Frequently Asked Questions
Things people often ask about birth and postnatal doula support.
I have never interviewed a doula before! What should I ask you?!
Don’t worry – this is actually often the case for many people! I would encourage you to approach our initial consultation mostly as an opportunity for us to get to know one another, more or less as a ‘vibe check’! Can you see yourself feeling comfortable in my presence? That is honestly the most important thing to be feeling for – you want to feel that you can relax with me around, especially when I am supporting your birth or spending time with you in your home.
What if I do not feel sure about booking you after our consultation? Can I meet with you again later on?
It is a good idea to treat the consultation as a serious opportunity for meeting a doula that you may book with – this is certainly how I treat it, and I use the opportunity to give you a good clear sense of who I am and how I work with clients. When considering birth support, I hold prospective clients’ estimated due dates open for 4 working days after our consultation, during which time you may book with me (and/or meet other doulas if you like). If you are at a stage of thinking more casually about booking a doula, you may want to hold off on the consultation stage until you feel clear that you are closer to making a booking.
There are of course very understandable exceptions to this suggestion that you book a consultation fairly close to what you anticipate to be the booking stage - for instance if you are early in a fertility journey and researching your options. I'm very happy to meet in these kinds of circumstances.
After the initial consultation, can I meet with you again with my partner or birth supporter accompanying me?
Certainly we can meet a second time before you make a decision to work with me – please note that for a second meeting there will be a £50 consultation fee, whether the meeting is on Zoom or in person. That fee will be deducted from any package you book with me.
I am always happy to answer questions via email if something occurs to you that you did not ask in our first meeting.
I do not plan to have a birth partner/supporter – can you as a doula be my sole supporter?
Yes, I am happy to offer that kind of support. It would be an honour.
As a doula, do you support the birth partner/supporter as well as the birthing person?
Yes indeed, my role is to support both of you – in fact the whole family! I will never try to get between you and your partner, or try to replace your partner in any way. I will be guided by your wishes and my own instincts in terms of how close I need to be to you at any given time before, during or after birth, or how much I need to give you space.
I am nervous about being seen as a pushy or demanding patient by the medical staff, because I have a doula. When you say you ‘advocate’ for clients, how does this look in practice?
This is totally understandable, and please be assured that my advocacy for clients within medical settings, or when communicating with medical professionals, is quite light touch. It is usually simply a matter of reminding you of your preferences during a conversation with a medic, of checking that you have understood any processes that are explained to you, of asking for extra time to consider options that may be presented. Even if a slightly stronger voice is needed at any time during the process of communicating with staff, I never work beyond your wishes – all my advocacy on your behalf aims to be in line with what I understand your desires and best interests to be. Part of the work of advocating is also in fact in building your own confidence to advocate for yourself.
Are you the kind of doula that will try to encourage me towards as natural a birth as possible?
My priority as a doula is that you are respected, listened to, and that you have an opportunity to reflect on the kind of birth and postpartum you would like, and to put things in place to support that. That is to say, I am led by you. I have absolutely no agenda as to whether your birth is medicalised or not. I believe strongly that it is not being listened to, not being treated with respect, that is damaging in the birth space. Your personal birth preferences are not damaging, and I will always work to support your wishes in our time together.
Can you support me in getting breastfeeding/chestfeeding/infant feeding established?
Yes, I can provide basic support for breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and infant feeding. If you require more specialist or complex support, I will refer you on to a trusted lactation consultant.
As a postnatal doula, can you look after my baby and/or my older children?
My emphasis in my postnatal doula work is to make life easier for the person who has recently given birth. Sometimes that will look like holding your baby so you can get some sleep, or simply have time to yourself. I can spend time with your older children if you would like. My priority is your wellbeing and rest, so if that is what you need, I am more than happy. The way that I differentiate between my role and the role of a childcare provider is this: usually I would expect that you are mostly in the home while I am supporting you.
In postnatal doula support, do you cook and/or provide meals?
As part of my basic postnatal doula support I do provide soups, broths and nourishing snacks, which I make at my home and bring to you. If you would like me to cook meals for you, I can do so either at my home with an additional charge of £35 per hour plus the cost of ingredients, or I can cook at your home (as long as it is clear that for the hour that I cook I am not undertaking other tasks as well).
