Carrot Fertility Doula Benefit
Your employer may already be paying for your doula
If your employer offers Carrot Fertility as a workplace benefit, professional birth and postpartum doula support may already be in your wallet — often at no out-of-pocket cost to you. Most people with this benefit have never used it.
Verify My Carrot Benefits Check My Carrot AccountWhat Is Carrot Fertility
A benefit thousands of Southern California employees have — and have never touched.
Carrot Fertility is an employer-sponsored family-building benefit offered by thousands of companies across the United States — including major tech, healthcare, financial, and corporate employers throughout Southern California. Companies offer Carrot to help employees access fertility treatments, adoption support, maternity care, and doula services as part of their benefits package.
If your employer offers Carrot, you have a pre-funded wallet — a benefit balance your company loads for you — that can be applied toward covered services including birth doula support, postpartum doula visits, and childbirth education classes. The exact services and wallet amount depend on what your employer has configured. But for most families with Carrot maternity benefits, doula care is explicitly included.
SoCal Doulas doulas hold ProDoula certification — an approved Carrot Fertility certifying body — which means our team is eligible for Carrot reimbursement. Tayna and Ifeanyi built the agency infrastructure to make the process as smooth as possible, including Carrot-ready itemized invoices after every service so you're never chasing paperwork.
"Carrot is one of the most meaningful corporate benefits we have seen for new parents — and most people don't know it covers doulas until someone tells them. We are here to be that someone."
Tayna & Ifeanyi Chessman, Co-Founders of SoCal Doulas
What Your Carrot Wallet Can Be Used For
Carrot benefit details vary by employer — the specific services covered and your wallet balance are set by your company, not by Carrot itself. That said, most employer Carrot plans that include maternity support cover some combination of the following through SoCal Doulas:
Labor Support
Birth Doula Attendance
Continuous labor support from your doula throughout active labor and delivery — often the largest single covered item in a Carrot maternity plan.
Prenatal Visits
Birth Preparation
Prenatal visits with your doula to build your birth plan, practice comfort techniques, and prepare emotionally and physically for labor.
Fourth Trimester
Postpartum Doula Visits
In-home postpartum visits — daytime support for feeding, newborn care, and recovery, or overnight care so you can sleep while your baby is expertly cared for.
Education
Childbirth Classes
Birth preparation and newborn care classes — many Carrot plans include education as an eligible expense alongside direct doula services.
Important note on Carrot coverage: Carrot benefit details vary significantly by employer. Services covered and wallet amounts are set by your company — not Carrot itself. Always verify your specific plan at get.carrot.com or with your HR team before assuming a service is covered. We are happy to help you check — our verification is free.
How to Use Your Carrot Benefit — Step by Step
Carrot works differently from traditional insurance. Rather than billing a plan directly, your employer pre-funds your wallet and you use it for eligible services. Once you understand the steps, the process is straightforward.
Check Your Carrot Account
Log into get.carrot.com with your work email. Review your wallet balance and the list of eligible services under your employer's plan. Confirm that birth doula or postpartum doula support is included before booking. Or let us check for you — it's free.
Book SoCal Doulas
Schedule your consultation. SoCal Doulas doulas hold ProDoula certification — an approved Carrot certifying body — so our team is eligible for Carrot reimbursement. We confirm your eligibility during your free verification call.
Receive Your Carrot-Ready Invoice
After each service, SoCal Doulas provides a detailed itemized invoice that meets Carrot's documentation requirements — service descriptions, dates, and costs as separate line items. No chasing paperwork on your end. Tayna and Ifeanyi built this process specifically so families don't have to.
Submit and Get Reimbursed
Upload your invoice through the Carrot portal at get.carrot.com or use your Carrot Card to pay directly if your plan includes one. Reimbursements typically process within a few business days directly to your bank.
Free Resources Beyond Your Carrot Wallet
Your Carrot benefit covers doula services — but your other insurance and community resources cover things Carrot doesn't. Here's what's available to Carrot-covered families in Southern California regardless of how much is left in your wallet:
Health Insurance
Free Breast Pump
Under the ACA, your employer's health insurance must cover a breast pump at no cost — separate from your Carrot benefit. Call the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card and request a pump through an approved supplier. Most ship directly to your home around 30 days before your due date.
We can help you navigate thisMental Health
Postpartum Depression Support
Postpartum depression and anxiety are covered under your health insurance — entirely separate from Carrot. Call Member Services for a behavioral health referral. Postpartum Support International also offers a free peer helpline available daily while you wait.
