It's a bit early but we're meeting with a potential doula this weekend. (They're just so hard to come by in our area!) I was wondering if anyone had questions they were glad they asked or would suggest asking.
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I would ask what happens if you end up needing a c section (either planned or unplanned). Our doula would have given us half out money back.
I would also ask wht sort of techniques she uses to help you achieve a Med free birth (guessing that's why you want a doula?).
Will she come to your house when you are in early labor?
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I would ask if they have a backup in case of a personal emergency.
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@hilsy85: Definitely need to ask about the c section, because there are a few factors that might make it necessary and our hospital will only allow 1 person in there.
I'm also wondering for those who have used a doula, how important do you think it was to go with someone who you clicked with? Over, say, number of years of experience? There's someone who I can talk to very openly, but I think she has less experience than some other women who've been doing this 9-10 years.
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@spaniellove: wayyy more important to click with the person!! I didn't really with my doula even though she had like 1500 births under her belt. And I think that kind of made it less helpful for me.
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Bumping for more interview question insight!
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As a doula, the most frequent questions I get include:
- Are you certified/how long have you been certified/how long have you been a doula?
- How many births have you attended?
- Have you ever attended a birth at xxxx hospital or birth center (wherever it is you plan to deliver...)?
- Have you ever worked with xxxx ob/gyn or midwife group?
- Have you ever attended an intervention-free birth/an induced birth/a birth with interventions/a birth that ended in c-section? Or a water birth? Home birth? (Depending on which type of birth you want!)
- What tools and techniques do you use to help with pain relief and relaxation?
- Will you come to my home in early labor?
- Do you have a cap on the number of hours you will spend with me?
- Do you have a backup doula?
- Do you hold any other certifications or licenses (childbirth educator/lactation consultant/massage therapist, etc)?And of course, the how and why did you become a doula?
Hope that helps!
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@IRunForFun: Those are all very helpful!
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@IRunForFun: Thank you!! Is it weird for me to email those questions? I had my email sent out to a list-serv thing and have gotten some replies that way.
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@LindsayInNY: No, although you may want to start just with some of the more general questions, and then cull down your list of potential doulas and e-mail them with more specific questions. Only because it could be overwhelming to receive tons of responses to all those questions!
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@IRunForFun: Agreed. I'm trying to find a middle of the road doula when it comes to price and experience. DH is very turned off by the cost for some reason (really when it comes to a lot of extra baby related things...) I don't mind a newly experienced person but would prefer at least beyond the 10 birth certification requirement.
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@LindsayInNY: That makes sense! So maybe for you, the first questions to ask everyone would be certification status, number of births attended, and cost, and then you could narrow it down from there?
Tell your DH the presence of a doula could minimize costly interventions.
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@LindsayInNY: I found the thing that got DH on board with a doula was having my midwife tell us that it was very important. Is your care provider pro-doula, and if so, might they be willing to help push it for you? I think DH just thought it was something I had read and decided I needed, not something that could make a real difference.
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Not exactly a question, but I told our doula that while I wanted a med-free birth, I wasn't adamant about it and would consider getting an epidural if I really wanted one. I wanted to see how she would react because I knew she was very pro med-free births and I wanted to make sure she would be supportive if I wanted an epi.
I also asked, as a general question, how she saw her role. We liked her because she was very clear that she was there to support both me and my husband in the birth experience, in terms of helping him support me.
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@Torchwood: Not totally sure... I have an OB so I think she/the practice is a little more indifferent about things? It might help for the Bradley Method instruction to say it but we don't start those classes until early March and I worry about waiting that long/late.
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