So a friend recently advised me that maybe I would be interested in speaking with her Doula after learning that she just gave birth to her first child naturally. My first question was, what is a Doula? Was this some sort of hippie thing that I haven't had the privilege of learning about? I mean when I hear that a woman has had natural birth, or given birth at home or at a birth center the first thing that comes to mind is a tent in the woods, a bonfire, and someone holding the new born in the air under the moonlight.
HA. I know a little crazy, but honestly that is where my mind goes when you spend your life understanding pregnancy only works one way. Hospital + Epidural = Baby.
Of course I didn't say this outloud, these thoughts all happen in my head while the rest of me smiles and nods in appreciation for the info. Since I am on a quest to learn as much as I can about my options I decided I wanted to speak to this so called Doula. I mean, what could it hurt? I still haven't exactly decided on my birth plan.
I started to do some research on what exactly a Doula is and their role during pregnancy before making the call. I don't want to sound completely dumbfounded. Come to find, Doula's have actually existed for centuries. Though, they may not have always been called by this name. These women believe that helping other women during pregnancy and labor while also attending to the mother and child after birth would help establish the new mother from pregnancy to motherhood. This role included having someone who is familiar with what is going on with your body during pregnancy, what to expect during labor and give both comfort and support during the entire process.
Modern day movies and television have given us the idea that the husband or partner is our coach or support team. haha. I can see why that is so funny. How many husbands out there can actually handle hours of intense labor, be emotionally supportive and know exactly what to do? No offense, but most men catch a common cold and think they are barely going to survive unless we nurse them to health again. So I guess I never thought about that. I had no idea what to expect during labor so I never thought about having someone with me to help me along the way.
I made my phone call and I am pretty sure I sounded like the most uninformed first time mother she probably has ever spoken too. "Hi, yes...umm... I am about 19 weeks and I wanted to know if I could hire you for your...umm... Doula services?" I had no idea what I was looking for but I knew that I have not completely eliminated the idea of a pain free birth. So my birth plan right now was to have this Doula at my side for comfort and support, while also seeking a hospital and getting an epidural. I wanted the best of both worlds. Someone to hold my hand basically while I was at the hospital. I am not even sure why I wanted a Doula except that it sounded like she would rub my back and bring me soothing things when I started feeling uncomfortable. More importantly, she would be my voice of reason to the doctor and nurses while I was in their care.
The truth was, I had no idea what my voice of reason was. I didn't know what I wanted, or what kind of birth plan I was seeking. I didn't know anything except that I wanted to feel comforted through this entire pregnancy. Easier said than done.
She really must have sensed my confusion and started to ask me several questions. How did I hear about her, and what were my intentions with the birth? Have I considered natural birth? Did I understand exactly what happened in a hospital and what kind of treatment is usually given?
Hmmm...We'll..Yes? We'll...I mean..kind of? I am on this journey seeking these answers but they don't exactly jump out at you. She sent me to a few websites and asked me to review the information, take a day to think about it and then she would be in contact with me to discuss things from there. This was probably the best advice I have been given yet. She didn't push me to do anything I didn't want to do, she didn't scare me with facts or horrific stories, she simply guided me in the right direction and allowed me to generate my own thought process about my birth plan.
No comments:
Post a Comment