When we think of doula work, we often imagine working solo — being alongside a woman or birthing person through pregnancy, labour and birth, or the fourth trimester (the first 6–8 weeks postpartum). That’s certainly how I began when I first started my doula journey in 2012.
Somewhere between 2016 and 2017, I slowly transitioned to working mostly within a shared care model, and now I only offer birth support as part of a doula partnership.
There are many wonderful aspects of sole care from a client’s perspective — you build a one-to-one relationship and can feel reassured that your chosen doula will be the one to be with you in labour (except in extraordinary circumstances). From the doula’s point of view, sole care allows complete autonomy and freedom to work in a way that feels authentic, without needing to coordinate with another person.
Most birth doulas, however, have some kind of back-up in place. This might be an informal understanding between doulas that, should an emergency arise, someone will step in to support. It could be a reciprocal arrangement between one or two doulas — no money exchanged, simply mutual cover. Or it could be a more formal back-up agreement, where a doula is paid a fee for being on call, meeting the client, and a set fee if she is the one who provides the birth support. Sometimes this is for the full on-call period, or just specific days.
When I was a new doula, I acted as back-up for a more experienced doula. This gave me invaluable experience observing her antenatal sessions and meeting her clients. In more recent years, I’ve also supported doula friends as back-up — sometimes because they’ve taken on overlapping clients or needed short-term cover. In those cases, I didn’t support the births directly, but I was involved with the clients and helped my doula friends to varying degrees.
A few years ago, two doula friends called me in last-minute. They were working shared care, but one was due to go on holiday when her client reached 42 weeks, and the other became unwell. I stepped in, met the client for two sessions before labour began, supported her and her partner through the birth, and visited them once postnatally. My friends both contributed part of their fee, and the client very kindly topped it up to help cover the additional cost.
My first true shared care arrangement was with three doulas in North London — Kasia, Supriya, and Vicky. The four of us worked in pairs, in different combinations, within a small collective of support. We set our fees together and created a shared antenatal approach based on our combined experience. We decided how to handle the on-call period and postnatal care — and we always split the fee 50/50, no matter who offered the birth support.
That felt quite radical at the time, but it worked beautifully. Over about twelve months, it balanced out perfectly. Because money was never the deciding factor, we chose who offered birth support based purely on intuition and circumstance. If one of us was tired, unwell, or going through something personal (I experienced a miscarriage during that time), the others stepped in. No one lost income, and everyone was cared for.
Since moving to Brighton in 2020, I’ve continued to work within shared care, partnering with many different doulas. It’s been an amazing way to connect with others, learn from their approaches, and sometimes support births together. I’ve worked with highly experienced doulas — like my lovely friend Kim Craig, who specialises in free birth — and with brand-new doulas, and everything in between.
These days, I honestly can’t imagine being on call without another doula alongside me. The support and solidarity of working together feels essential.
The last two births I supported were both first babies, with labours lasting around 72 hours each — not unusual for a first birth. In one case, the two doulas together provided 50 hours of in-person support; in the other, 38 hours. It was incredibly beneficial for the families to have two known doulas who could tag-team during those long labours.
Childcare is another big consideration, especially for new doulas. When I lived in London, I relied on a network of mum friends for help, and occasionally paid a doula friend to be on call overnight in case I was called out (which only happened once!). Since moving to Brighton, I’ve had the same kind of beautiful mutual support from local doulas.
Childcare is another big consideration, especially for new doulas. When I lived in London, I relied on a network of mum friends for help, and occasionally paid a doula friend to be on call overnight in case I was called out (which only happened once!). Since moving to Brighton, I’ve had the same kind of beautiful mutual support from local doulas.
Shared care has taught me so much — not just about birth itself, but about the many ways doulas can be with clients. I’ve witnessed new practices, heard fresh perspectives, and shared in others’ unique skills. My friend Eva Greenslade, a shamanic healer, has brought her drum, and together we’ve woven beautiful healing rituals into our support. Sarah B has shared gentle breastfeeding techniques that transformed a client’s early feeding journey. Anna Z, a wonderful osteopath, and I have offered joint bodywork sessions in both pregnancy and postpartum. These collaborations are deeply enriching.
When I teach the Developing Doula Preparation Course, people often ask how to manage the on-call period — how to balance other jobs or responsibilities. Shared care can be an excellent solution. Some doulas have part-time work or specific days when they can’t be on call; having a partner to cover those times provides peace of mind for everyone involved.
Ultimately, we can’t doula in isolation. Community and connection are essential.
Well-supported doulas mean well-supported clients.