01/10/2025
Lets have a chat about the impact of unethical practices in the birth work community for just a second.
As a birth worker, I’ve seen firsthand how much trust, time, and investment clients place in us. This work is sacred caring for mothers through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum isn’t just a job; it’s a responsibility. It’s an honor to be invited into such a vulnerable and transformative time in someone’s life.
However, when birth workers in the community fail to meet their commitments or approach their work unprofessionally, it casts a shadow on the entire profession. It’s disheartening to hear stories of doulas and other birth professionals:
- Taking deposits from clients and spending them on personal expenses before providing any services.
- Accepting a birth client during a time they know they won’t prioritize such as their birthday month, child or family birthday month then failing to show up when the client needs them most.
When one birth worker neglects their duties or conducts business unethically, it doesn’t just hurt the individual client. It creates a ripple effect of mistrust across the entire community. Clients may hesitate to hire another doula or question the professionalism of all birth workers. This undermines the hard work of those who dedicate themselves to serving with integrity and compassion.
As birth workers, we need to recognize that this is not just heart work, it's also a business. Good customer service, clear communication, and professional boundaries are just as critical as emotional and physical support. This means:
- Not spending a client’s deposit before providing services for those just in case moments.
- Being honest about your availability and commitments.
- Treating each client’s need for support as the sacred trust it is, not as a convenience to your schedule.
Why are deposits being spent on personal things before any services are rendered? Why are clients being accepted when there’s no genuine intention or capacity to meet their needs? If this work feels too demanding or inconvenient, it’s worth reflecting on whether you’re in the right season of life to be serving mothers.
Postpartum is a time of deep vulnerability. Not showing up for a mom during this period can have lasting effects not just on her physical recovery, but on her emotional and mental well-being. For many families, hiring a doula represents a significant financial sacrifice. When we fail to deliver, we’re not just breaking a contract; we’re breaking trust.
To my fellow birth workers: Let’s hold ourselves and those in the community accountable. Let’s remember that this work is sacred, and the moms we serve are depending on us. We owe it to them and to the reputation of our profession to show up with integrity, professionalism, and care.
To clients: Please don’t lose faith in the birth worker community. There are many of us who are deeply committed to supporting you through every step of your journey. If you’ve been let down, know that your story matters, and it’s a call for us all to strive for better.
Let’s uphold the values that make this work meaningful and ensure that every mom gets the care she deserves.
