Must Have Questions for Your Doula Interview

So you are hiring a doula. Congratulations! Doulas are an incredible addition to your birth team and birth care! Providing continuous labor support for the birth that YOU want, they cheer you on and believe in you.

The task of interviewing doulas can be daunting, so we asked some of our favorite doulas what questions they get asked frequently and what questions they think are most important to ask a potential doula.

All of them stressed one thing: CONNECTION.

More important than any words on a checklist, your personal connection with your doula as well as your partner’s connection with them- is key. (You can read more about the importance of the doula/partner connection, here.)

Sometimes this means a brand new doula is the one for you. Maybe she doesn’t have 10 years of experience, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t the best match for you and your partner.

Another important trait in a doula is her ability to LISTEN.

Even more important than how your doula answers these questions, is how much she tunes in and listens to you and your needs for your birth.

A great doula is an intuitive creature who is willing to step back and let the birthing mother shine. She may never even hold a baby- she isn’t there to look good or get first cuddles with a new one. Your doula is there to help you and your partner have an incredible experience on the momentous day of birth.

So, glace over and use these questions with that in mind- they are a guide and ideas from others, but they aren’t deal breakers on your individual doula hiring journey.

Have you ever done a birth with my care provider and what was the experience like?
How do you help us achieve our birth plan?
Why did you become a doula?
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a doula?
What do you bring to my birth to help me?
How do you not take the place of my partner?
Do you have reliable childcare?
How do you work with my partner?
What kinds of birth experiences have you had? (This questions may have little or no bearing on your doula’s ability to support you in birth. Some doulas don’t even have children! It is however important to some woman and frequently asked.)
How many clients do you take a month?
Who is your backup and is it possible for me to meet them?
Have you attended births at my hospital or birth place?
What do you provide with your services?
How can I decrease my risk of cesarean or how can doula care do this?
How many people do you have booked around my estimated due date?
How do you work with my family?
What if I end up wanting an epidural or have a Cesarean? (You can read more about how doulas support epidural birth and how doulas support cesarean birth, in these posts.)
Do you help with breastfeeding? (Doulas sometimes have additional lactation training.)
What do we cover at prenatal visits?
Do you do postpartum visits?
If so, what do postpartum visits include?
Is there a time limit to how long you will stay in labor?
What is an example of a challenging birth and how you handled it?

We hope this list helps you think about what matters most as you interview and hire the perfect doula for you and your partner. Doulas really are incredible and can bring so much to your birth and postpartum experience. Sometimes the simple fact that you have someone who witnessed you at your most powerful and most vulnerable, is a greater gift than you can ever imagine.

Have a wonderful doula attended birth!

Thanks so much to the doulas who helped us compile this list of must have questions for your doula interview!

Hailie Wolfe is a doula and childbirth educator in Abilene, TX.

Cameo Sherman is a doula in Bowie and Annapolis, Maryland.

Sydney Williamson is a doula in the DFW area of Texas.

Beth Dickerson is a doula in DFW, TX.

Maryellen Yates is a doula and childbirth educator in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Kristi Keen is a doula and childbirth educator in Sugar Land, TX.