Essential Questions to Ask a Doula Before Hiring

Choosing a doula is one of the most important decisions you'll make during your pregnancy journey. The right doula can provide invaluable support before, during, and after your baby arrives. The right doula can also help you transition life changes, such as a pregnancy loss or the decision and follow-up after an elective abortion. The question is how do you know if a doula is the right fit for you? The answer lies in asking the right questions.

Questions About Training and Experience

What is your training and certification?

Not all doulas have formal certification, and that's okay, but you should understand their background. Ask which organization certified them (DONA International, CAPPA, ICEA), how many births they attended during training, whether they pursue continuing education, and any additional specializations like lactation, fertility, pregnancy loss, mental health supportor childbirth education.

How many births have you attended?

Experience matters, but newer doulas can be just as dedicated and knowledgeable. A newer doula might offer lower rates or more availability, while a more experienced doula brings pattern recognition from hundreds of births. What matters is that you feel confident in their abilities.

Do you have experience with my type of birth plan?

Whether you're planning an unmedicated birth, elective induction, scheduled cesarean, VBAC, or water birth, ask if your doula has supported similar births. If you have specific medical conditions like gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, ask about their experience supporting clients with these situations.

Questions About Their Philosophy and Approach

What is your birth philosophy?

Every doula has a philosophy about birth—some lean toward supporting unmedicated births, while others are equally comfortable with all pain management options. Neither approach is wrong, but it needs to match your preferences. Ask how they feel about epidurals, whether they support all birth choices, including cesareans, and how they balance evidence-based care with personal preferences.

How do you support partners during labor?

Your doula shouldn't replace your partner—they should enhance their ability to support you. Ask how they involve partners in the birth process and whether they've worked with partners who felt uncertain about their role. Good doulas coach partners on comfort measures, help them feel included, and give them breaks when needed.

What comfort techniques do you use?

Ask about position changes and movement, massage and counterpressure techniques, breathing and relaxation methods, use of birth balls and other props, hydrotherapy recommendations, and any complementary approaches they use.

Questions About Availability and Logistics

When do your services begin and end?

Most doulas offer prenatal visits (usually 2-3 meetings), on-call availability starting around 37-38 weeks, continuous support from active labor through a few hours after birth, and one postpartum follow-up visit. Clarify exactly what's included in their package.

What is your on-call availability?

Ask detailed questions:

• How many clients do they take per month?
• What's their backup plan if they're unavailable?
• Will you meet the backup doula before your due date?
• How quickly can they typically arrive after you call?

Which hospitals or birth centers do you work with?

If you're giving birth in a hospital, ask if they're familiar with your facility's policies, layout, and staff. Some hospitals are more doula-friendly than others, and your doula's familiarity with the environment can be helpful.

Questions About Communication and Boundaries

How do we communicate during pregnancy?

Understanding communication expectations prevents misunderstandings. Ask whether they prefer text, phone calls, or email, their typical response time, and whether you can reach out with questions between scheduled prenatal visits.

 What signs should prompt me to call my doula, and how should I communicate when labor begins?

Your doula will review signs of labor with you ahead of time and explain when to reach out. They’ll also clarify how to contact them and what information to share when labor begins.

What happens if you're at another birth when I go into labor?

This is crucial. Every doula should have a clear backup plan, ideally with someone you've met who has similar training and philosophy.

Questions About Postpartum Support

What postpartum services do you offer?

Birth doulas and postpartum doulas provide different services. If your doula offers both, ask what postpartum support includes: breastfeeding or chestfeeding support, newborn care education, emotional support during the "fourth trimester," and whether they provide light household help or support for partners and older siblings.

Do you provide lactation support?

Many doulas have training in breastfeeding support, though they're not lactation consultants unless separately certified as an IBCLC. Ask about their knowledge level and when they'd recommend seeing a lactation consultant.

Questions About Cost and Insurance

What are your fees and payment structure for care that my insurance does not cover?

Most health plans in California cover 8 visits- prenatal/postnatal, labor/delivery support, and 2 postpartum visits. Some plans also cover additional visits after birth or pregnancy loss/abortion.
Many doulas offer additional support that includes services that are excluded from health plan coverage- things like special forms of massage, vaginal steaming, placenta preservation, and others. The doula should be able to explain these services and provide you with the cost of these services that would not be billed or covered by insurance.

Do you accept insurance or Medi-Cal?

California law now requires Medi-Cal to cover doula services, and some private insurance plans also provide coverage. Ask potential doulas whether they accept insurance directly or provide a superbill for reimbursement, which insurance plans they work with, and what documentation is needed for claims.

If navigating insurance coverage feels overwhelming, Raya Health specializes in connecting California families with doulas who accept their insurance, including Medi-Cal.

Questions About Values and Inclusivity

How do you approach cultural preferences and traditions?

Your doula should respect and honor your cultural background, family traditions, and personal values. Ask how they've worked with families from diverse backgrounds and whether they've received cultural competency training.

Do you have experience supporting LGBTQ+ families?

If you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, you deserve a doula who uses affirming language and understands your unique needs. Ask about their experience supporting queer families, including trans and non-binary birthing people.

What is your approach to informed consent and patient autonomy?

A good doula supports your decisions, even when they differ from the doula's personal preferences. Ask how they handle situations where you might choose differently than they would recommend.

Red Flags to Watch For

While interviewing doulas, be aware of potential warning signs:

• Pushiness about your birth choices or attempts to convince you of "the right way"
• Negative talk about doctors, midwives, hospitals, or medical interventions
• Promises about specific birth outcomes
• Poor communication during the prenatal period
• Unwillingness to work with your healthcare provider
• No backup doula arrangement
• Resistance to discussing their training or experience

Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it's okay to keep looking.

How Many Doulas Should You Interview?

Most families interview 2- 3 doulas before making a decision. This gives you a sense of different personalities, approaches, and pricing without becoming overwhelming.

After each interview, reflect on whether you felt comfortable and heard, whether they answered your questions thoroughly, whether you can imagine them supporting you during labor, and whether their services align with your and your family’s needs.

When to Start Your Search

You can start to interview doulas when you are planning a pregnancy or even as soon as you become pregnant. This gives you time to research and interview multiple doulas, attend prenatal visits and build a relationship, and secure your preferred doula's availability—experienced doulas do book up quickly.

That said, it's never too late. Even if you're in your third trimester OR even if you are postpartum, you can still get support; many doulas have availability.

Making Your Decision

After interviewing doulas, give yourself time to process. Discuss with your partner if you have one, and don't feel pressured to decide immediately. Let the Raya doula care coordinator know which doula you feel most comfortable with.

Your doula relationship is a partnership. The questions you ask during the interview process set the foundation for open communication, mutual respect, and the supportive birth experience you deserve.

Finding Insurance-Covered Doulas in California

Raya Health makes this process simple by helping you find qualified, experienced doulas in your area who accept your insurance. Instead of calling dozens of doulas to ask about insurance, Raya Health connects you with doulas who are already set up to work with your coverage.

Every family deserves the support a doula provides—asking the right questions ensures you find the perfect match for your birth journey.