Interviewing a Postpartum Doula

[3xMama]

DH and I are meeting with a Postpartum Doula next week. We have never interviewed one before and aside from a few obvious questions about how her services would work, what exactly she would do, fees etc. What kind of questions would you recommend asking? Thanks!!

[HollyBearsMom]

Hiring a post partum doula was the best thing I ever did!!!  Since you are already a mom these might not be as important to you as they were for me as a first time mom but hope it helps.

• breastfeeding support: is she a lactation consultant? how does she handle latching issue?  Does she support moms who work and will be pumping? I wanted someone to help me learn how pump, how to store milk correctly, etc.  So many doulas associated with La Leche in this area were VERY against WOHM, were anti pumping, etc.
• Cosleeping support: I was nervous about a family bed risk/dangers but knew that is what I wanted. Did she have experience with other family who coslept
• infant "training" ideas: some doulas still support sleep and feeding training/scheduling.  I wanted none of that.
• OK w/ household chores: some doula's priority is the child, others it is the mother and some both mother/child. I wanted/needed someone who would support the household.  I had no family close by (my sister came for the first week and half) so I wanted a doula who would help feed the freezer, prepare light meals, keep up with the laundry but also be able to take the baby so I could take the occasional shower or take a nap if the night before had been really tough.
• How many other clients is she dealing with at the same time?  On doula I interviewed had 10 postpartum clients and 5 expecting clients all due within 2 weeks of each other. she was doing 3 overnights week for a mom with triplets. I wasn't willing to risk her being unavailable once my son was born.

[windymama]

What about what happens if she's unavailable.  Does she have a back-up?  I'd hate to hire one who's also a labour doula only to find out she can't do some shifts and has to cancel at last minute.