10 Hottest Homebased Businesses For 2000

Having a baby can be an overwhelming event, especially in today's society where family and friends may not live nearby. So where can an expectant mother turn for additional support and assistance? Doula, a Greek word meaning woman's helper or "one who mothers the mother," may be the answer. Doulas are trained and experienced women who provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a woman before, during and for a short period after childbirth.

Doulas typically specialize in either pre-natal or post-partum care. Before and during the birth, pre-natal doulas offer personalized, nonclinical care, which may mean everything from providing educational materials to massaging a mother's back during labor. Research from the trade organization Doulas of North America (DONA) shows that labor is 25 percent shorter with a doula present and the need for pain relief is 60 percent less.

For several days to a few weeks after the birth, post-partum doulas focus their attention on caring for the new mother-by running errands, cooking, cleaning or doing whatever else is needed to ease the transition-so she can attend to her newborn. Doulas also educate mothers on baby care, health matters and changes in family dynamics.

Although this is a relatively new field in the United States, the number of doulas nationwide is growing, from 85 in 1992 to about 2,800 currently. "Basically, doulas are an extra pair of eyes and ears in the home to alert new parents to budding problems," says Chris Morley, a doula and the owner of Tender Care, a Valencia, California-based business that sells a doula training and curriculum program to hospitals around the country.

Like most doulas, Morley started her homebased business with less than $5,000, much of it used to promote her services at Lamaze classes, in parenting publications and directly to physicians. Most doulas make do with basic office equipment, which keeps start-up costs low. Because there are no licensing requirements, providers can enter the profession easily, but Morley recommends they receive training from another experienced doula before accepting clients. Local midwifery centers may offer training, as does DONA, which runs moderately priced 14-hour workshops to train and certify doulas.

It's important for would-be doulas to get some training in business and to make sure there's a market for the service in their area. Clients normally pay doulas between $15 to $23 per hour and, on average, use the service for about two weeks. Since doula services aren't covered by insurance, successful doulas typically operate in middle class or wealthy communities where clients can afford to pay for the service out of their own pockets.

For More Information

Doulas of North America
13513 N. Grove Dr.
Alpine, Utah 84004-1863
(801)756-7331
www.dona.com

Pamela Rohland, a writer from Bernville, Pa., is continually amazed by the types of businesses people run from their homes.