Most doulas offer consultations as an opportunity to meet the potential doula prior to signing a contract. This can be a great opportunity for both parties to meet one another. The pregnant woman/expecting couple may have a few questions for the doula.

A quick Google or Pinterest search will yield several results for questions to ask a doula during an interview. However, many of these lists are old and outdated. Some of the questions, such as availability and locations the doula serves can be answered in a phone call or email. While some of the other questions these lists suggest asking are okay, they may not really give the expecting parents much information.

Sometimes people aren’t really sure what questions they should be asking or what answers they should be looking for. Here, Central Nebraska Doula breaks down some of these questions and offers suggestions on how to ask the questions you really want the answers to.

1. Questions about fees, refunds, back-up doula scenarios, prenatal and postpartum meetings or any questions about the specific things you will receive when booking this service.

If you have questions about these things by all means ask. But these things should all be clearly explained in the service contract and are typically answered in any initial communication prior to the interview.

2. Are you trained and certified? Better yet: Tell me about your training and certification.

There are MANY doula training and certification organizations. In fact, there are probably several that I have never even heard of.

Some doulas receive their training online while others receive hands-on, in-person training. So much of a doula’s job includes personal interaction; whether that be by supporting a client or building professional relationships with healthcare providers. So while an online training allows the doula to work at their own pace, the hands-on experience of an in-person workshop cannot be replicated in an online course.

Some organizations certify doulas upon the completion of the training, with no further requirements. Some organizations have minimal certification requirements such as reading a couple books and supporting a few clients through their labor and delivery, while others have a more rigorous process including completing essays, gathering evaluations and letters of recommendation, and completing in-depth exams and resource lists, in addition to supporting several clients. Additionally, some organizations require yearly or bi-yearly re-certification, while others require no re-certification whatsoever, and the doula is considered certified for life. Certification most certainly adds a layer of professionalism, as it shows the dedication the doula has to his or her career, but it is important to consider what the certification requirements are for different organizations, as they vary.

There are doulas who choose to remain un-certified because they do not wish to follow the guidelines set forth by their training organization. This can be risky and should be a red-flag to consumers.

Because the doula industry is highly unregulated, a person does not have to receive any formal training to call themselves a doula. Often times these people do not understand the true role of a doula. It should never be assumed that a doula is trained and/or certified.

Unfortunately, if a doula has received no formal training, it is next to impossible to file any sort of complaint or grievance should the doula not provide services as agreed upon.

I recently spoke to a woman who hired a doula and paid for her services only to have the doula ignore her calls near the end of this woman’s pregnancy and not show up to support the woman through her labor. I offered the woman the option of finding out where the doula received her training and filing a grievance. It was later discovered this “doula” was untrained.

3. How many births have you attended?  Better yet: Tell me how you would support me (in XYZ situation).

A certain number of births does not determine how well your doula will support you. Maybe a doula has attended many births but never assisted a couple in a certain circumstance, while a newer doula who has only attended a couple births has experienced many different scenarios. The number alone doesn’t give much information.

A well-trained doula will feel completely comfortable supporting her or his very first client and will draw on the information covered during their training to best support clients through any situation that arises.

Also, regardless of how many families a doula has supported, the commitment and time away from their own family is the same. The doula should be compensated fairly, at a living wage, no matter how much experience she or he has.

4. What is your philosophy about birth?  Better yet: Do you have a philosophy about birth? Is there any choice I might make that you would not support? Have you ever had a client make a choice you didn’t agree with? What did that look like?

Doulas really shouldn’t have any preferences about how a client chooses to deliver their baby. After all, you would still want your doula to support you and your decisions should you decide to change your mind, right?

What is really important here is the CLIENT’S philosophy of birth and what her and her partner’s preferences are, and whether or not the doula can support those choices. A truly non-judgmental doula will support any choice the client makes.

Occasionally there may be circumstances, such as unassisted home birth, that a doula may not be able to be present for because of insurance reasons or other legalities.

5. Have you worked with my healthcare provider before? Do you like her/him?  Better Yet: Has there ever been a time where you didn’t agree with something a healthcare provider told one of your previous clients? What did that look like?

Because a doula’s role is non-medical, the doula should not attempt to assess, diagnose, or suggest treatments, be that natural or otherwise, or interfere or suggest a client not follow her medical provider’s orders.

It doesn’t really matter if the doula likes a particular care provider. What is important is the doula will act in a professional manner when working with your healthcare team.

6. Will you speak up for me if my doctor/midwife wants to do something that I don’t want? Will you be my advocate?

As much as you may want your doula to say yes, this is a really difficult situation for a doula. Doulas aren’t advocates. Part of the support a doula provides does not include speaking on behalf of their clients.This tension in the delivery room is counterproductive to the laboring process as well as detrimental to the doula profession. As a doula, I believe that my clients are capable of choosing healthcare providers they trust.

7. Do you have children? Tell me about your births.  Better yet: Keep in mind that whether or not a doula has had a particular experience, it doesn’t make the doula less qualified to offer support.

Whether or not a doula has given birth, does not determine how well he or she will be able to support a client. I know many doulas who choose not to have children and have never given birth. I know doulas who have become parents through adoption. I know doulas who long to become parents but struggle with infertility.

Whether or not a person has physically delivered their own child, does not make them any more or less of a doula.

8. Do you offer any additional services?

This may have already been answered during the initial phone call or email, or by viewing your doula’s website. Many doulas offer “one stop shop” services, such as birth support, postpartum support, placenta encapsulation, childbirth education, lactation services, photography, belly binding, belly casting, etc. If there are other services you are interested in,you may choose to ask the doula during the interview if she has been trained to provide those services. If not, she or he may be able to recommend someone who does.

After the interview consider how you feel about this doula.

• Can you imagine this person supporting you throughout your labor and birth?
• Do you feel comfortable with this person?
• Does this person seem knowledgeable?
• Is this person running a legitimate business? (Do they have a website? Do they pay taxes and carry insurance?)
• Does this person listen well and communicate effectively?
• Does this person offer non-judgmental support?

 

If you are interested in setting up a consultation with Central Nebraska Doula, click here to be taken to our contact page.