Postpartum Doula Interview Questions

Because lots of expectant parents ask us for guidance on what to ask when interviewing postpartum doulas, we figured we should go ahead and make it a public blog post!

As we mentioned on teh birth doula interview questions post, the “right” questions will vary from person to person. You won’t want to ask ALL of these questions (plan for ~30 minutes for your complimentary consult/interview), so curate for yourselves which questions you’d like to ask or use this as a creative starting point to come up with your own.

General Background & Experience

• What inspired you to become a postpartum doula?

• What do you love most about being a doula? What is hardest about it?

• Tell me about your experience, training and/or certification(s) (note: not only postpartum doula but also breastfeeding/bodyfeeding and infant CPR, if desired)

• Any other specialties that you incorporate into your work? (examples: babywearing, sleep, mental health, herbalism, homeopathy, other holistic and/or bodywork modalities such as craniosacral therapy or reiki.)

• Do you have experience working with families with similar needs to ours (e.g., C-section recovery, multiples, special needs, single parents, LGBTQIA+, specific medical conditions for parent or baby, etc.)?

• Have you supported families with babies in the NICU? If so, what did that support look like logistically?

Approach & Philosophy

• How do you typically support new parents in the postpartum period? What specific ways do you support the birthing parent’s recovery & holistic wellness?

• What can you share about your approach to newborn care, feeding, and sleep?

• Are there certain kinds of families that you find you are a good fit for, or prefer to (or not) to work with and why?

• How do you handle situations where your advice differs from what the parents want to do?

• What is your approach to supporting both parents in adjusting to life with a newborn?

• If we have our family/in-laws/friends coming to care for us after the baby comes too, how would you typically work with or alongside them to support us as a team?

• Can you help with breastfeeding, pumping, or formula-feeding guidance?

• What is your experience with & approach to infant sleep guidance?

• Are there light household tasks you’re willing to do (laundry, meal prep, etc.)?

Logistics & Availability

• What are your typical hours and schedule availability?

• Do you offer overnight support? If so, how does that work?

• What is your cancellation or rescheduling policy?

• What’s your policy if you get sick or have an emergency or birth you’re called to when we’re scheduled for a shift? Do you have a backup doula arrangement/option or is it just a reschedule/cancellation?

• If you’ve ever had past clients that you had to sever a contract with, or cease working with for some reason, can you say more about that?

• How long do families typically work with you? How long do you recommend daytime shifts be? Nighttime?

Fees & Contract

• What are your rates, and do you offer packages?

• Do you require a deposit, and what is your payment schedule?

• What happens if we need more or less support than originally planned?

• Do you have a contract we can review?

If you’re an expectant parent, already a parent, or birth worker, let us know if there are things you’d add (or things birth workers out there do NOT like to be asked!)!