HOW TO HIRE · CHILDCARE & FAMILY · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a postnatal doula in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A postnatal doula in Ireland costs €25–€60 per hour, typically around €40. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a postnatal doula in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers postnatal doula work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — sibling Support — doulas can also help older siblings adjust to the new family dynamic by engaging them in activities or offering care while parents attend to the newborn.
- How does their experience change the price?The better known the provider, the less they need to discount. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does specific services offered change the price?A premium option takes longer to get right. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does length of service change the price?A longer session costs more than a short one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Breastfeeding Guidance — postnatal doulas often provide breastfeeding support, offering techniques and tips to help new mothers establish a successful breastfeeding routine — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a postnatal doula job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No statutory register applies
No statutory register applies to this treatment in Ireland. The Department of Health's own position is that people who provide complementary therapies are not subject to professional statutory regulation, though consumer, competition, contract and criminal law still apply to them. CORU registers health and social care professions by protected title — dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, speech and language therapists and the rest — and this is not one of them, so nobody practising it can be 'CORU registered' and a claim to be is describing something that does not exist. There are voluntary registers run by professional bodies, and they are worth something: a body that can strike somebody off is a body with a complaints procedure. None of them is the law.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
Professional indemnity insurance, the insurer's name and the limit — for a hands-on treatment this is the only recourse that exists; The qualification and who awarded it, by name — then look the awarding body up yourself rather than taking the certificate on the wall as the check; Membership of a professional body, and whether that body has a complaints procedure you could actually use; How many hours of training the qualification took, because in an unregistered field a weekend course and a three-year diploma carry the same word on the certificate; What the session includes, how long it is and what a cancellation costs, in writing before the first one; Garda vetting where the treatment is for a child or a vulnerable adult, which is a legal requirement for that work under the National Vetting Bureau Acts.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect professional indemnity insurance as well as public liability — ask for the insurer and the limit. You are booking an individual for a set number of hours, so ask whether the ID has been checked and what the rating is from people who booked the same way — there is no company behind them to carry either.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 13.5%, the reduced rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. An individual working under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge VAT at all, and does not have a VAT number to give you.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers postnatal doula work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — sibling Support — doulas can also help older siblings adjust to the new family dynamic by engaging them in activities or offering care while parents attend to the newborn.
A good answer: The better known the provider, the less they need to discount. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A premium option takes longer to get right. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: A longer session costs more than a short one. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Breastfeeding Guidance — postnatal doulas often provide breastfeeding support, offering techniques and tips to help new mothers establish a successful breastfeeding routine — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a postnatal doula job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect professional indemnity insurance as well as public liability — ask for the insurer and the limit — practical Assistance — they assist with practical tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, and caring for the newborn, allowing parents to rest and recover.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the postnatal doula starts, and an itemised invoice after — emotional Support — postnatal doulas provide emotional support to new parents, helping them navigate the challenges of early parenthood.
Booking by the hour
- The rate per hour, and whether it changes in the evening or at a weekend
- The minimum booking, and what happens if the job finishes early
- What they bring and what you supply
- Whether the ID has been checked, and the rating from people who booked the same way
- Insurance, where the work can damage something or somebody
- The hours and the list of what is to be done, agreed before the first one
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: their experience — the better known the provider, the less they need to discount
- They will not talk about it: specific services offered — a premium option takes longer to get right
- They will not talk about it: length of service — a longer session costs more than a short one
- A price for the postnatal doula before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the postnatal doula has begun
What a postnatal doula costs: €25–€60 per hour
Most postnatal doulas quote the job rather than the hour; the hourly rate is what the small jobs are priced from. Infant care specialist and Breastfeeding support each carry their own band. Postnatal Doula price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Postnatal doulas near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you, or book by the hour.
- Look firstTheir experience — the better known the provider, the less they need to discount — that is what the postnatal doula is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneSpecific services offered — a premium option takes longer to get right — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfLength of service — a longer session costs more than a short one — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherComplexity of care required — it decides how much of the day the job takes — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the postnatal doula is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, location — a mobile service brings everything with it, and that costs.
- Emotional Support
- Postnatal doulas provide emotional support to new parents, helping them navigate the challenges of early parenthood.
- Practical Assistance
- They assist with practical tasks such as meal preparation, light housekeeping, and caring for the newborn, allowing parents to rest and recover.
- Breastfeeding Guidance
- Postnatal doulas often provide breastfeeding support, offering techniques and tips to help new mothers establish a successful breastfeeding routine.
- Sibling Support
- Doulas can also help older siblings adjust to the new family dynamic by engaging them in activities or offering care while parents attend to the newborn.
- Infant Care Specialist
- Focuses on caring for the newborn while providing parents with rest and guidance.
- Breastfeeding Support
- Assists mothers with breastfeeding techniques and offers encouragement during feeding.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a postnatal doula: questions people ask
The cost of a postnatal doula can vary based on their experience, location, and the specific services offered. Doulas with specialised training or certifications may charge higher rates due to their expertise.
Postnatal doula services can vary in duration, typically ranging from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the family's needs. Many families opt for support in the initial weeks after childbirth, while others may require longer assistance.
Some doulas may offer same-day or emergency services, but availability can vary. It's best to contact local doulas directly to inquire about their capacity for last-minute bookings.
Yes, many postnatal doulas offer packages that include multiple services, such as postpartum education, meal preparation, and sibling support. Discussing your needs with the doula can help tailor a package that suits your family.
Postnatal doulas typically do not provide medical care, such as diagnosing or treating health issues. Their role is to offer support and guidance, not to replace professional medical advice or services.
No statutory register applies to this treatment in Ireland. The Department of Health's own position is that people who provide complementary therapies are not subject to professional statutory regulation, though consumer, competition, contract and criminal law still apply to them. CORU registers health and social care professions by protected title — dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, speech and language therapists and the rest — and this is not one of them, so nobody practising it can be 'CORU registered' and a claim to be is describing something that does not exist. There are voluntary registers run by professional bodies, and they are worth something: a body that can strike somebody off is a body with a complaints procedure. None of them is the law.
MORE GUIDES
More hiring guides in childcare & family
Postnatal doulas near you
Sources — checked October 2026
- Department of Health — complementary therapies (updated 26 October 2020)
- CORU — public protection FAQs: which registers are open
- Value-Added Tax Consolidation Act 2010, Schedule 1 — exempt activities
- Consumer Rights Act 2022
- Courts Service — small claims
- Revenue — VAT rates
- Revenue — MASSAGE SERVICES ( Supply of ) — Reduced rate
- Revenue — current VAT rates (effective 1 January 2026)
- Revenue — VAT thresholds: €42,500 for a person supplying services only