Doulas Going Digital

In the wake of Covid 19, many birth professionals such as doulas, postpartum doulas and newborn care specialists have been forced to rethink their businesses. Doulas were and still are being kept out of hospitals as only one support person, typically the spouse, is allowed inside the hospital to support the mother through childbirth. 

Families are also being extra cautious about allowing extra people into their homes during the earliest days of having a new baby, instead relying on family members or just toughing it out without in person support.

When your work requires you to show up in person, and you are no longer permitted to do so, that can have a catastrophic impact on your bottom line. Many birth workers are scrambling to figure out new ways that they can support families virtually so they can continue to bring in an income. 

There will always be some professionals that choose to hold steady and simply ride out the storm, hoping that in time things will improve and go back to normal. But there are others that have chosen to be innovative, creative, and transformative in their businesses.

Becoming a pediatric certified sleep consultant is just one of many ways that doulas and newborn care specialists can pivot or expand their businesses. Even if Covid 19 was not a factor, opting to expand services to offer support remotely is a wise choice. 

Most birth workers are somewhat limited by geographical location, and the fact that they only have their own two hands and 24 hours in the day. Unless doulas and other birth professionals are able to increase their pricing, it becomes difficult to increase revenue year after year.

Doulas and newborn care specialists have a unique advantage in this business that others do not. Because they have already formed an existing relationship with families, often in the earliest days and weeks of a baby’s life, doulas and other birth professionals have already established trust and a strong bond with the families that are likely to become their sleep consulting clients a few months down the road. Being able to retain existing clients, to provide different types of support as the child grows is hugely advantageous.

If you’re a doula, postpartum doula or newborn care specialist looking to expand your services to remote offerings, consider joining “Becoming a Sleep Consultant” on Facebook, or schedule a call with Jayne Havens, the owner and founder of the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management, to learn about getting your pediatric sleep consultant certification today.