So you think you want a doula? You have read about them, talked to friends and have decided you really want someone knowledgeable and supportive helping you when it's time to deliver your baby. Your next step is finding a doula that is right for you.

Think of a doula as the ultimate birthing coach. Throughout history there has always been support from other experienced women for a woman giving birth. A doula is someone who has been trained in the art of giving birth and knows exactly how to support the often frightened mother-to-be. They are trained to give the best possible emotional, physical and educational support to the birthing mother.

Berna Diehl, a mother of two from Fairfax, Va., says her doula is the only reason she was able to have a vaginal birth after having a prior C-section.

"My first child was an emergency Cesarean, and when I got pregnant again, I decided that I really wanted to have a vaginal birth," says Diehl. "I found an OB practice that was moderately supportive of a vaginal birth after Cesarean, but I knew I was going to need extra 'reinforcements' to increase my chance of having a successful VBAC [vaginal birth after Cesarean]. So I hired a doula to have at my side for encouragement and help in working through labor."

Her doula was everything she dreamed of and more. And having a good hiring plan before she began her doula search helped her find the perfect doula for her.

"I interviewed a couple of different doulas that I found on the Doulas of North America Web site," says Diehl. "I had prepared a list of questions about how much experience they had, if they had attended VBAC moms before, how they would feel if I decided to opt for an epidural and how they would support me if I ended up needing another Cesarean. I got good answers from all three doulas I interviewed, so for me, it boiled down to how much VBAC experience they had and how much chemistry we had."

Before you begin your search for the right doula, you need to figure out exactly what it is you are looking for. Do you want a knowledgeable birth partner? Someone to act as a liaison between you and the medical team? Or are you looking for someone to mother you and give encouragement?

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