How to Find a Doula – 5 Absolute Must Knows for a Joyful Birth and Postpartum Season
What Even is a doula?
The first step in figuring out how to find a doula is knowing exactly what that is.
A doula is a trained professional who provides emotional, physical, and informational support to pregnant people and their families before, during, and after birth.
Doulas can help you have a more positive and satisfying birth and postpartum experience. They offer services that make for a smoother and easier transition into parenthood.
But how do you find a doula who is right for you?
Types of doulas
Another important detail when answering the question “how to find a doula” is the type of doula you are hiring.
Yes, there are different types of doulas!
They usually fall into one of three categories. Postpartum, Birth or Fertility Doulas.
These seldom overlap so if you want both birth and postpartum support, you will likely need to hire two different professionals. If you find you also need fertility support, you might need to hire three!
What do Fertility Doulas Do?
A fertility doula can help you with the following:
- Teaching you about the conception process and how to track your ovulation and fertile window
- Educating you on how to improve your health and nutrition to support your fertility and prepare your body for pregnancy
- Offering emotional support and coping skills for the stress, anxiety, and grief that may come with infertility or miscarriage
- Navigating your options and helping you make informed decisions about different fertility treatments, such as
- IVF,
- IUI,
- or surrogacy
- Advocating for your wishes and rights with healthcare providers and insurance companies
- Supporting you during fertility procedures, such as
- accompanying you to appointments,
- injections,
- And/or surgeries
- Providing resources and referrals for any issues or needs that may arise, such as:
- counseling,
- support groups,
- acupuncture, etc.
What do Birth Doulas Do?
Some of the things that a birth doula can do are:
- Build a trusting relationship with you during pregnancy
- Answer your questions
- Help you create a birth plan that suits what you want out of your birth experience
- Provide support during your labor and childbirth, such as:
- encouraging you,
- coaching you on breathing and relaxation techniques,
- suggesting labor positions,
- massaging you,
- and offering comfort measures
- Work with your other healthcare providers
- Support your partner or other family members during birth
- Advocate for your wishes and rights in the delivery room (This one is my personal favorite!)
- Help you on your breastfeeding journey
- Assist you with postpartum recovery and adjustment
- Provide resources and referrals for any issues that may arise
A birth doula’s role is to empower you to make informed choices and to help you have the best possible birth experience.
What do Post-Partum Doulas Do?
A postpartum doula can help with many aspects of the postpartum season, such as:
Educating and supporting you on how to care for your newborn, including:
- feeding,
- bathing,
- diapering,
- soothing,
- and sleeping
Helping you get the care you need, such as
- Helping you eat healthful food,
- Get enough hydration,
- Get some rest and recover from childbirth,
- Help you cope with the challenges of your new role
- Supporting your breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding journal
Assisting with household tasks, such as
- laundry,
- dishes,
- meal preparation,
- grocery shopping,
- and light cleaning
Caring for the baby or other children while the parents
- take a nap,
- shower,
- or have some time for themselves
Need activities for your toddler? See this article for 16 easy ideas!
Providing resources and referrals for any issues or needs that may arise, such as
- postpartum depression,
- lactation consultants,
- pediatricians, etc.
Offering emotional and mental health support to the parents and family members, such as
- listening,
- validating,
- encouraging,
- and comforting
Respecting and honoring the parents’ choices and preferences for their birth and postpartum experience
A postpartum doula’s role is to “mother the mother” and empower the parents to feel confident and comfortable in their new role.
None of the above-mentioned doulas perform any clinical tasks, such as checking blood pressure, monitoring the baby’s heartbeat, doing blood work, etc. They also are not meant to be making decisions for you or to speak on your behalf.
Clearly, postpartum birth doulas and fertility doulas do a ton to help you with the tumultuous pregnancy, birthing, and newborn stages. So that leads us into…
At what point in pregnancy should you Hire a doula?
When should you begin your search? Like many things in life, it’s subjective…
There is no definitive answer to when you should hire a doula, as it depends on what you want, what you need, and what doulas nearby are able to take you on as a client.
