• Are you available for my due date of ....... 
• How much do you charge?
• What is included?
• Is there a deposit to pay?

• How long have you been a doula?
• Have you been a doula throughout all this time or have you had any extended breaks?
• How many families have you been a doula for?
• Can you provide recent references?
• Do you have a back-up in the event of sickness or cross-over in bookings? If yes who is your back-up and can I meet her? Under what circumstances would you send your back-up?
• Are you insured?
• Do you use a written contract or agreement?
• Do you have a DBS check?
• What training, courses or additional learning have you done? What training did you enjoy the most?
• What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
• What skills and abilities do you personally feel you bring to your doula role?
• How do you handle conflicts with family members or medical professionals?
• Do you have children? If yes - how old are the children and how is your childcare organised?
• If the doula has a particular concern about the birth or postnatally e.g. physical, emotional or psychological how would she address those issues specifically?
• If the client has something they are particularly interested in trying – e.g. hypnobirthing or baby wearing/slings: does your doula have experience in supporting/additional qualifications in this?
• What books would you recommend to new parents?
• How do you feel about breastfeeding/bottle feeding and what is your experience of supporting it?
• What if I have a breastfeeding/bottle feeding problem? What can you do to help me?

• What is your availability?
• How long before and after my due date will you be on call?
• What are the closest due dates of your other clients? How many clients do you take a month?
• How many births have you attended?
• How long would it take you to get to me in rush hour?
• What happens if you are sick or a personal emergency arises, do you work with a back-up? Who is your back-up and can I meet her? In what circumstances would you send your back-up?
• How long will you stay with me before and after the birth?
• How do you feel about (insert specific concern)…..elective c-section/epidurals/pool births/freebirthing or any particular birth that you are interested in? 
• What is my partner’s role during labour? Will you support my partner and if so how?
• What are your feelings about midwives/medical professionals? Can you provide an example of what you would do if I really didn't like the midwife assigned to me?
• How many antenatal visits do you provide? How many postnatal visits?
• Will you attend a midwife/hospital appointment with us?
• Can we telephone/email you before and after the birth with questions/concerns we have? Meaning – how often may we contact you during the contract period?
• Which hospitals/midwives have you worked with in the local area, do you have good knowledge of my chosen hospital?
• Can you help us draw up our Birth Plan/Birth Preferences?
• What is your role in early labour?
• What happens if you miss the birth? Is any part of the fee refundable and would you still do the follow-up visits after the birth?
• What happens if we fail to call you in time for the birth?
• What happens if we decide nearer the birth that we no longer require a doula?
• If the baby were breech and it was an elective c-section, would you still support us and how?
• If we want more visits after the birth do you charge for this?

• Could we spend up to 48 hours together?
• Does she listen to me well?
• Do I feel that she will support my wishes?
• Does my partner like her? (or children if applicable e.g. for a home birth perhaps).

• How many hours a day are you available and do you have a minimum number of hours?
• Do you do nights (is the hourly rate different)?
• Do we have to pay your travel costs in addition to your hourly rate?
• Do you work with a back-up?
• Do you also support births and if so, what is your arrangement if you are away at a birth? Would your back-up stand in and can I meet her if this is likely to happen?
• What happens if, for personal reasons, you are unable to be our postnatal doula after the birth and your back-up is also unavailable? Will our deposit be fully refunded?
• What happens if we decide nearer to, or after the birth that we no longer require a postnatal doula? What monies will be due to you?
• What is your availability? Have you other commitments around the dates that I may need you? For example, could you stay a few extra hours at the last minute (emergency, or mother is unwell)?
• Do you have a valid driving licence?
• Are you trained in first aid?
• Can we telephone/email you before the birth with postnatal questions/concerns we have been thinking about?
• How do you view housework/cooking? What are you prepared to do?
• Are you able to help me with (insert specific concern)…dog-walking/school runs/older children?

• Does she listen to me well?
• Do I feel that she will support my wishes?
• Do my partner/children like her?
• Do I want to spend day after day with this postnatal doula?

DBS checks (Disclosure and Barring Service previously CRB). Previously individuals and the self employed could not apply for a DBS certificate of their own criminal record as they were not allowed to ask exempted questions of themselves.  Self employed people (including doulas) can now pay for a DBS check to be carried out.

Doula insurance. This is very much up to the individual doula. Not all doulas (particularly birth doulas) have insurance.