What to Look for When Hiring a Doula
So, you’ve decided to hire a doula to support you through giving birth. Great! A doula can help you understand the labor and delivery process and provide continuous care during labor. Doula care is associated with shorter labor, fewer c-sections, and more positive birth experiences. But how do you choose the right doula for you? The doula’s qualifications, specialization, and agreement with your ideas for your birth are important factors. Just as important are the doula’s personality and communication style. This is someone who’ll be with you at a vulnerable time; you need to feel comfortable with them and that you can trust them.Factors to Consider When Choosing a Doula
The doula’s training is an important factor. There are reputable training programs from DONA International, CAPPA, Childbirth International (CBI), and the International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA). Choosing a doula who has received certification from DONA or another one of these programs ensures the doula has had both classroom and hands-on experience with supporting women in labor. Experience is also significant in choosing a doula. The more experience a birth doula has, the more likely they are to have attended a larger number of births and been exposed to different labors, medical personnel, and birthing facilities. On the other hand, if your budget is limited, you may be interested in less experienced doulas, who charge less because they are still in training or building their experience level. It’s essential to interview doulas before deciding which to hire. Does the doula listen to you? Is their communication style compatible with yours? Listen to your instincts. How do you feel about spending several hours with this person in a situation where you’re feeling vulnerable or anxious? Will you feel comfortable having this person in your home? Do they make you feel heard? Does their overall approach align with your birth vision? These are all questions only you can answer.Specialization and Services
There are three types of doulas: antepartum doulas, birth doulas, and postpartum doulas. Antepartum doulas care for people with high-risk pregnancies who are on bed rest, or anyone who needs extra support during pregnancy. They can help with housework, meals, caring for other children, and daily household tasks. Birth doulas are qualified to attend you both through childbirth and postpartum, although some specialize in childbirth and don’t provide postpartum care. Postpartum doulas do not care for people during labor and specialize in caring for the mother and newborn. Think about how you want your birth to go and start making a birth plan, a written outline of what you would like to happen in labor and delivery. Looking at a template and deciding how much intervention you want will help you get a feel for how you want the doula to support you during labor. If you know your pregnancy is high risk due to your age or health issues, you can look for a doula with experience in high-risk pregnancies and labor. How much support do you think you will need postpartum? Would you rather have the same doula for birth and postpartum, or would you rather have a postpartum doula after childbirth? All these will influence your doula needs and ultimate decision.Interviewing Potential Doulas
You can find potential doulas through DONA International, other doula directories, or through referrals from friends, your OB/GYN, or other health care provider. Interviewing doulas in person or by video is essential to find the best fit for you and your family. Narrow your list down to a few who seem the most promising and then contact them to set up an interview. Questions you may want to ask include:- What kind of training have you had?
- Are you certified? If so, by which of the certifying organizations?
- How many births have you attended?
- How long have you been a doula?
- How many other clients have you taken on with a due date around mine?
- If extenuating circumstances preclude you from attending my birth, do you have a backup?
- If so, will I have a chance to meet the backup, just in case?
- Do you take any continuing education courses?
- What is your birth philosophy and what’s your overall approach?
- Why did you become a doula?
- How do you most often support people in labor?
- What are your fees? What does your doula package include?
- What happens to my fee if I need an emergency c-section and no longer need labor support? Have you supported someone during a c-section?
- Do you have experience with birth complications?
- Have you worked at my hospital/birthing center? What was your experience like?
- How should I contact you during labor and at what point? Are you always on call?
- Do you provide postpartum care?
- Do you have any references? May I speak to them?
