintain insurance.
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This process takes out having to do the guess work for yourself. We will help to narrow down the best choices from CT and Southern MA. However, unlike an agency, you get to make the final choice and have control. It's impossible to think that we would know the perfect doula for you just from a profile form or phone call.
What can I expect from my birth doula?
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Individualized, unbiased evidenced based information and support
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Availability during pregnancy and labor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in person, phone, text, and email during pregnancy and postpartum
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A minimum of 2 in-home (or in office if you prefer) prenatal meetings
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Birth Plan education and creation support
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In home support during early labor, to help support and progress your labor in the most comfortable environment for you and your baby
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Help timing arrival at the birth place
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Continuous support throughout labor. A benefit that we offer is in the event of a long labor process, our doulas can lean on each other in needs of rest, so that you can feel fully supported
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Medical language translation and explanation of risks and benefits
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Comfort measure techniques to help you have the birth you desire
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Assistance with feeding in the immediate postpartum period
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And a lot more! Many of our doulas have unique certifications and skills.
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We also offer something unique that others don't have. You get to choose your backup doula from the doulas you have met. While we have less than a 1% rate of ever needing to use a backup (Unmatched in our industry. We want you to have the doula you hired and have built trust and a relationship with through out your pregnancy) we are aware that emergencies may occur and we want everyone to be prepared and confident. In our industry most clients never get to meet the doula that may arrive in their chosen doulas place. Which means they are sending a stranger to support you in your most vulnerable time. We want to make sure you see a friendly face and that the doula has been kept up to date on your desires, wants, and concerns through out your pregnancy.
What can I expect from my postpartum doula?
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Assistance with newborn care
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Care for older children in the home
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Feeding support
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Helping to create uninterrupted bonding time
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Rests and naps for parents
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Evidenced based recommendations
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Light household tasks
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Referrals
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Allowing time for self-care
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Facilitating time with older children
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Companionship
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Meal preparation
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Most things a family may need
Why Birth Tribe?
Birth Tribe is a doula collaborative. That means that when you hire a Birth Tribe doula your funds are supporting them and their families. When hiring from an agency, the doulas in our state are making 40% or so of the fee you pay. Our doulas divide and pay for the costs of our offices, marketing, events etc., but they pay $75 of the fee you pay to us.
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Birth Tribe doulas are also trained and either certified or working toward certification with nationally recognized organizations in addition to having access to trainings, education, support, that our master doulas have created to cover what's missing in a standard training.
Birth Tribe doulas, also work closely with each other. Even the newest doula has access to someone with years of experience and hundreds of births under their belts to lean on. It means we as a collaborative have knowledge of every birthing location, every provider, we hold certifications in most doula specialties, we have doulas who specialize in research and stats and keep us all up to date. You name it, we have someone who knows it. Each client not only receives their doulas knowledge, but that of over 20 others!
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What does a BT doula cost?
Any other questions? Feel free to use our chat box!
Birth Doulas: We offer a tiered pricing structure based on experience.
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Doula in Training: 1 to 3 births $100
Tier One: 4 to 12 births $1250
Tier Two: 13 to 35 births $1400
Tier Three: 36 to 75 births $1600
Tier Four: 76 to 125 births $1850
Master Doulas: $2,250+
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Postpartum Doulas​
Day shifts $45/hr
Overnights $50/hr
Twin overnights $55/hr
Master Doula (certified in neonatal resuscitation) - please inquire
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