Boston's First Doula Agency Est. 2002

More and more companies are offering their employees comprehensive birth and postpartum coverage with Carrot Fertility Benefits. As a result, we frequently have families reaching out to Birthing Gently, asking about finding a doula that is approved and meets the requirements for Carrot. 

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Inclusive pregnancy and postpartum support: Carrot Insurance

Carrot Fertility is a private health plan provider that many companies across the U.S. offer as part of their employee benefits package. Carrot provides “comprehensive support and access to care for maternity through menopause — and pre-pregnancy through parenting.” Depending on the employer’s plan, Carrot may cover everything from fertility and IVF treatments, egg freezing, prenatal support and childbirth education classes, doulas, midwives, and OBGYNs.

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Does a Carrot fertility health plan really cover birth and postpartum doula services?

Yes, absolutely! Birth doulas offer comfort, education, and encouragement during pregnancy, labor, and birth to improve maternal health and wellbeing. A postpartum doula provides in-home care during the first 12+ weeks after birth for a new mother and her baby.

Carrot recognizes the significant impact doulas have on improving maternal health outcomes and wellbeing. By partnering with corporations, Carrot has set up a health plan that covers an allotted amount of doula care.

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Are there any requirements that Carrot has for doulas to be approved by their network?

According to Carrot’s website, they share that, “Carrot members currently have unlimited access to chats with doulas for labor, birth plans, and postpartum questions. Members can use their Carrot funds to pay for eligible doula services. To ensure members receive high-quality support that promotes healthy birth outcomes, doulas must meet specific criteria — such as obtaining accreditation from an approved organization, participating in an adequate training curriculum, and having an appropriate breadth of experience.”

As of October 2024, those requirements include:

 

Certification

Doulas need to hold a current and valid certificate. Commonly used certification programs include (but are not limited to):

• BirthWorks International

• CAPPA: Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association

• ToLabor

• DONA International

• ICEA: International Childbirth Education Association

 

Training

The doula must have attended at least 24 hours of evidence-informed training that includes one or more of the following areas:

• Physiology of labor

• Labor doula training

• Antepartum doula training

• Postpartum doula training

• Bereavement training

Their training must also require periodic certification renewal and/or continuing education.

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Experience

The doula must be at least 18 years old and, within the last 3 years, must have spent a minimum of 15 hours providing doula services in one or more of the following areas:

• Continuous labor support for at least three childbirths as the primary labor doula supporting the birthing parent. At least two of those births must be vaginal births. The doula must also have provided antepartum and postpartum support for at least one birth.

• Postpartum support following at least three childbirths

• Bereavement support for at least three pregnancy losses

 

What is the process to get your doula support covered by Carrot Fertility?

Every company can choose and set up their own health plan for employees. Doula coverage by Carrot may include up to 6 weeks of daytime and overnight doula care, in addition to prenatal and birth support, but the specifics can vary depending on the company. Be sure to check with your employer!

Depending on your employer’s plan, you will either need to request a “superbill” from your doula that includes a detailed invoice showing the price and services rendered, which you can then submit to Carrot for reimbursement. Other plans may include a “Carrot Card,” similar to an HSA/FSA card, which you can use to pay for doula services directly.

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How to Find Birth and Postpartum Doulas Approved for Carrot Fertility Benefits?

You will need a doula who is approved by Carrot or who is willing to be approved based on their criteria. Many of the certified doulas at Birthing Gently have previously worked with families using Carrot Fertility benefits and are very familiar with the process.

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How can I hire a doula in the Boston Area that meets the requirements for Carrot Fertility Benefits?

That’s where we come in! Birthing Gently is here to match you with doulas in the Boston Area (and throughout New England) who meet Carrot’s approval requirements. How does this process work? Simply fill out our inquiry form, including details on your overall budget, location, and care preferences — the more information you provide, the better! Be sure to mention that you’ll be using your Carrot benefits! From there, we will match you with qualified doulas who meet your criteria and have either worked with Carrot families before or are eligible for approval. You can review their profiles and decide who you’d like to interview and hire. All of our doulas are hand-selected by DONA trainer Tara Campbell, and we ensure each match is personalized — we don’t rely on algorithms to do this for us!

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If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! We’re happy to guide you through the process.