Doula Interview Questions Every Parent Should Ask

Choosing to hire a doula is one of the best investments you can make in your parenthood journey. Doulas help ease the transition to parenthood with specialized educational, emotional, and physical support. Doulas have a variety of training, experience, and philosophy that they bring to their practice. Every doula, like every family, is unique. So, how do you know which doula is right for you? The initial interview is where you’ll get a feel for your doula’s experience and personality to help you decide if they are the right support person for your family. In this post, we’ll share doula interview questions to help parents find their perfect doula. 

Birth Doula Services Overview 

Birth doulas work with parents prenatally, during labor and delivery, and shortly after birth. Their main mission is to help you have the birth experience you want – even if you have no idea what that would be at first! During a prenatal visit, birth doulas educate parents about their options for birth and help them practice comfort measures for labor. Toward the end of pregnancy, they are on-call to join you at your side for continuous labor support. During labor, they offer hands-on comfort measures like massage and acupressure, emotional support, and advocacy. They typically stay with you for the first 1-3 hours after birth, and slip out of the room once you’re comfortable and cozy with your baby. Most birth doula care includes at least one postpartum home visit to check on the parents and baby, offer newborn care advice, and process the birth story. Birth doulas typically offer a free phone or in-person consultation to help parents get a feel for their care style and ask questions about their services. 

Sample Birth Doula Interview Questions

• What kind of training(s) have you completed? Are you certified, and if so through with organization(s)?
• When and why did you become a doula?
• How many births have you attended?
• What kinds of birth scenarios have you supported? I.e. spontaneous or assisted vaginal, planned or unplanned Cesarean, induced or augmented labor, hospital/birth center/home birth
• What is your philosophy on birth and parenthood?
• How would you describe your doula style and role?
• Are your immunizations up to date?
• Are you trained in Adult/Infant CPR?
• What are common ways you support parents during labor?
• What are your fees? What is included in your doula package? (number of prenatal visits, any cap on labor support hours, postpartum visits, any extras)
• Have you ever given birth, and, if so, did your birth experience inspire you to become a doula? Did you have a doula yourself? 
• Have you attended births at my planned birth location and/or with my care provider? What was your experience?
• Do you have any other clients that have due dates near mine?
• Do you have a backup doula? If so, may I meet them or speak with them on the phone? How often do you need to call for back up?
• Do you make any visits before the birth and do prenatal visits look like?
• Do you offer any postpartum care or follow up? What do postpartum visits look like?
• May I email, text or call you with questions? When are you available for non-emergent questions?
• When are you on-call for labor support? Is it okay if it’s the middle of the night?
• How should I contact you during labor and at what point? 
• At what point during labor would you come to support me? Would you come to my home for early labor support? 
• Do you have experience with complications during birth?
• Do you stay for the entire labor and birth? Do you have a time limit for long births?
• How do you support the birthing parent’s partner?
• How do you work with a midwife or doctor?
• How do you support the laboring person?
• What coping techniques do you find most helpful during labor?
• How do you feel about epidurals or pain medication?
• How long do you stay after the birth?
• Do you have experience with breastfeeding support?
• Do you offer any additional services, such as placenta encapsulation?
• Can I read any written testimonials from previous clients? May I call any references?
• Do you have a contract? 
• What are next steps to move forward? 

Postpartum Doula Services Overview

Postpartum doulas specialize in supporting parents after birth. Some postpartum doulas offer virtual support which includes educational resources and emotional support. Most postpartum doula care takes place in person in the parents’ home. Postpartum doulas can work with families during the day to offer newborn care education, light household chores, sibling care, emotional support, and infant care reprieve so parents can shower or nap. Postpartum doulas can also offer overnight care where their primary focus is on helping the baby develop healthy sleep patterns and to take over nighttime care and feedings to the parents’ comfort level. Ideally, postpartum doulas are hired prenatally, though it is possible to hire a postpartum doula after your baby is born depending on availability. Postpartum doulas typically offer a free phone or in-person consultation as an opportunity for parents to get to know them and ask questions about their services. 

Sample Postpartum Doula Interview Questions

• What kind of training(s) have you completed? Are you certified, and if so through with organization(s)?
• When and why did you become a doula?
• How many families have you supported?
• What kinds of postpartum scenarios have you supported? I.e. twins, preemies, adoption, surrogacy, postpartum mood disorders, medical issues, etc. 
• What is your philosophy on postpartum and parenthood?
• How would you describe your doula style and role?
• What are common ways you support new parents?
• What are your fees? What is included in your services? How long are typical shifts?
• Are you a parent, and if so, did your new parenthood experience inspire you to become a postpartum doula? Did you have a postpartum doula yourself? 
• Are your immunizations up to date?
• Are you trained in Adult/Infant CPR?
• What services do you provide? Do you clean, cook, or offer sibling care? 
• What does a typical daytime postpartum shift look like?
• What does a typical overnight shift look like?
• Do you have any other clients that have due dates near mine?
• Do you have a backup doula? If so, may I meet them or speak with them on the phone? How often do you need to call for back up? What is your policy for needing to cancel a shift i.e. due to sickness?
• May I email, text or call you with questions? When are you available for non-emergent questions?
• When should I let you know I’m in labor or that the baby was born?
• How soon after birth do you come to our home?
• How do you support the birthing parent’s partner? How do you support older siblings?
• How do you support the birthing parent? What tools do you offer to assist with postpartum healing?
• Are you trained to recognize signs of postpartum mood disorders? What would you offer if you noticed those signs?
• How often do you recommend scheduling care? For how long after birth?
• Is it possible to shorten or lengthen a contract?
• Do you have experience with breastfeeding support?
• Do you offer any additional services, such as placenta encapsulation?
• Can I read any written testimonials from previous clients? May I call any references?
• Do you have a contract? 
• What are next steps to move forward? 

How to Hire a Doula

It’s highly recommended to interview at least 2-3 doulas, to help you get a feel for different styles and services. Have a list of your doula interview questions to make sure you don’t forget anything during your conversation. After your initial interview, ask yourself how the potential doula made you and your partner feel. 

• Did they take time to thoughtfully answer your questions, or did the conversation feel rushed? 
• Were they comfortable to talk with, or did the conversation feel forced? 
• Did their answers put you at ease, or are you unsure they would be able to support you?
• Were they easy to get a hold of, or were their response times unprofessional? 

Your ideal doula is someone who you click with, whose philosophy and services complement your parenting style and needs. It’s also important that the doula you hire has experience, reputable training, solid references, and clear contracts. A potential doula should make it clear to you what next steps are for hiring her, and how she can help make the process a smooth one. Typically, a doula requires a retainer or full payment upon signing a contract to secure your spot on her calendar. Be sure to get clear on next steps for hiring your doula after asking your doula interview questions! Great doulas can book up very quickly, so it’s recommended to start the interview process as early on in your pregnancy as you’re comfortable.