You can start looking for a doula as soon as you find out you are pregnant, or even before you are planning to conceive. (We’re talking about birth and postpartum doulas here. Obviously, with a fertility doula you would hire them before you get pregnant.)
This will give you more time to research, interview, and have confidence in your choice of doula.
Most people hire a doula between the fourth and sixth months of pregnancy.
This will give you the time you need to establish a relationship with your doula. It also allows for you to benefit from their wisdom, support, and recommendations.
It’s a good idea to look at doulas earlier rather than later because this ensures you will actually be able to book one. The good ones tend to get booked up far in advance!
Some people hire a doula later in pregnancy, such as in the third trimester or even during labor. This may happen if you change your mind about having a doula if you have a change in your birth wishes, or if you were unable to find a doula earlier. While it is possible to hire a doula at the last minute, we don’t recommend it! Doing so will severely limit your options and you won’t have a preexisting relationship with your new doula, so it can have a really negative effect on your feelings towards your birth and postpartum experience.
Some people do not hire a doula at all, either because they do not want one, they cannot afford one, they do not have access to one, or they have other sources of support. If you’re reading this article though, I’m going to assume you’re not one of these people.
While having a doula can be beneficial for many people, it is not a requirement or a guarantee for a positive birth experience.
Getting good sleep before and after the baby arrives is essential. See this article for some life-changing hacks! The Life Changing Effects of Sleep Hygiene: 6 Best Practices So You Can Sleep and Feel Better
How to Find a doula?
Decide what kind of doula you want.
There are different types of doulas who offer different services and have different training and certifications. (See the above for a detailed list.)
Most doulas specialize in one area, but some offer all services (known as full-spectrum doulas).
Think about what kind of support will be the most beneficial for your circumstances. Think about exactly what you and your family want and need for your birth and postpartum experience.
Where to find?
There are many ways to find doulas in your area, such as:
- asking your friends,
- doctor,
- midwife,
- hospital for recommendations
- searching online directories
- websites
- doula organizations
- attending local events and/or meetings for pregnant people and new parents.
It’s highly recommended that you spend some time looking at reviews and testimonials from previous clients to get an idea of what you’re in for with different doulas.
Some essentials to consider when looking for a doula are:
- availability,
- experience,
- training,
- certification,
- fees, services,
- philosophy, personality,
- and compatibility with you and your partner.
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Interview potential doulas
Once you have a shortlist of doulas who meet your criteria, contact them to schedule an interview.
Most doulas offer a free consultation where you can meet them in person or virtually and ask them questions about their background, approach, and expectations. This is also an opportunity for you to get to know them better and see if you feel comfortable and connected with them.
Some Important questions to ask:
How did you become a doula and why do you love this work?
What kind of training and certification do you have?
How many births have you attended and what kinds of births have you supported?
What are your fees and what do they include?
What is your availability?
What kind of backup arrangements do you have in place?
How do you communicate with your clients:
Before birth?
During Birth?
After Birth?
How do you work with other healthcare providers?
How do you support the partner and/or other family members during birth?
What are your views on:
Pain relief?
Interventions?
Breastfeeding?
Etc?
How would you handle any complications that could arise during birth?
What do you do to help me cope with emotional issues after the birth?
What will you do to help me deal with physical problems after the birth?
What to look for when hiring a doula?
This is an incredibly subjective question. Hopefully, the above information about types of doulas as well as the interview questions will help you figure out which doula will be a good fit for you!
Choose your doula
I really encourage you to interview several doulas, so you get a feel for different people in the field. Compare and contrast their answers.
Make sure you “vibe” with the doula you hire!
Trust your intuition and go with the one who makes you feel the most confident, comfortable, and supported. Once you have made your choice, make sure you book them right away so they don’t lose their availability! Sign a contract to make it official, then, enjoy the many wonderful benefits of having a doula by your side throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey!
Thank you Bunches for reading all the way to the end. It means so much to me!
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Resources
DONA International – What is a Doula?
What Is a Doula? Definition, Benefits & Cost of a Birth Doula.
Evidence on: Doulas – Evidence Based Birth
Benefits of a Doula – DONA International
Doulas and Support During Childbirth | Kaiser Permanente