Interview with a Doula

I had the pleasure and great experience of assisting a wonderful friend with the delivery of her baby over a year ago now. It was intense, trance-like, time suspended and each effort was repeated over and over until finally her little boy made his way into the world. I had no idea how I could possibly help when she and her husband first asked me and later she has said she could have never done it without both her husband and myself there. This was my first experience with the role and function of a doula. I was there to provide support and encouragement to both her and husband while the comings and going on the hospital took place.

It was a powerful experience on all levels and I was certain I would want this support as well. A dear friend in Florida is a doula and offered her services, but how to make that happen and work easily was a big challenge for me. So I began to think and meditate on my doula and how I would find her. But how do you even begin to interview a doula, how do you even begin to find one? It felt so right to be there with my girlfriend while she labored, we are friends first. How do you do this with a stranger? Oh boy....

Well, a bit of good fortune shined on us one night at a friend's going away party. We were talking to new parents about their birth experience, which happened to be at the birthing center, and how great the staff was there and how especially great their doula was!!! Ahhh, tell me more. And so I interviewed them and was quite happy with their happiness. I remembered new-dad saying they felt like they now have a friend for life. And well we were all friends one step removed at that party so I felt perhaps this doula was also already my friend, and more importantly this baby's friend. Needless to say, I got her contact info and emailed her the next day!

Shortly following, Brittany came to our house for tea. Friends perhaps but neighbors in fact! She lives on the next block over! Well, that was cool in my opinion. So, there we were having tea in the afternoon sun talking babies, deliveries, and generally getting to know each other. It turns out she also teaches birthing classes and is a lactation consultant. Her rates are very reasonable and she's simply everything I was hoping for. I told her this and that we'd like her to work with us!

First doula interviewed and hired! Wow, soooo much easier than I thought it would be!