Ethical strategies to protect your energy without compromising your care

In this post, you’ll learn:

• • What automation actually is (and isn’t) for birthworkers

• • 5 admin tasks doulas should absolutely automate (even if you’re brand new)

• • 5 areas where automation crosses the line and breaks trust

• • How to use automation as a support tool, not a stand-in

• • The #1 mistake doulas make with automation—and how to avoid it

Let’s talk about the tech elephant in the room.

Because if you’re like most doulas I know, the thought of systems, software, or scheduling links probably makes your eyes glaze over. You didn’t get into this work for that,  you got into it because you care. Deeply. Because you wanted to be there for people, not buried under admin tabs and browser notifications.

But caring doesn’t mean you have to answer every DM in real time, manually rewrite every email, or chase down every intake form like it’s your full-time job.

That’s not care. That’s unsustainable.

Automation isn’t about replacing you. It’s the thing that holds you up when you’re stretched thin, so you can show up, fully and human, when it really matters.

It’s about reducing the brain clutter. The admin overload. The hours spent on tasks that a well-set system could’ve handled.

Even if you’re just starting and have a small client load, now is the perfect time to build systems that will scale with you.

So let’s break down what you should automate to protect your time and what you shouldn’t, if you want to maintain trust and presence.

Alright, let’s get into the good stuff, the part that actually saves your sanity.

5 Things You Should Automate (Even If You’re Brand New)

Strategy tip: Don’t overbuild. Start with one task that drains you or creates friction. Then expand.

1. Client Welcome Emails

There’s no reason to rewrite the same “Here’s what to expect!” message for every single client.

Write it once, personalize the tone, and set it to send automatically after booking.

Think of it like leaving the porch light on—warm, helpful, and inviting.

Tools like Gmail templates, Airtable + Gmail combos, or Flodesk (for fancier workflows) make this easy to set and forget.

2. Due Date-Based Check-In Reminders

One of the first things I ever automated was a check-in email around the 30-week mark. I’d missed the timing once (after a long birth left me wiped), and my client said, “I wish I had this info last week.”

That was the moment it clicked.

You can create check-ins like:

• • “You’re 30 weeks, have you picked a pediatrician yet?”

• • “You’re 38 weeks, here’s a list of last-minute prep tips”

They’re short, timely, and help you stay connected, even when your energy is low.

People think automation is cold, but honestly? It’s care that shows up right on time, even when you’re running on fumes.

3. Inquiry Forms + Auto-Replies

People research doulas at 1 a.m.. They shouldn’t have to wait until your morning coffee to feel seen.

Set up an inquiry form and auto-reply that gives them reassurance and clarity immediately.
Not a boring “we got your message,” but a thoughtful, “So glad you reached out—here’s what happens next.”

Your spirit shows up, even when you’re offline.

4. Expense Tracking + Mileage

This is not the work you signed up for as a doula.

Use tools like MileIQ, Wave, or even a spreadsheet with auto-calculations to track this passively.
Trying to log this manually later is the fast lane to burnout—or tax season regret.

5. Content Drafting & Social Scheduling

You don’t need to post every day in real time.
You just need your ideas to be captured, templated, and scheduled—so you can stay visible without it eating your life.

Tools like Hopper, Later, and even Canva’s built-in scheduler can take your pre-written content and drip it out over time.

You write it. The system publishes it. Done.

Alright, here’s the part everyone always asks me about, what should you actually automate?

Strategy tip: Automation only works when it enhances trust, not replaces it. If it requires nuance, judgment, or empathy—you belong in it.

1. Birth Support Planning

Yes, you can automate the delivery of prep materials (birth preferences worksheets, for example).
But the actual discussion? That’s where you shine.

Clients don’t just need links, they need interpretation, validation, and support while making deeply personal decisions.

Let automation prep the ground. You guide the process.

2. Labor-Time Communication

There’s no major risk of doulas auto-texting during labor, but here’s where things can go wrong:

• • Reminders triggering during intense labor windows

• • Systems sending check-ins or emails without pausing for context

• • Assuming “the system has it handled” when a human touch is needed

Set clear boundaries in your automations for labor windows.
Your clients need presence, not perfectly timed tech.

3. Systems You Haven’t Mastered Yet

This is where many doulas trip up.

If you haven’t successfully walked through a process manually, like onboarding, payments, or postnatal check-ins, do not try to automate it yet.

Why? Because you won’t know:

• • What needs personal attention

• • Where things typically go wrong

• • What your clients actually experience

Here’s the thing about automation, it doesn’t fix problems, it magnifies them. Ask me how I know (after spending a weekend fixing an onboarding mess I thought I’d ‘automated’). If your workflow’s chaotic, the tech just helps it fall apart faster.

Get your workflow working. Then lock it in with tech.

4. Check-Ins That Need a Human Heart

A milestone reminder? Automate it.
But “Hey, how did that OB appointment go?” shouldn’t come from a bot.

Authentic, personal follow-up is where trust deepens and referrals are born.

Use your systems to remind you, not to replace your voice.

5. Anything That’s Currently Leaking Your Boundaries

This is a sneaky one. Many doulas accidentally automate:

• • Scheduling links with 24/7 availability

• • Email funnels that invite constant replies

• • Client portals with no off-hours guardrails

Automation should protect your time, not dissolve it.

Pause before turning something on:
Does this make my work easier or just make me more available?

TL;DR: Use Tech to Support Your Human-Centered Work

• • You don’t have to do it all by hand to be a good doula.
  • You also don’t have to automate your whole life to stay sane.
  • Just pick the one task that drains you the most and start there. (If you’re anything like me, that one task has been sitting on your to-do list forever anyway.)

Start small. Start ethically. Start now.

Real Talk from the Field

“I once sent a helpful milestone email, just a week too late. I’d mixed up the due date after a long birth, and my client said, ‘This would’ve been so helpful last week.’ That’s when I knew automation wasn’t just a time-saver, it was a way to serve better without running myself into the ground.”

Ready to lighten your load?

👉 Start with one automation. The one thing that drains your energy or slips through the cracks.

Then?
If you want more guidance and support, check out my Automation for Doulas class. It’ll walk you through how to choose the right tools for you, without overbuilding or overthinking.

No funnel-hype. Just systems that actually work.