Your doula will be with you in some of the most intimate, vulnerable and important days of your life. It’s important to take the time to conduct a doula interview before making a decision about having them be a part of your birth or postpartum experience.
Right now, doulas are not regulated or standardized in Canada, which means that one doula does not equal the other. We can have a range of experiences and education. To really get at the question “Who is the person and how will they be in the birth room?” it’s important to ask a combination of straight-forward and scenario based questions during your doula interview. One thing we do know from experience is that having had a birth experience doesn’t make someone any better equipped to support you! Look instead beyond the person’s own personal experience and more to their overall vibe and how it resonates with you and your questions.
What to look for:
Look not only for what they say in response to your questions, but how they respond. Even in the interview, do they make you feel that way you want to feel at your birth?
Are they curious about how you relate to your birth experience so far? Do they engage everyone at the interview? How are their emotional reactions to some of the things you ask about? Look for more than just what they’re saying to get an idea of who they are as a doula.
Birth doula questions:
What made you decide to be a doula?
How would you help me through a difficult moment in birth?
Do you work with my partner/parent/friend/other support?
How do you work with my midwife/nurse/doctor?
What support would you give me if I had an epidural/induction/cesarean delivery?
Can you list your education/training have you done that you use as a doula?
Tell me about a time that you had to work with a difficult personality. How did you get through it?
What is a time where you had to support parents through an emergency. How did you respond? Were you able to support them?
Don’t forget to ask about the logistics!
When would you come to me/us in labour?
Are you on call for me/us?
If you’re not available, do you have backup? How do you choose backup?
What is included in your doula package?
Do you have a refund/cancellation policy?
Are there any limitations to your care that we should know about?
Postpartum Doula Questions:
What made you decide to be a doula?
How would you help me if I were having strong emotional difficulties around feeding or adjusting to having a baby?
What are your strategies to work with my partner/parent/friend/other support?
How do you work with my midwife/nurse/doctor?
What support would you give me if I decided to feed with a bottle?
Can you provide your education/training have you done that you use as a doula?
Tell me about a time that you had to work with a difficult personality. How did you get through it?
Was there a time where you had to support parents through an emergency. What did you do? How did you support them?
Don’t forget to ask about the logistics!
When would you start your time with me/us after the delivery?
Is there a minimum length of time to your visits?
If you’re not available, do you have backup? How do you choose backup?
Besides helping with feeding, what else might you do in our shifts together?
What is your refund/cancellation policy?
Are there any limitations to your care that I/we should know about?