Become a Doula

I feel in some ways I’ve become one. I’ve had the (very) basic training and I did act as a labor time support for one of the births I was privileged enough to participate in, yet there is so much more I can do with this.

I can get more training, learn more about prenatal care and post labor care. I can offer full help from start to three months after the birth to a woman who needs it. But to get there, I have to work towards it. And I don’t have time for that for a while.

So in some ways I am one, and in many ways I have far to go. But for now I’ll be taking this down the list and maybe add it back on in a few years. ^^

So today marks the end of the two day free training that was offered by two Doulas who are volunteering from the Boston area. I’m so lucky to have this opportunity while here in Leslie county. They’ll be hosting the training again next week along with a two and half hour long Q&A session. I’ll be attending it again and the Q&A in part to get hours but also in part to better absorb the material!

I finished my second book on the required reading list “The Doula Book” It was great and very interesting.

I also went to a conference about raising women’s voices in health care. It was about using personal stories and storytelling to help make and change policies. It was very inspiring and exciting, and I heard an AMAZING NY doula speak. I met her assistant at lunch and got her card. I hope to arrange an informational interview with her if possible sometime this summer. I want to think carefully about what I need to ask her at this point though…

I’m taking a break from the Doula books right now because I got a bunch of library books. But I bought two more from my required reading list, so I can read them when I’m ready.

I haven’t given myself a deadline for when I want to complete the training process. I wonder if I should?

I’ve been thinking about getting certified as a birth doula for several years. I made a movie about midwifery my senior year in college, and became a lifelong believer in supporting womens empowerment of their families through birth. I’ve had it in the back of my mind to become a more active supporter by providing doula services, but always thought I should have a child first.

I haven’t had a child yet, but I don’t see any reason to keep putting off doing the work to be certified. I read Ina May Gaskin’s Guide to Childbirth and found it fascinating. I am now reading The Doula Book, and I’m planning on going to the Metropolitan Doula meeting next week to meet some doula’s in NYC and pick their brains a little.

I am excited to be on this journey.

I have already done one of my three certifying births, but then life intervened, and lately I’ve been having doubts about being a doula. Deep inside I know I still want it, and I need the support of other future doulas.

Well my client, went to see her doctor on Wednesday last weeks and still had a low platelet count, they wanted to send her to see her perinatologist, and he said that he thought that she needed to be monitored and needed some platelets, so they admitted her to hospital and some small contractions started, she called me and explained what was happening, so I said are you ok? do you need me? she said that she didnt right now and I told her that I would be here and if she felt she needed me at ANY time to just call and I would be right there!.. she was contracting about once every 5 minutes and they were not very regular but they were waiting on the platelets and they didnt want to augment her or were not going to and they told her that they thought that a C section would be best!. so she had her c section Thursday night and she is doing well baby is still in the nursey as he was having some prouble breathing they also gave him some antibiotics, to help him and now he has to stay in hospital for five days after the first antibiotic. So I didnt get to be her doula but she has a beautiful little boy whom she cant wait to get home with!
Im just a little disapointed with myself I think that maybe I should have gone to see her the moment she told me she was in hospital, and I kind of feel like I let her down or that maybe she would have got the Vag birth she wanted if I was there!!
Oh well so my first client was never actually a client but at least I was hired by someone!!

And have a couple of births scheduled.

woo-hoo! I’m so excited!

Well on the weekend I got an email from a lady through Bellywomen.net (which I registered on about 2 weeks ago) and she said that she is Due on May 8th and needed to find a Low cost doula, I said that I didnt have my certification yet, but I would love to do it! we met on Wednesday and have answered some email questions for her, and she emailed me back last night and said that she would love for me to be her Doula!!1 YAYYY! Im so excited!! we have got to meet a few times more before the big day… but I got my FIRST client!!! :)

Partlysbabe

for an orientation at a birth center!

I have to get more fliers done.

OK, so I’m a birth freak. I love everything about pregnancy and childbirth. I had all 3 without pain meds, and the last one was born at home in the water. It was awesome! I think we are done having babies, sad to say, but I want to keep connected with birth, so I want to be trained to be a doula.