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Originally Posted by ahdoula  If she is a student midwife, she should not be using the word doula in her title at all, the roles are totally different.
I agree every 15 sounds too often. I did know a midwife that *said* she checked that often, but when the mom's told me about their births, if was never that often.
And if she is a student midwife, you can refuse having her attend the birth, just like med students in the hospital. I normally wouldn't do this, as midwives need a place to learn, but if she is bad at what she does, she doesn't need to be at your birth! A midwife needs an assistant yes, but she does not have to be a student.
BTW, if the 'doula' has her certification through a certain org, you can check them out and see if she is outside her scope of practice-chances are if she is acually certifed, she's operating outside the rules she has argreed to in calling herself a doula, not a student midwife.
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She should very making very clear her role at your baby's birth, explain whether she is attending as a doula or MW's assistant. It is her obligation to you, as a provider to a client. One question: do you meet with your MW and her assistant at the same appointment or does the assistant have separate appointments or substitute for the MW? This is important to know, too. This can tell you a lot about what kind of care you will get at the moment of labor and birth, too.
Another thought to add in: Doulas are typically support persons of a mother's choosing, whom the mother seeks out, usually separately from the MW, and interviews, to find the right "fit" for her needs: personality, budget, family circumstances, etc.
Note: Some MW's are more hands-on, like a doula, and some say that they are there to be MW and if you want massage, counterpressure, more emotional involvement, to hire a doula. Not to blur the lines and say doulas can provide MW care, but MW can act more doula-y, too, depending on the kind of care they offer. They are not always mutually exclusive terms, but a mother should be sure to ascertain what the person's official role is and what their idea of how they carry out their role will be--that way, mom can hold their ideals and examine them and see if they fit with what she, the mother, wants for her care.
Do you have a written agreement between yourself and your MW that you signed when you first hired her services? This may outline what she provides, and may include how she handles her relationship with her assistants. That said, you can always speak up when something doesn't feel right to you, as you are the client and she is providing you services. I agree with a PP: you always have the "right" to say who does what or attends your labor and birth.
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