10 Questions to Ask Your Doula About Backups
Who is your backup?
I will need to meet them before my birth, so please let me know how I can connect with them.
What experience do they have? Are they certified?
Do they have certificaiton, training, and experience with….. (VBAC, waterbirth, epidurals, unmedicated birth, inductions, preeclampsia, GD, high risk pregnancies, high risk births, GBS, Hypnobirthing, breathing techniques, hands-on support…..)or other things that matter to me?
How often do you work with this backup?
Is it someone you collaborate with regularly, or just whoever is available last-minute?
Will I pay the same fee if a backup attends?
(You deserve to know what your investment covers.)
How will I be notified if a backup needs to step in?
What’s the plan for communication so I’m not surprised on my birth day?
At what point do you call in a backup?
Is it only in emergencies, or could it also be if you’re attending another birth that runs long?
Will the backup come straight to me, or do you try to make it first if you can?
(This helps you understand whether the plan is seamless or uncertain.)
Have had your backup attended a birth for you before?
Knowing they’ve worked together means they share a rhythm and style of support.
Will my preferences and birth plan be shared with the backup ahead of time? How do I know who and how you are sharing my private history and communications with you?
Or do I need to communicate those directly?
What qualities or training do you look for when choosing a backup?
This tells you whether the doula prioritizes alignment in philosophy, skill, and experience.
✨ Asking these questions gives you confidence and clarity—because your doula support should feel reliable, no matter what.
