Frequently Asked Questions
Some question to ask, include:
Why did you become a doula?
It can be fascinating to hear a doula’s motivation for her path.
What packages to you offer and what does that include? What other services do you offer?
You’re looking for value – how many prenatal sessions, what do they include, are there any additional skills that this doula brings to her packages? How much postnatal experience, particularly breastfeeding support, does she have?
How many and what type of births have you attended? (Not including your own birth or friends births)
Supporting a woman as a doula is very different from supporting friends and family, and even more different when you’re the one giving birth. Asking the number of years a doula has been in practice does not reflect her experience either! Some doulas only work a few births a year, while in larger city centres some doulas will take on 20 or more births a year.
What additional training, professional development or life skills do you bring to your doula service?
While all doula training provides a basic overview of birth and how to support a woman during the pregnancy year, it is extremely important to continue with professional development and training. There is always something new to learn and it is fundamental that a doula keeps up with the latest research. It is a concern if a doula thinks that she has all the skills she’ll ever need just from completing one doula training course!
Do have childcare arrangements (if your doula has children)?
Birth is unpredictable and rarely happens during business hours. You need to know that your doula can walk out of her family life, for an unspecified period, whenever you go into labour.
Do you provide a back up doula?
Though every woman hopes that her labour is not going to be more than 24 hours, there are never guarantees with birth. A back up doula can be essential in ensuring that your primary doula is at her best if your birth is long. It is helpful to meet with the back up doula at least once during pregnancy.
Are you involved in any other birth organisation or volunteer group in our community?
If a doula is involved in the local birthy community, you will probably find that she has quite in depth knowledge about local birth resources.
Can you provide referrals?
It can be reassuring to speak to previous clients and it will give you an idea of how your doula provides support in different situations.
Why did you become a doula?
It can be fascinating to hear a doula’s motivation for her path.
What packages to you offer and what does that include? What other services do you offer?
You’re looking for value – how many prenatal sessions, what do they include, are there any additional skills that this doula brings to her packages? How much postnatal experience, particularly breastfeeding support, does she have?
How many and what type of births have you attended? (Not including your own birth or friends births)
Supporting a woman as a doula is very different from supporting friends and family, and even more different when you’re the one giving birth. Asking the number of years a doula has been in practice does not reflect her experience either! Some doulas only work a few births a year, while in larger city centres some doulas will take on 20 or more births a year.
What additional training, professional development or life skills do you bring to your doula service?
While all doula training provides a basic overview of birth and how to support a woman during the pregnancy year, it is extremely important to continue with professional development and training. There is always something new to learn and it is fundamental that a doula keeps up with the latest research. It is a concern if a doula thinks that she has all the skills she’ll ever need just from completing one doula training course!
Do have childcare arrangements (if your doula has children)?
Birth is unpredictable and rarely happens during business hours. You need to know that your doula can walk out of her family life, for an unspecified period, whenever you go into labour.
Do you provide a back up doula?
Though every woman hopes that her labour is not going to be more than 24 hours, there are never guarantees with birth. A back up doula can be essential in ensuring that your primary doula is at her best if your birth is long. It is helpful to meet with the back up doula at least once during pregnancy.
Are you involved in any other birth organisation or volunteer group in our community?
If a doula is involved in the local birthy community, you will probably find that she has quite in depth knowledge about local birth resources.
Can you provide referrals?
It can be reassuring to speak to previous clients and it will give you an idea of how your doula provides support in different situations.