Awwww Ren *blushing*

I guess you really have to do your homework when picking a doula and know what to ask, and check references! I have had clients call me, asking, 'I want a birth in hospital will you support me? The last doula would only support me if I had a homebirth.'

I think as a doula, in order to be a good one, you need to keep your clients happy, so you need to make sure their choices are respected and they are treated with dignity and care.

I agree like with what Ren said, you get complex personalities in any industry, gees you get rude wedding celebrants, Obs, midwives - and doulas too.

I think it's important to make sure your doula is clear about what you want, and the client is clear about the doulas beliefs about birth.

Doulas have grown in popularity from positive word of mouth, it's a booming job here in Australia and it wouldn't have done that with lots of dodgy doulas. So I think just make sure you really investigate your choices, don't just choose the first doula because you think she's nice but interview a few. You need to click above all, and so many people I call back who have left messages for me seem to make quick decisions - sometimes if I haven't called them back for 1-2 days they already have found someone! So people are making hasty decisions and I think this decision can't be made lightly!

I also think a doula should offer good resources to the client if she is worried about what the client is being told or what she understands, then allows the couple to make their decision. I can't sit back and watch stuff happen while the client looks on helplessly, like my birth centre client I posted about a few months back. I could not say nothing, it was disgusting. I don't often speak up but I feel an obligation to protect my client if need be. And most of my clients I attract want to be pushed past their personal limits to get that natural birth, but we always work out a 'red light'. It is a tough thing to learn! I have had one situation where I felt that I had to stop, the partner was freaking out majorly and demanding the epidural for his partner and not having met him before (he was too busy for visits) I didn't know this was him being a stresshead as he always was, and this was why she wanted me in the first place. She thanked me profusely after the birth for pushing her past that epidural she asked for. So you really need to know your client. But I would never walk out on one!!!