16 Questions for Your Postpartum Doula
Interviewing Your Postpartum Doula
In an earlier post, I wrote about questions to ask about a potential birth doula. Once you have your birth doula hired to support you through your pregnancy and birth, it is a good time to sit down and decide how you will find support to get through your postpartum time. Enter the postpartum doula.
There are many benefits to having a postpartum doula. Once you decide a postpartum doula might be the route you want to go, you are going to want to set up an interview. Here are some questions to get you started in the interviewing process:
1. Are you trained as a postpartum doula?
There are many great organizations that train and certify postpartum doulas. Training requires lots of hands-on experience as well as reading. Once a doula is trained, they have the option to certify. Some doulas choose to certify, while others decide not to for a variety of reasons.
2. Do you have any other relevant training?
Some doulas may have additional training in breastfeeding, infant massage, belly binding, teaching childbirth education, or placenta encapsulation, to name a few.
Others may have skills such as being a licensed massage therapist, cranial sacral training, nursing degrees, or International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Many postpartum doulas have a variety of additional skills to offer.
3. Do you have experience and/or training in breastfeeding?
While all postpartum doula training includes training on lactation, some postpartum doulas go for additional training in breastfeeding. You can become certified as a Breastfeeding Educator, CLC, IBCLC, or a Breastfeeding Peer.
4. Can you tell us a little about yourself and what draws you to being a postpartum doula?
These personal questions help give you insight into the postpartum doula’s personality.They are a great way to get a feel for the doula’s character and temperament.
5. What is the most important part of your job as a postpartum doula?
Another great question to find out the doula’s passion. Is she more passionate about breastfeeding? Education? Infant care? Meal prep? House Management? How does that fit in with what you are looking for in a postpartum doula for support?
6. What is your philosophy as a postpartum doula regarding parenting and supporting women & their families?
This is your opportunity to see how the doula “operates.” Doula's work is about unconditional support for the family.If a doula has philosophies about how things should be done, that might be a problem. A postpartum doula's job is to support YOU and YOUR parenting style as it develops. Unconditional support for your parenting and decision-making is crucial for you and your family during this postpartum transition.
7. How do you see your role as a postpartum doula?
This is another great question that gives you more insight into the doula’s personality.
8. How does scheduling work? Do you have minimum hours? What days do you work?
Depending on the postpartum doula, many have minimum hours and days they work. Most in the Cleveland area prefer a minimum of 4 hours a day and work Monday-Friday, but not all! Asking these questions will help you decide if the postpartum doula will be able to fulfill your needs, time, and day-wise.
9. Do you have any clients due around the time I am?
Postpartum doulas generally have more than one client in a time frame, depending on the client's needs. If the doula does have another client during your time frame, ask them how they balance two families at once.
10. Do you have a back-up doula?
Most postpartum doulas have a backup doula available in the event of illness, emergency, or the occasional schedule conflict.Ask the doula how it works if they are unavailable and a backup is needed.
11. What services do you provide? Do you clean, cook, laundry, errands, baby care, etc.?
Not all postpartum doulas offer the same care. Clarify with the doula what services they provide while working with a family.
12. May we call you anytime before and after birth with questions or concerns?
You may have questions before the baby arrives, such as:
What items might I need postpartum?
Are there any must-haves for twins?
What should I pack for the hospital?
It’s also important to know if you can reach your postpartum doula outside of her/his work hours. The doula will leave after their visit, and a question will arise. It's good to know when you can reach them.
13. Do you have experience with moms experiencing postpartum mood disorders? Are you trained to help recognize postpartum mood disorders?
While postpartum doulas are NOT medical professionals or therapists, they do have training in how to identify possible mood disorders. It’s important to know what they do when they suspect a mood disorder and how they tell the family.
14. Are your immunizations up to date?
When working with newborns, especially preemies, parents may have concerns about their children being exposed to others who are not immunized. If this is a concern, ask the doula.
15. Do you have current infant/ adult CPR training?
Again, if this is important to you as parents, then ask the doula.
16. Would you happen to have references we can check?
Checking references is a big one. Remember, you are inviting someone into your home to work with your family at a vulnerable time. It is important that you feel comfortable with postpartum doulas. Sometimes, you may want to rest or shower, and the doula will be alone with the newborn and/or other children. Put your mind at ease and make a few calls.
As a postpartum doula who has worked for years with many families, my best piece of advice is to find the postpartum doula that you feel that “click” with. Many doulas are well-trained, but ensuring you feel comfortable and connected to your doula is the best way to find a postpartum doula for your growing family.
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