How to Find your Doula
While this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are some helpful ideas to get you started
- Start early! Keep in mind that doulas tend to book clients months in advance
- It’s never too late! There is a doula for you, just keep reaching out
- Try searching here on DASC, local doula registries, professional organizations, etc
- We recommend contacting a few doulas before deciding
- Start with phone interviews
- Schedule in-person interviews with your favorites at a location that makes you feel comfortable (your home, a local coffee shop, etc)
Tips for Interviewing a Doula
Finding the right doula is a deeply personal decision. Birth and the postpartum period can be emotional and highly vulnerable times and it’s important to ensure that everyone present helps family members -- especially the birthing person -- feel confident, calm, and safe.
You may want to be prepared to talk about the following:
Business
- Fees
- Philosophies
- Package options
- Preferred contact hours
- Contracts
Background
- How they became a doula
- Why you’re looking for a doula
- Do they work with a backup/partner/team
Your Birth
- How do you envision the birth experience
- Are they willing/available to support you in your preferred birthing location
- Do they have experience with your care provider (midwife, OB, hospital, birth center, etc)
- When will they join you in labor
- Birth doula’s favorite comfort measures/tools
Postpartum
- Postpartum plan
- Who will be with you postpartum
- Talk about your postpartum support network
- Feeding plans
- CPR certification
Additional Resources and Evidence Based Information
DASC Information and Document Downloads
The Hospital Project
For expectant parents:
By using the Hospital Project, expecting families can see which hospital offers support for VBAC, natural births, birth balls, midwives, etc. This site offers the combined knowledge of doulas all over SoCal. Doulas who attend hospital births are able to give insider details about each hospital’s current policies and procedures each time they attend a birth, helping families compare amenities and choose what is best for their desired birth experience.
For Doulas Too
The Hospital Project also allows experienced doulas to rate Los Angeles area hospitals according to their policies, procedures and amenities. The more often doulas update their ratings, the more accurate the rating will be.