The importance of an “intake” for new doula clients
You’ve just been hired by a new doula client - congratulations!!! Now what?
While your doula interview is a great starting point for getting to know your clients, the real work to forming a connection begins once you’re hired. In my opinion, prenatal visits are the best way to deepen that connection, but you definitely shouldn’t overlook the value of an intake form in creating that connection either!
What is a Doula Client intake form?
Simply put, an intake form is a questionnaire that helps you get to know your clients in the earlier stages of your relationship with them. It can include basic information like address, contact information, planned place of birth, and their OB or Midwife’s name. It can also include more in-depth information like their vision for their birth or their desired postpartum plan. I also use my doula intake form to inquire if they have any specific questions or are looking for resources which helps me deliver the highest quality of service and support.
Why is a Doula Client Intake Form Valuable?
In addition to helping me learn more about my clients wants and needs, I love using my doula client intake forms to tailor their prenatal or postpartum visits. When they share information about what they want to learn, how they want to feel during their birth experience, etc. it gives me a great foundation for adapting my client visits to meet their educational or emotional support needs. As you know, each client is so very different, so the information they share in the intake form can be really valuable to getting to the nitty gritty of what they want out of the doula-client relationship or out of their experience as a whole.
Another thing I find valuable when using a doula intake form is that it helps me stay organized because it’s all digital. It also expresses a certain degree of professionalism to have branded forms for your clients to utilize when working with you. You can easily include it in your welcome packet too!
What Should I Include in My Doula Client Intake Form?
I’ve already talked about using your intake form to gather the basics, but you can also use it to ask more personal and in-depth questions to really explore what type of support your doula client is seeking.
I’ve included a few examples below, but if you want to simplify your life check out our fully customizable Doula Client Intake Form and edit it to your specific business needs and include your own unique branding elements.
Overall how are you feeling physically during pregnancy? How about emotionally?
Do you feel supported by your family and friends? Please share more about how you’re supported or why you don’t feel supported.
Do you have any physical or emotional concerns that you feel may impact your pregnancy or postpartum? If so, please share as much about this as you wish.
In what ways do you hope a doulas support will be helpful for you?
This resource for doulas also includes questions specifically for the partner so you can best support them as well!
Intake forms help explore the challenges, questions and needs of your doula client and help them communicate what they want when working with you. Essentially it helps you and your client to get the most out of your relationship and allows you to meet them exactly where they’re at in their journey.
