How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula

June 11, 2024

Yep, we wish postpartum care was cheaper too. The cost is still out of pocket for most, even though the need is there. Until newborn care is accessible to more families through insurance, we’ve got options of How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula below.

Yes We Have Carrot and Maven Approved Doulas

Companies sometimes offer employee benefits which pay for overnight postpartum doulas. The most widely known are Carrot and Maven. In addition to labor and night doula care, these private insurers can help you cover fertility treatments, adoption and more. Carrot and Maven coverage requires certified doulas who can provide proof of their education and experience. Let Mommy Sleep has Carrot approved night doulas and Maven approved providers listed on the Newborn & Postpartum Support (NAPS) Registry.

If your company does not offer one of these benefits, ask about including Let Mommy Sleep Postpartum Visits or night nanny care to the benefit program. The LMS package is very easy to implement and the impact on recruiting and retention far outweighs the costs.

Put Us on Your Baby Registry

Be Her Village is a baby registry solely for newborn and postpartum care services. Think of it as your night doula GoFundMe. As a Be Her Village partner, hours of Let Mommy Sleep services can be added to expecting parents’ baby registry. Loved ones simply deposit funds directly into the new parents’ account. Instead of a baby registry full of “stuff,” parents receive the support they need! ***This is especially helpful for parents of newborn twins. ***

Creating your registry is free and you get your FULL gift every time, with no fees taken out. If someone sends you $100, you get the full $100.

Pay Over Time and Finance with Affirm

Every Let Mommy Sleep location has partnered with Affirm. This means you have a pay-over-time financing option, sometimes without interest. Checking the terms of an Affirm purchase does not affect your credit score and there’s also is a 0% interest option. Families can purchase packages of nights and then use the nights however they wish or simply pay when they sign on. (You’ve probably seen or used Affirm when making an Amazon purchase!) Learn more.

How to Pay for a Postpartum Doula – Health Savings Accounts (HSA)

In-home night doula and postpartum services are sometimes HSA eligible. Acceptance depends on the parameters of your HSA issuer; some will only cover care that occurs in a healthcare facility, not in the home. If coverage is confirmed, you can use your HSA card just like a credit card and receive the tax savings of a Health Savings Account. On that note, Let Mommy Sleep services are also eligible to be included in the child-care tax credit during tax time.

Private Insurance

While pediatric care is covered in the home when a newborn has medical need, it’s not as common for private insurers to cover night nurses for a parents medical need. However, when coverage is doctor directed, insurance must cover the cost. The parent’s physician usually needs to write a letter attesting that the parents health will be positively impacted by getting sleep.

An important note is that “night nurse” is often used as a colloquial term for “overnight caregiver.” In terms of health insurance coverage however, insurers may require that services are provided by a licensed Nurse. This means the newborn or postpartum care provider must be 1 of the following: Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN). We can provide this level of care and while we don’t communicate with insurance companies, we can provide invoices with the correct wording for you to receive reimbursement.

Medicaid

Medicaid offers postpartum benefits varying by state. If you are eligible for Medicaid, coverage typically includes pregnancy and delivery. But you can check online if your state includes postpartum visits. More and more states are doing this!