So you’ve considered hiring a doula but are asking yourself what questions to ask a doula? The following are some suggestions of questions you can ask a doula when you meet with them.
What’s Included?
You’ll want to find out exactly what is included in their services. Each business has various packages. Hampton Roads Doulas specifically offers five main services: birth doulas, postpartum doulas, childbirth education, placenta encapsulation, and lactation support. We have packages that include a variety of services or you can mix and match to your liking to best fit the needs of your family. Either way, get a clear picture as to what is available to you as part of the company you are looking to hire.
When do they go on call?
Find out exactly when your doula will drop everything to come be by your side. Our contract states that the moment you are signed on as a client, your doula team is on call for you 24/7. It doesn’t matter if you’ve signed a contract at 12 weeks or 38 weeks. We know how important support is and guarantee you’ll have someone from our agency by your side when you need them.
Backup
What is the doula’s backup system like? What if she is at another birth? What if she’s simply sick with a contagious illness and should not attend? Do you get to meet the backup? Do they have access to your file? Will they have the ability to learn about you and your birth goals? Our doulas work in teams of two, whom you get to develop a relationship with throughout your entire pregnancy and at the prenatal visit. This means if your on-call doula is unable to attend, the other half of your doula team steps right in, no questions asked! She knows you, you know her. No need to worry about having a stranger arrive at your birth!
Unconditional Support
Will your doula support all of the choices you make in the prenatal, birth, and postpartum period? Will she leave her bias at home and fully support the decisions you and your partner make? What if your birth plan changes and you choose to take a different route? Will she stay by your side? We are proud to say that our support isn’t conditional or based on specific birth philosophies. We embrace the fact that you know what’s best for you and your family and will walk with you every step of the way, no matter what that looks like. We have experience in supporting a wide variety of births and ensure that no matter what path you take, we’ll be there to offer a helping hand.
Contracts & Payment
Is there a legally binding contract that you sign when purchasing these services? There should be! A professional doula will provide you with a contract outlining what exactly you should be receiving. You will receive our contract in the Welcome Packet mailed to your front door after contacting us. Regarding payments, are they charging an amount commensurate with a reliable professional? As the saying goes: you get what you pay for. Having a team of doulas on call 24/7, ready to leave at a moments notice (whether that be during Christmas dinner or at 2 in the morning), and is intimately aware of your goals for your child’s birth is an investment in your birth experience. Our goal isn’t to attend births to get something out of it. We are there to serve you and give you the best support around, which is exactly what you’ve paid for.
Relationships
What is the doula’s relationship like with your chosen birth location and provider? Do they work cohesively with the entire birth team you’ve carefully chosen? Our relationships with local providers and hospitals is one of our favorite parts about being doulas. We believe that working collaboratively with the wonderful team you’ve hand selected will provide you with a memorable and pleasant experience. When all the pieces fit together perfectly, you are the one who benefits!
Certification
What trainings has the doula attended? What organizations have they chosen to be certified through? A professional doula will be pursuing or currently certified with a reputable organization that holds its doulas accountable to professionalism and looks to elevate the role of the doula in the eyes of the community around them. All of our doulas have chosen to train and certify with ProDoula, an organization that holds true to these tenets.
Think carefully about what is most important to you in a doula and be sure your questions are answered! Looking to meet with one of our doula teams? Find out how to hire us!
Authored by: Lacey Bauer