Why student doulas are not free

There’s a common misconception in the community and even with other birth workers that student doulas should offer their services for free simply because they’re still learning. But let’s be clear: while they may be students, they are still offering their time, energy, commitment, and unwavering support. A student doula is not “less than” – she is someone who is investing deeply in her training, often going above and beyond to provide outstanding care, even if she doesn’t yet have a long list of births behind her.

Let’s unpack why student doulas deserve to be compensated – and why the expectation that they should work for free is not only unfair but devalues the work of all doulas.

Student doulas are still fully committed

Just like any experienced doula, a student doula:

Commits to being on call from around 37 weeks (sometimes earlier depending on the agreement) until your baby is born – whether that’s two weeks or five and they do it with excited anticipation.
Offers antenatal support, answering questions, helping with birth plans, easing fears, and sometimes spending hours on the phone or in person building trust and connection.
Provides continuous labour and birth support, no matter how long the labour goes. That could be an all-nighter or multiple days of broken sleep and being fully present in a hospital, birth centre, or home.
Checks in postnatally, often visiting after the birth to debrief, offer resources, and provide emotional support.

So what exactly is “student” about their support? Typically, it’s that they’re completing certification requirements – which may include reflective journals, attending a set number of births, getting feedback from clients and mentors, and ongoing study in anatomy, physiology, trauma-informed care, breastfeeding, birth rights, and more.

But their role in your birth is just as real, just as committed, and just as valuable.

The myth of “free for experience”

Imagine asking a photographer who’s just finished their training to come and photograph your entire birth – to be on call for weeks, arrive whenever labour starts (even if it’s 2am), stay through the entire process no matter how long it takes, and then edit all the photos afterward – all for free, just so they can “get some experience.”

Most people wouldn’t expect that.

So why do we expect that from student doulas?

They’re offering their time, energy, emotional presence, knowledge and physical support – often for hours or days – plus all the behind-the-scenes preparation and postnatal follow-up.

Whether new or experienced, that level of dedication is not free.

Nor should it be.

In fact, many student doulas go above and beyond because they are so committed to their learning and to creating positive outcomes for the women they support. They are often deeply reflective, eager to serve, and are closely mentored – which means you’re getting the benefit of two brains: theirs and their experienced trainer, supervisor or another experienced doula.

Being a student doesn’t mean they’re unsure or ineffective. It simply means they’re still collecting the final ticks on their paperwork – not that they aren’t already showing up with heart, skill, and care.

Doulas, regardless of experience, give generously of themselves

Supporting a birth is a big deal. It’s not just about showing up when labour begins – it’s about holding space through the ups and downs of late pregnancy, being prepared to leave their own family at a moment’s notice, driving across town at any given time, and sometimes going unpaid when labours are longer or circumstances change.

Doulas rearrange their lives around being “on call.” They don’t make firm social plans. They miss birthdays and special events. They don’t drink alcohol in case they’re called in. They carry their doula bag in their car just in case. They get used to saying to friends and family “as long as I’m not at a birth”. They often put their own needs aside to walk beside someone in one of the most vulnerable and transformational times of their life.

A student doula does all this too – and sometimes carries the added emotional weight of being evaluated, reflecting on their learning, and striving to do everything “just right” in the eyes of their trainer, mentor, and client.

Respecting student doulas helps elevate birth support for all

When we recognise the value of student doulas, we help shift the narrative around what birth support is really worth.

Birth work is work. And work deserves respect and remuneration.

Doulas – whether newly trained or experienced – help reduce birth trauma, increase maternal satisfaction, and improve outcomes. That begins not when they get a certificate, but from the first moment they say “yes” to walking alongside a woman in labour.

What about reduced fees?

Some student doulas may offer a reduced fee while they complete their training – but that’s a choice for the doula to make, not a default expectation from the community. Expecting them to offer all their time, emotional energy, travel, and hours of labour support for free is simply not fair.

And reduced fee doesn’t mean reduced value. You are still receiving dedicated support and a continuity of care that most hospital systems simply cannot provide.

If budget is a concern, speak with the doula about your circumstances. Some offer payment plans or sliding scales but never assume that free is fair – especially in a profession built on compassion, commitment, and care.

Let’s stop asking student doulas to work for free.

Instead, let’s acknowledge their dedication, honour the emotional and practical labour they offer, and support them as they step into this incredibly important work – work that makes a difference not just to birth outcomes, but to the way women feel about their birth for the rest of their lives.

Because that’s not “just experience” – that’s real support.

And it matters.

If you would like to connect with doulas for your pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum, please complete the form on our website and we will send through doulas that are available around your estimated due date to consider.

https://doulatrainingacademy.com.au/find-a-doula/

Vicki Hobbs
Doula Trainer & Founder
Doula Training Academy Australia