Questions to Ask When Hiring a Doula

A doula serves many roles to a labouring person, from coach to cheerleader to friend. Their mission is to make sure you a positive birth experience. That said, it’s essential to find someone you click with. Someone you feel safe with and someone you feel you can trust. This means a face-to-face interview is essential. A great place to start is asking friends, family and your health care providers for recommendations. It’s important to speak with a number of doulas to find the best fit for you - my recommendation is to meet with only 4 or 5 potential doulas as it may be too overwhelming to decide on who to hire.

A good doula will understand how important it is for there to be a good connection between the doula and their clients. Many doulas offer a free consultation to get to know one another before solidifying the hiring process. Other doulas offer monthly “meet the team” events. Once you have a list of the doulas you are interested in meeting, reaching out to them to schedule a meeting should be easy. Their response time and ease of scheduling a meeting will give you a good indication on how accessible they are, which may help you decide on hiring this doula.

One thing I do know from experience is that having had a birth experience doesn’t make someone any better equipped to support you! Some of the best doulas I know, have not given birth. Instead, look beyond the person’s own personal experience and more to their overall vibe and how it resonates with you and your questions. You do not want the doula’s own personal birth experience to influence or cloud yours.

Check out my printable interview guide for you to print and bring with you to fill out during your meet and greets.

 Here are some standard questions to ask your potential doula:

1. What training have you completed?

2. Tell us about your experience as a Doula. How many clients have you supported?

3. What role will you play while supporting us?

4. When does your support begin and end after birth?

5. What happens when you are sick? Do you have a back-up? If you can not attend the birth is there a refund or postpartum care available?

6. What are your fees? What is included in your doula package? What happens to my fee if, for instance, I need an emergency c-section and labor support is no longer needed?

7. Do you offer any additional services, such as photography?

8. Is it possible to read any reviews you might have? Do you have any references and if so may I speak with them?

Once you have an idea of “the nuts and bolts” of the doula, its time to get to know the person behind the Doula.

1. WHY are they a doula?  When it comes to doulas their training and backgrounds will almost always be similar.  You want to know what sets them apart is WHO they are as person and WHY they do what they do.

2.  What is your philosophy about birth?

3. How do they support you before, during and after the birth of your baby that other doulas don’t?  What sets them apart from others?

4. If you have a partner, how will they support and work with them? 

5. How do they work with your doctor or midwife?

6. How do they support you if you have an epidural or c-section?  It is important to know what your doula will be doing to support you and your partner in all different birth experiences.

7. When do they come to see you in birth? Are there any limitations of when they will support you? Will they come in the middle of the night? or in a snow storm?

8. Do you have any other clients that have due dates near mine? What happens if you go into labour at the same time?

9. Do you stay for the entire labour and childbirth, or do you have a time limit for long births? 

10. How long do you stay after the birth? Will you help establish feeding?

After meeting with a potential doula, it’s important to reflect on how you felt interacting with them. Take the time to ask yourself these questions and jot some things down so you can look back over your notes when deciding

1. Did you feel as if they were really listening to you during the interview?

2. Did you feel comfortable with them? Have they made you feel confident?

3. Did they seem compassionate?

4. Did they ask you any questions?

5. Did you feel they were interested in you and what you want?

6. Did they communicate well?

7. Did they seem knowledgeable?

8. Did their views on pregnancy, childbirth and medical care align with your own?

9. Did they take the time to answer all of your questions or did you feel rushed?

10. Did you like the person you will be sharing this intimate and profound experience with? Did their personality fit with your family’s dynamic?

If you have been curious about hiring a doula but not sure where to look or who to talk to, feel free to contact me or to schedule a meet and greet to see if we are a good fit for Virtual Doula Support.