Some of the most common questions asked of me come directly from the "How to hire a doula" page found at DONA® International's website. I will answer those 9 questions directly, but it doesn't end there. I have also added 8 additional common questions that I have encountered in my years as a Birth Doula.

For more general Frequently Asked Questions about Doulas, click on Doula FAQ from the menu to the left.

QUESTIONS:

What training have you had?

As seen on my About Me page, I am a Certified Lactation Specialist (CLS), a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator (LCCE), a Certified Birth Doula (CD-(DONA)), and a Certified Infant Massage Instructor (CIMI-Loving Touch). Lastly, although I do not currently practice as such, I am also a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

Do you have one or more backup doulas for times when you are not available? May we meet her/them?

Yes, I do in fact make use of a backup for every birth. PLEASE NOTE: I have attended every birth for which I have been contracted. I have absolutely no objection to clients meeting with my backup, nor have I ever had a backup unwilling to be available for such a meeting.

What is your fee, what does it include and what are your refund policies?

As you research Birth Doulas, you will find a wide, yet typical, price range of $300 to $1,200 for a Certified Doula. The basic average is $600-$800 in much of Chicagoland. There are several factors that determine the cost, such as:

• Certifications/Credentials
• Experience
• Services Offered
• Economics of your Community
• Depth of Involvement

Due to the economic changes that affected all of us here in the U.S. in late 2008, I lowered my fee for Birth Doula services for an indefinite period of time, while at the same time, other Birth Doulas actually raised their fees. The decision to lower my fee was based solely on my desire to ensure doula services would remain a financially reasonable expenditure for folks in these difficult economic times.

As of September 22, 2008, the standard fee for my Birth Doula services is now $495, and there are no changes to the standard services offered, as seen on my Services page, under the Birth Doula Services heading.

After researching Birth Doulas, I believe you will find that my standard Birth Doula services are more extensive than most Birth Doulas. When combined with my extensive credentials, I believe you will be hard-pressed to find another Birth Doula with my combined educational background and experience, that also offers the same standard services.

PLEASE NOTE: If you feel that your personal situation deserves special consideration, I encourage you to contact me to work on alternative options for pricing.

My refund policy is as follows:

• For failure to attend your birth due to circumstances beyond my control ("acts of God"), a partial refund can be discussed, reviewing each situation independently.
• If I am unable to attend your birth because you fail to contact me via the predetermined contact methods, there will be no refund.

Tell me about your experience as a birth doula (a.k.a. How many births have you attended?)

To date (June 30, 2010), I have attended 30 births. I was hired as the primary Birth Doula for 29 births, and I have also attended a birth as the on-call backup Birth Doula (the primary Birth Doula was in Arizona at the time of the birth). Additionally, in the earliest portion of my experience as a Birth Doula, I witnessed 5 births in the capacity of an active observer. In total, I have been a party to 35 births.

What is your philosophy about birth and supporting women and their partners through labor?

Every birth should develop according to the wishes and desires of the mother and her family. My role in the process is to remain completely supportive of the mother and her family as they seek to reach the goals they've laid out. Whether a woman wishes to have a completely Natural Childbirth, or if she prefers a Medicated Birth, my role remains the same, to remain completely supportive of the mother and her family. In short, I believe the every birth should be customized according to the specific wishes and desires of the mother and her family.

May we meet to discuss our birth plans and the role you will play in supporting me through birth?

Absolutely! It is extremely important to meet with with you to discuss your wishes for your upcoming birth.

May we call you with questions or concerns before and after the birth?

Absolutely! A primary characteristic of my duty as a Birth Doula is that once I have been hired, I am always available to answer questions. Whether your baby was born last week, or last year, you can always ask me questions. Furthermore, if there is a question that I am unable to answer, I will either research the topic myself and report back to you, or I will specifically direct you to someone that can answer the question.

When do you try to join women in labor? Do you come to our home or meet us at the place of birth?

Quite simply, I join women in labor when they are ready for me. In some cases, a woman will prefer that I go to their residence, and in other cases, the woman may prefer that I go directly to the hospital. In any case, I will join them during the labor process at the location of their choosing. Again, the birth should be customized according to the specific wishes and desires of the mother and her family.

Do you meet with us after the birth to review the labor and answer questions?

As part of my standard services, I include immediate postpartum time reaching as much as 2 hours, as well as one postpartum visit in your home.