PSI Helpline: 1-800-944-4773Tax-Free Savings
FSA & HSA Eligible
As of December 2023, doula services are FSA and HSA eligible. If your Carrot wallet doesn't cover the full cost, you can use pre-tax FSA or HSA dollars for the remainder — reducing your out-of-pocket cost by your marginal tax rate. Check with your FSA/HSA administrator to confirm.
Ask us about FSA/HSA paymentsOvernight Support
Carrot-Eligible Overnight Care
Many Carrot plans cover overnight postpartum doula support — some very generously. If you have a larger Carrot wallet, overnight doula care is often the most impactful way to use it. Your overnight doula cares for your baby through the night so you can actually sleep.
Learn about overnight supportNutrition Support
WIC — Free Food & Nutrition
Even with Carrot through your employer, you may qualify for WIC based on household income. WIC provides free healthy food benefits, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and breast pumps for qualifying pregnant and postpartum families. Many Carrot-covered families also meet WIC eligibility — worth checking.
California WIC: 1-888-942-9675Questions
Carrot Member Support
Questions about your wallet, which services are eligible, or how to submit a claim? The Carrot Member Support team is available through the app and portal. They can walk you through exactly what your employer's plan covers.
get.carrot.com — Member SupportCommon Questions About Carrot Fertility Doula Benefits
How do I know if my employer offers Carrot?
Try logging into get.carrot.com with your work email address. If your employer partners with Carrot you'll be able to create an account and see your wallet and covered services. You can also check your benefits enrollment portal or ask your HR team directly. Carrot is offered by thousands of companies — including many large tech, healthcare, finance, and retail employers throughout Southern California.
Does Carrot cover postpartum doula support — not just birth?
Yes, in most cases — and this is one of the most underused parts of the Carrot benefit. Many employer Carrot plans cover postpartum doula visits, including both daytime support and overnight care. Some plans are genuinely generous with postpartum hours. Check your eligible services list in your Carrot account to see what your specific plan includes.
Do I pay my doula first and then get reimbursed through Carrot?
It depends on your employer's Carrot plan configuration. Some plans offer a Carrot Card — a prepaid card you use directly to pay your doula. More commonly, you pay first and submit a detailed invoice through the Carrot portal for reimbursement to your bank account — typically within a few business days. SoCal Doulas provides invoices formatted to Carrot's requirements so the submission process is as smooth as possible.
Can I use my Carrot benefit while on parental leave?
In most cases yes. Carrot benefits are tied to your employment and typically remain active while you're on parental leave as long as you remain an active employee. Postpartum doula support — which often runs throughout parental leave — is exactly the type of service Carrot is designed to help with. Check with your HR team if you have specific questions about benefit continuity during your leave.
What documentation does Carrot require for reimbursement?
Carrot requires a detailed itemized invoice that includes the legal name of the business and doula providing services, separate line items for each expense with a description, date, and cost. SoCal Doulas provides invoices formatted to these exact specifications after each service — you simply upload to the Carrot portal and submit. No additional documentation is typically required for doula services.
What if my Carrot wallet doesn't cover the full cost?
You have options. Doula services became FSA and HSA eligible in December 2023 — meaning you can use pre-tax flexible spending or health savings account dollars for any remaining balance. You can also pay the remainder privately. Tayna and Ifeanyi are transparent about costs upfront so there are never surprises — they help you plan how to use your Carrot funds most effectively before you commit to any services.
"We had no idea our Carrot benefit covered postpartum doula visits until a colleague mentioned it. By the time our baby arrived we had overnight support lined up for three weeks. It was the best thing we did."
A SoCal Doulas Carrot family — Orange County, CA
Other Plans We Accept
Carrot isn't your only option. SoCal Doulas is credentialed with multiple major insurance plans throughout Southern California — many of which may also cover your doula care.
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Medi-Cal and commercial members throughout Southern California — up to 11 visits plus full labor support, no referral needed.
Learn about Kaiser coverageHealth Net
Health Net Medi-Cal and commercial members throughout Southern California — birth and postpartum doula support covered.
Learn about Health Net coverageYour employer may be paying for your doula right now — you just haven't checked yet.
Thousands of Southern California employees have Carrot wallets that include doula coverage and have never used them. Check your account or let Tayna and Ifeanyi's team verify it for you — it takes less than a minute and comes with no commitment.
Verify My Carrot BenefitsFree verification — no commitment required — results within 1 business day.