FAQ

Why are you providing some of your services virtually?

As with many aspects of life, the COVID pandemic provided an opportunity to rethink how we do things. While our initial shift to virtual services was in response to the pandemic, we quickly discovered that many of our services could continue to be delivered best over a digital platform, including:

• Meet the Doulas

• Prenatal consultations

• Birth doula postpartum consultations

• Classes

• Peer support circles 

• Movement/infant massage sessions 

Over the past three years, we have adapted each of these offerings to provide high-quality services that:

• protect everyone’s health

• contribute to environmental sustainability (reducing carbon emissions, traffic, and time commuting)

• facilitate communication (enabling us to see one another face to face and speak without the barriers of a mask)

• increase convenience and accessibility (join us at home, work, over lunch etc) 

• create opportunities for group gatherings and community building 

Some of the ways that we have adapted for virtual learning include:

• Convenient options for pre-recorded or live learning

• Supplemental resources, including short video clips modeling positions (conveniently available to re-watch during early labor!)

• Virtual learning tools and games to facilitate accessibility and engagement

• Expanded timings and offerings to fit your busy schedule and interests

Can I hire a specific doula?

No. We are a group practice. When you sign a contract with us, you hire the whole team, and not an individual doula. Much like your care providers, we collaborate and work as a team using an on-call schedule. On the day you go into labor, one of our team members will be on-call to provide phone support during the early part of your labor, and join you in person at your home or hospital once you are ready for in-person support. 

After your birth, our postpartum coordinator will reach out to schedule your first few postpartum appointments. We will assign a postpartum doula to support you based on availability and geography. You may continue to work with the same postpartum doula for your remaining appointments or work with our postpartum coordinator to book with another team member. 

We believe that the group model provides our clients with the highest quality support. You have access to a broader range of experience and training with a team. While solo doulas only guarantee availability between 38-42 weeks, we are available to support you as soon as you sign your contract - even over the holidays. With a solo doula, if another client is in labor, if the doula just got back from another birth, or if your doula or their loved one has an emergency, you may end up with a backup doula. We don’t need backup doulas because we have a deep bench of doulas on our team - ready to support you. Solo doulas also often charge an overtime rate for births that last longer than 12-24 hours. We charge a flat rate no matter how long your birth lasts, and will send another doula from our team to continue to provide you with seamless unlimited support.

Why are your services bundled?

We bundle our services to provide the best support possible to the families we serve. While we are happy to provide you with excellent traditional birth doula support (it’s what we’re known for!), we find that our clients feel more prepared for birth - with more integrated skills - after participating in our bundled classes, circles, and movement sessions. We also find that our clients feel more confident entering postpartum knowing that they have support lined up for help at home with our postpartum doulas, help with feeding with our lactation counselors, and a dedicated space for processing birth and all the other changes they are going through with our postpartum circles. Bundled services help us help you meet your pregnant body’s changing physical, mental, and social needs to set you up for the best start possible - on your birth day and beyond.

How do I hire you?

The first step is to sign up to attend our Monthly Meet the Doulas information session with this form. You can also watch a recording of a previous session if you do not want to wait for our next session.  You can also call the Birth Doula phone line (301-338-8143) Monday-Friday between 9am-5pm to talk to the doula on-call if you have questions.

Do you have a doula who is familiar with a specific hospital?

Our doulas have supported births at all of the hospitals and birth centers in the DC Metro area and are familiar with the providers and practices in each of those hospitals. If you have a specific question about your birthing location or are trying to decide on a provider or birthing location, our doulas are happy to talk through those decisions with you. Give us a call!

Will my birth doula advocate for me?

Yes, your doula - and the rest of your DC Birth Doulas team - is your advocate.  During your pregnancy, our team works hard to get to know you and how to best advocate for you. We also help prepare you to advocate for yourself during the birth and postpartum prep classes, support circles, and your private prenatal consultation. Our advocacy style centers first on helping you identify your needs and then creating space to help amplify your voice so that you will be able to clearly express what you want to providers and staff. We facilitate communication and may help you (and others in the room) remember your preferences or restate your concerns when you are very focused on other things.