One of the first big decisions a new doula faces is how many clients to take each month. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer because your ideal client load depends on several factors: whether you’re working full-time or part-time, the mix of first-time parents (primips) vs. experienced parents (multips), your backup system, your personal life, and even how you prefer to space out due dates.
What I can tell you for sure? Babies don’t read calendars.
The Reality of a Doula’s Monthly Load
Some doulas approach their schedule thinking only about the month in which their clients are due:
✦ Example: “I take three clients per month—whoever’s due that month.”
Others try to space clients strategically:
✦ Example: “I take four clients per month but aim for a mix of early, mid, and late-month due dates.”
Neither method is wrong, but they both require flexibility. Babies arrive on their own schedules, and due dates are just estimates. You could plan for a perfectly spaced-out schedule and still end up with back-to-back births.
And here’s something new doulas don’t always consider: taking three clients per month doesn’t just mean you’re caring for three people at a time—it means that over six months, you could have 18 clients who still need check-ins, postpartum support, or text messages at 2 AM.
I once had 12 births in 10 days. Not because I took 12 clients due in March, but because February babies came late, March babies came on time, and April and May babies decided to join the party early. That month nearly broke me—and it was a hard lesson in client load, spacing, and backups.
What Impacts How Many Clients You Can Take?
1. Full-Time vs. Part-Time Doula Work
Are you doing doula work as your primary income or alongside another job? Are you balancing school, caregiving, or another business? Some doulas thrive at five births per month, while others find that one or two is ideal.
And here’s the thing—this doesn’t have to be a permanent decision. Some doulas are full-time all summer and part-time the rest of the year. Others may only take births for 3–4 months annually and spend the rest of their time teaching classes, running postpartum groups, or working in another role. The beauty of doula work is that you get to design your own schedule.
2. Primips vs. Multips
First-time parents (primips) tend to have longer labors and need more prenatal and postpartum support. Experienced parents (multips) often have shorter labors but may still need plenty of emotional and logistical guidance. A client load of mostly primips may be more demanding than a mix.
This might be a way to lighten your load during certain months. If you know you’ll have a busy season coming up, you could prioritize clients who have already given birth before and may have shorter labors. And as you get more births under your belt, you’ll start getting repeat clients—which means more multips filling your calendar!
3. Backup Plans
The more births you take, the greater the likelihood of needing a backup. Doula burnout is real, and no one can be on call 24/7 without a solid support system. Before increasing your client load, make sure you have:
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- A backup doula you trust and communicate with regularly
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- Childcare and family support if you have dependents
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- A self-care routine to prevent burnout
4. Your Life Outside of Birth Work
Your client load isn’t just about births—it’s about everything else in your life, too.
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- Are you in school or running another business?
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- Do you have small kids or a partner with an unpredictable work schedule?
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- Do you like having free weekends, vacations, or predictable downtime?
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- Do you have a new puppy at home who will eat the walls if they don’t go on a walk? (True story.)
These things matter! Some doulas take three clients one month and just one the next, adjusting based on life circumstances.
But What About Getting Clients?
If you’re a new doula, you might be thinking, That’s great, but I can’t even get three clients a month yet!
That’s normal! It’s easy to say yes to every potential client when your schedule is wide open. But be mindful—growth happens, and before you know it, you’ll be juggling multiple due dates. Having a clear idea of your ideal client load now helps prevent burnout later.
