A birth package is a big expense for a growing family. Offering a payment plan makes your services easier to say yes to, and a well-structured plan means you're paid in full before you're on call, not chasing money from a family with a newborn.
This guide covers how to structure a deposit and installments, example schedules for birth and postpartum work, what to put in your contract, and how to handle the payment that doesn't go through.
Why offer a payment plan
- More families can hire you. Spreading $1,800 over five months is a very different decision from paying it all at once.
- You get paid on a predictable schedule instead of one lump sum around the birth.
- You stop chasing payments, if the plan charges automatically.
The trade-off is a little more admin and the occasional failed payment. Both are manageable with a clear contract and the right tools.
How to structure a doula payment plan
Start with a deposit
The deposit reserves your time around the due date, when you'll be turning other clients away. Many doulas ask for a deposit when the contract is signed, often a quarter to a third of the total. Say in your contract whether it's refundable.
Finish before your on-call period
Schedule the last installment before your on-call period starts, often around 36 weeks. Once the baby arrives, money is the last thing a family is thinking about, and you don't want an unpaid balance hanging over the relationship.
Pick a rhythm that matches the timeline
Monthly installments work well when a client hires you early in pregnancy. If she hires you at 28 weeks, every two weeks or weekly may be the only way to finish by 36 weeks.
Example schedules
Birth doula package, $1,800, client hired at 16 weeks
| When | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contract signed | $500 deposit |
| Monthly, 4 payments | $325 each |
| Paid in full | By 36 weeks |
Birth doula package, $1,800, client hired at 28 weeks
| When | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contract signed | $600 deposit |
| Every two weeks, 4 payments | $300 each |
| Paid in full | By 36 weeks |
Postpartum package, 30 hours at $45/hour ($1,350)
| When | Amount |
|---|---|
| Contract signed | $350 deposit |
| Weekly during support, 4 payments | $250 each |
For postpartum work, some doulas take payment for each block of hours in advance instead. Either way, put it in writing.
What to put in your contract
Your contract should spell out:
- the total fee, the deposit amount, and whether the deposit is refundable;
- the installment amounts, dates or frequency, and the date the balance is due;
- accepted payment methods, and whether you'll charge a saved card automatically;
- what happens if a payment fails or is late (for example, on-call availability pauses until it's paid);
- refunds if the client cancels part-way through.
Our free doula contract template includes a fees and payment section you can adapt.
Collecting payments: manual or automatic
Manual: you send an invoice for each installment, and the client pays by card, e-transfer, or another method. It's simple, but you'll spend time sending reminders and checking who's paid.
Automatic: the client saves a card once, and each installment is charged on schedule. Clients don't have to remember, and you don't have to chase. Ask for the client's permission to charge the card in your contract, and tell them when each charge will happen.
When a payment fails
Cards expire, hit limits, or get flagged by the bank. Plan for it:
- Retry before you reach out. A failed card often goes through a day or two later.
- Tell the client kindly and quickly. A short note that the payment didn't go through, with an easy way to update the card, solves most failures.
- Know your next step. Your contract should say what happens if a balance stays unpaid, so the conversation isn't personal.
Benefits, receipts, and taxes
- Benefits claims. Some clients can claim doula services through workplace health benefits or health spending accounts, depending on their plan and where they live. Clear wording on each receipt, such as "Birth doula support — prenatal visit 2", makes claims less likely to be questioned. Clients should check their own coverage.
- Receipts. Send a receipt for every payment, including deposits.
- Sales tax. Whether doula services are taxable depends on where you practice. Ask an accountant, and if tax applies, show it on each installment.
Common mistakes
- No deposit, or a deposit with no terms.
- A balance due after the birth.
- Charging a card automatically without written permission.
- No plan for failed payments, so every one becomes an awkward one-off conversation.
- Vague receipts that a benefits provider won't accept.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a doula deposit be?
Many doulas ask for a quarter to a third of the total package when the contract is signed. Choose an amount that covers the time you're reserving.
When should a doula be paid in full?
Before the on-call period, often by 36 weeks for birth work. For postpartum work, before or during the block of hours being used.
Can I charge a client's card automatically?
Yes, with the client's permission. Put it in your contract, tell them the schedule, and send a receipt for each charge.
What if a client can't keep up with payments?
Talk early. Many doulas adjust the schedule rather than end the agreement. Your contract should say what happens if the balance isn't paid by the due date.
Set up payment plans in Cradled
Cradled runs the whole plan for you:
- Deposit plus automatic installments. Set the deposit and a weekly, every-two-weeks, or monthly amount. The deposit is charged when you create the plan, and each installment charges your client's saved card on schedule.
- End it the way you want: after a set number of payments, on a date, or automatically at 36 weeks based on her due date.
- Failed cards are handled. Cradled retries after one day and again after three, then pauses the plan and lets you know.
- Benefit-friendly receipts. Add a service description, such as "Postpartum doula support", and every installment invoice shows it with a session number.
- Tax and changes. Add your sales tax to the plan, and change the installment amount later if your client's situation changes.
- She can see where things stand. In the Cradled app, your client sees what's due and how far along her plan is.
- 0% platform fee. Payments go to your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard rate. (Online card payments currently need a Canadian Stripe account. US support is in progress.)
Cradled is free for 1 active client at a time, with every feature included.