Immediate postpartum needs vary from one birth to another. I may need to help mom move her belongings to her postpartum room, or perhaps get her something to eat. Mom may need assistance taking a shower, or going to the washroom. Mother's partner may need a break too. Quite often, I am simply asked to just "hang out" and talk. I can assist mom with breastfeeding initiation/latching-on for her first nursing session. If mother and her partner are busy with the baby, but want to tell everybody the good news, I can make phone calls on my client's behalf. Truly, the intent is to make sure you are as comfortable as possible, and able to enjoy your new baby.

As for our postpartum meeting, we get together about a week or so after the birth where we can talk about the birth, and make sure you had a great experience. We can address any questions you may have about the birth. I can provide information on subjects of interest, such as finding a pediatrician, parenting groups, or issues with postpartum depression and breastfeeding. Afterword, it’s time to play with the baby.

Though the following questions do not currently appear on DONA® International's "How to hire a doula" page, these are some additional questions that are commonly asked of me.

Have you ever been part of a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean)?

Technically, I have not. While I have, in fact, had the unbelievable opportunity to help 3 women attempt a VBAC - doing literally everything possible to achieve that goal - circumstances were such that alternate plans were required in each case, for which there were already accommodations in place.

Have you ever been part of a C-Section (Caesarean Section)?

Yes, I have been a part of the procedure. In September of 2007, I was able to “scrub-in” for a Caesarean-Section surgery. It was an amazing experience, and served as invaluable learning opportunity.

Have you ever worked with teens?

Yes. I had the pleasure of working with a 17 year old girl. Due to her personal circumstances, I was her sole source of support, not only for the labor and delivery of her baby, but also before the labor and delivery of her baby. I felt honored to be a part of this young lady’s life, and I felt absolutely grateful that I was able to be a positive part of this young mother’s birth.

Have you ever been a part of a home birth?

While I was hired to work with a couple who planned a home birth, the baby had plans of its own, and a hospital birth took place instead.

How far are you willing to travel?

In general, for the sake of all parties involved, travel is limited to the distance that can be covered in one hour. However, I am willing to travel farther than the one hour mark, provided that you fully understand the implications of additional travel times, and you understand that additional charges may apply.

How much time do you really dedicate to a birth?

Generally, 7-8 hour labors are considered pretty short. First-time labors last an average of 14-16 hours. I am with you the entire time, even if the whole process lasts for 27 hours (which I have personally encountered). Including prenatal and postpartum meetings, there is an additional 6-8 hours dedicated to your birth, with phone calls, emails and research accounting for an additional 3-4 hours. Lastly, travel-time, whether for meetings, or the birth itself, can account for another 4-6 hours. On average, I have dedicated approximately 30 hours to the births for which I have been contracted.

Not only that, but ... in order to make a firm commitment to be available, and to avoid birth conflicts, I limit my number of clients. Some in the birthing field believe that one client per week is a full, yet acceptable schedule. For me, I limit myself to 2 clients per month, which allows me to fully dedicate myself to each family's childbirth experience.

Lastly ... beginning two weeks prior to your due date, and extended two weeks beyond the due date, I remain on-call, 24 hours a day. Within this period of time, I do not schedule any other births, as my time is dedicated only to your birth. I refer to this feature of my services as the Four-Week Wraparound of Due Date . I do not schedule vacations, nor do I travel beyond a reasonable distance required to attend your birth. Exceptions to this rule are only allowed when expressly consented to by the client.

Why did you become a Birth Doula?

Okay, hold on to your seat, as the answer to this question is not brief.

I have always been fascinated by pregnancy, and birth. In time, I learned an unfortunate truth - that doctors are often unable to fully inform their patients about all of their options, and that there are possible side effects from various medical interventions. I was determined to help change the effects of this fact.

As a Birth Doula, I am proud to serve as an invaluable source of information to expectant moms, and their families. It's an honor to help people during the miracle of childbirth, and it gives me deep satisfaction.

After a tragic accident in my family, I learned very quickly that we all need to be strong advocates for ourselves, and our family. By creating informed clients, I am able to directly help people become their own strongest advocate. Yet, my assistance does not stop when the client is completely informed, rather, I am a constant, additional source of support, and advocacy.

While I was attending a class in college, I met a women whose mother is a midwife. Moving well into a very satisfying conversation, this woman told me about Doulas, and literally, no more than two hours later, I enrolled in DONA® International's certification program. Really!

Incidentally, I recently learned that my great grandmother was performing the duties of a Doula, all before a time when the term was used as it is today. I am proud to carry on the tradition.