In Sweden, most certified birth doulas cost between SEK 12 000 and SEK 20 000 depending on the doula's experience, location and services. Understanding what is an isn't included in a doula's price is important as some may charge for extras that others include in their packages or even offer services without any formal training/certification. In Sweden, most certified postpartum doulas cost between SEK 350 and SEK 850 per hour.
How much does a birth doula cost in Sweden?
The cost of hiring a doula in Sweden varies between SEK 12 000 and SEK 20 000.
Doula costs may depend on the doula’s experience, how much she has invested in her business, and her location – in Stockholm, professional doula support may cost between SEK 18 000 to SEK 20 000 while doulas in Malmö, Gothenburg and other parts of Sweden are less expensive on average, at around SEK 14 000 to SEK 16 000.
How much does a postpartum doula cost in Sweden?
In addition to birth doulas, there are also doulas who are specialized in offering expert guidance, emotional support and practical help during the postpartum period. In Sweden, certified postpartum doulas' hourly rates vary between SEK 350 and SEK 850. Many postpartum doulas have a flexible rate, depending on the number of hours of support you commit to.
There are also many birth doulas who offer postpartum support without having completed a specific postpartum doula training or apprenticeship. The price for this service varies greatly between individual birth doulas, with some charging as much as SEK 1000 per hour while others cost SEK 200 per hour.
How much do fertility doulas or abortion doulas cost in Sweden?
Some doulas also offer emotional support and education to those who are going through a fertility journey or an abortion. These doulas are sometimes called full spectrum doulas. Because there are so few doulas who offer these types of services, there is not really a standard when it comes to pricing, and you might have to reach out to the doula to get a personal quote.
What do doula costs include?
Birth doulas in Sweden generally offer a standard package that includes at least two preparatory meetings during pregnancy, support during the birth and one follow-up meeting a few weeks later. The doula is on-call for at least a week before your due date and until the baby is born.
Most doulas also work with a back-up doula who can jump in if they get sick, and if they work closely with this other doula then they might bring them along to one of the preparatory meetings so that you two have a chance to meet.
In addition to this, some doulas also lend out pain relieving TENS machines or heat packs to their clients while others have additional offers included or as possible add-ons to their packages, like childbirth education classes, pregnancy yoga, birth photography or access to online client portals where they have gathered information to help prepare you for birth.
What do doula costs not include?
While continuous birth support is the main reason people hire birth doulas, a few doulas have a time limit for how long they stay at a birth before they call in a back-up to take over. Make sure to have a conversation with your doula around this.
You should also make sure that your doula actually has a back-up if she, for some valid reason like sickness, can not attend your birth or if she has to leave before it is over. It is also good to know that some doulas ask you to pay extra for a back-up doula.
Is hiring a doula worth the cost?
A doula offers physical and emotional support during birth, which boosts your natural release of oxytocin and helps you cope with the intensity of labor. This type of one-on-one support might be invaluable if you give birth in a clinical setting, where the midwife, previously unknown to you, will normally attend to several birthing women at the same time. She will also be replaced by a colleague when her shift ends.
It is worth mentioning that doulas’ skills and knowledge vary greatly. Doula trainings are completely unregulated and most are not very extensive, lasting only four days. A doula training alone will certainly not make anyone an expert in birth. It is up to every doula to stay up to date with current research, invest in further education and continue to develop her professional skills.
For some parents, hiring a doula will not be worth the investment. Especially if you are really committed to having a natural birth in a hospital and you expect the doula to help you to avoid medical interventions. Unfortunately, the clinical setting and routines at the hospital and many midwives' lack of experience in seeing natural births increases your risk of unnecessary intervention, with or without a doula.
Even if continuous labor support is associated with improved birth outcomes, the doula's lack of authority within a hospital setting means that she cannot promise better outcomes for your specific birth.
Are there ways to get a doula for cheaper?
There are several ways to get a doula for cheaper. If you are on a budget, you might want to look into hiring a doula for remote support. This offer usually includes childbirth education, coaching and emotional support over the phone or via video call throughout your pregnancy, birth and early postpartum.
If you are looking for a cheaper doula then waiting until the last minute and hiring an express doula is another option. Not all doulas offer this service, which normally only includes attendance at the birth and a follow-up meeting but it costs much less (around SEK 8 000 to 12 000). Be aware that by hiring an express doula you risk your preferred doula being unavailable at such short notice. It might be worth paying the full amount to have your birth support secured early.
A third option is to search for a newly trained doula who offers their services for a heavily reduced price. You can find all trained and certified doulas in Sweden listed here. There could even be benefits with hiring a new doula, as she will have all of the knowledge from training fresh in her head, and she will likely be very motivated to support you as best she can.