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?