Questions for Doula at Interview

Hi,

I really hope this question hasn't been asked a million times already.
I searched google groups and didn't see the answer yet. Anyway, next
week I have 3 interviews lined up with doulas in my area. I have
looked at the DONA website and have seen the list of questions that
they recommend asking during the interview ( I have posted them below).
For those of you who have hired a Doula for previous
pregnancies/deliveries, or who have just chosen a Doula for an upcoming
delivery, are there any other questions that you would recommend?

I have already asked each of them the questions below and feel
satisfied with the answers. When I meet them in person I want to
really get to know each of them. Any suggestions?

For Any Doula:
?
What training have you had? (If a doula is certified, you might
consider checking with the organization to verify.)
?
Do you have one or more backup doulas for times when you are not
available?* May we meet with the backup doula?
?
What is your fee?* What does it include?* What are your refund policies?

When interviewing a birth doula:
?
Tell me/us about your philosophy about childbirth and supporting women
and their partners through labor.
?
May we meet to discuss our birth plans and the role you will play in
supporting me/us through childbirth?
?
May we call you with questions or concerns before and after the birth?
?
When do you try to join women in labor?* Do you come to our home or
meet us at the place of birth?
?
Do you meet with me/us after the birth to review the labor and answer
questions?--
Shannon

Please remove -NO SPAM from email address to email me personally.

Shannon wrote:
Hi,

I really hope this question hasn't been asked a million times already.
I searched google groups and didn't see the answer yet. Anyway, next
week I have 3 interviews lined up with doulas in my area. I have looked
at the DONA website and have seen the list of questions that they
recommend asking during the interview ( I have posted them below). For
those of you who have hired a Doula for previous pregnancies/deliveries,
or who have just chosen a Doula for an upcoming delivery, are there any
other questions that you would recommend?

I have already asked each of them the questions below and feel satisfied
with the answers. When I meet them in person I want to really get to
know each of them. Any suggestions?

I actually only interviewed one doula, and hired her on the spot!
She was fantastic. Anyway, a big concern for me was how many
VBAC's she'd attended (lots). Some things I liked about her we
She emphasized her role to support me and my husband, not to take
his place. She had a very strong faith in a woman's ability to
give birth. She was a bit granola-y for me, but that was OK. She
had an extensive birth library, and had a very nice recommendation
list. She taught child birth classes (we took a refresher course from
her, Birthing from Within, or something like that). She asked me
to tell her DD1's birth story which ended in a c-section. And then
she told me what she would have done if she'd been there. I liked
that she had attended several births at my hospital and with my
midwives. She met with both me and DH, and he really felt comfortable
with her. I was able to read birth stories from previous births she
attended. She was just a genuinely warm and lovely person, with
a very dry sense of humor, so we got on well. Mostly, both DH
and I felt very comfortable with her.

I also liked that a few weeks before I was due, she and I had
a meeting to really go over my birth desires. And her philosophy
was that we were going to come out of this birth knowing that
we had made informed decisions and that if I ended up with another
section, it was because it was the next best thing.

Mary W.

"Shannon" wrote in message
news:2005041313511216807%shannonNOSPAM@sdf1net...
Hi,

I really hope this question hasn't been asked a million times already. I
searched google groups and didn't see the answer yet. Anyway, next week I
have 3 interviews lined up with doulas in my area. I have looked at the
DONA website and have seen the list of questions that they recommend
asking during the interview ( I have posted them below). For those of you
who have hired a Doula for previous pregnancies/deliveries, or who have
just chosen a Doula for an upcoming delivery, are there any other
questions that you would recommend?

To be honest, when hiring a doula for myself, my husband and I found that
our 'gut feeling' went a long way in making our decision. Many of the
answers to our questions were addressed in similar ways by the different
doulas, and so the questions themselves were not the deciding factor.
--
Jacqueline
#1 Due late Jul/early Aug

To get to know them on a personal level, and see if there is chemistry, I'd
ask them open questions about their history, about how they got into the
field, about their kids (if they have any) about the best and worst births
they did, about your fears and how they would help you handle them, etc. I
mean, if everyone is qualified to the extent that makes you comfortable,
then it's all about chemistry, and finding someone you click with. And
sometimes we click with people for random reasons completely unrelated to
the task at hand -- for example, I'd probably be asking them about their
favorite music or TV shows -- and would promise not to call on Thursday
nights at 8-9 during Survivor until I was SURE it was labor! My perfect
doula would think that was completely appropriate, and have a great sense of
humor!
--

Jamie
Earth Angels:
Taylor Marlys, 1/3/03 -- Little Miss Independent, who says "NO, TayTay do!"
when we try to undress her every night.
Addison Grace, 9/30/04 -- The Pterodactyl, who screeches and is practicing
her talking, "dododododo wowowowowlalalalala!" If only I knew what she was
saying!

Check out the family! -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1, Password:
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"Shannon" wrote in message
news:2005041313511216807%shannonNOSPAM@sdf1net...
Hi,

I really hope this question hasn't been asked a million times already. I
searched google groups and didn't see the answer yet. Anyway, next week I
have 3 interviews lined up with doulas in my area. I have looked at the
DONA website and have seen the list of questions that they recommend
asking during the interview ( I have posted them below). For those of you
who have hired a Doula for previous pregnancies/deliveries, or who have
just chosen a Doula for an upcoming delivery, are there any other
questions that you would recommend?

I have already asked each of them the questions below and feel satisfied
with the answers. When I meet them in person I want to really get to know
each of them. Any suggestions?

For Any Doula:
? What training have you had? (If a doula is certified, you might
consider checking with the organization to verify.)
? Do you have one or more backup doulas for times when you are not
available? May we meet with the backup doula?
? What is your fee? What does it include? What are your refund
policies?

When interviewing a birth doula:
? Tell me/us about your philosophy about childbirth and supporting women
and their partners through labor.
? May we meet to discuss our birth plans and the role you will play in
supporting me/us through childbirth?
? May we call you with questions or concerns before and after the birth?
? When do you try to join women in labor? Do you come to our home or
meet us at the place of birth?
? Do you meet with me/us after the birth to review the labor and answer
questions?--
Shannon

Please remove -NO SPAM from email address to email me personally.

On 2005-04-14 14:06:04 -0400, "Jamie Clark" said:

To get to know them on a personal level, and see if there is chemistry,
I'd ask them open questions about their history, about how they got
into the field, about their kids (if they have any) about the best and
worst births they did, about your fears and how they would help you
handle them, etc. I mean, if everyone is qualified to the extent that
makes you comfortable, then it's all about chemistry, and finding
someone you click with. And sometimes we click with people for random
reasons completely unrelated to the task at hand -- for example, I'd
probably be asking them about their favorite music or TV shows -- and
would promise not to call on Thursday nights at 8-9 during Survivor
until I was SURE it was labor! My perfect doula would think that was
completely appropriate, and have a great sense of humor!

Thanks I completely agree.

--
Shannon

Please remove -NO SPAM from email address to email me personally.