10 questions you should ask your doula

Adapted from an article by Doulas of North America and published with permission.

The following questions will help you decide if a particular doula is right for you.

For any doula:

• What training have you had and when? If a doula is certified, you might consider checking with the organization.
• Do you have one or more backup doulas for times when you are not available?
• What is your fee, what does it include, and what are your refund policies?

When interviewing a birth doula:

• Tell me/us about your philosophy about childbirth and supporting women and their partners through labor.
• How long have you been working as a doula and how many births have you attended?
• May we call you or email you with questions or concerns before and after the birth?
• When do you try to join women in labor? Do you come to our home or meet us at the place of birth?
• Do you have support to look after your work and family commitments so that you can attend our birth when we need you?
• Are you familiar with the hospital I am birthing at?
• Do you meet with me/us after the birth to review the labor and answer questions?
• What other services can you offer eg video the birth for us?

When interviewing a postpartum doula:

• Tell me about your experience as a postpartum doula.
• What is your philosophy about parenting and supporting women and their families during postpartum?
• May we meet to discuss our needs and the role you will play?
• What different types of services do you offer?
• When do your services begin postpartum?
• What is your experience in breast-feeding support?
• Have you had a criminal background check, a recent TB test? Do you have current CPR certification?