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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Let's Talk Doulas

Alright, let's just jump right in & talk about it. Let's talk Doula. Rae, this is for you. You ask & you shall receive . . .

Before we start I want to point out the obvious. This makes my second post. So I guess I've officially steped into blogger land. I think that it was obvious to me, all day today, when I started thinking in blog posts. Do any of my blogging friends/followers do THAT? Seriously, tell me I'm not the OnLy one!

Okay back to everything Doula. Some post I'll look up the stats and tell you all of the good stuff Doulas do. BUT this time I just want to tell you about my inspiration. I wanna share my heart from a laboring Mamas view.

My original DOULA LOVE. Her name is Dollie. She was my Doula with my first, born almost 8 years ago. Actually, 8 years ago on May 7th to be exact. Wow. That's a long time ago. Typing it seems unreal. Dollie was the best. I was actually pretty blessed to have Dollie be put in my path.

I was still in chiropractic college, 8 years ago. I was to graduate a month or so after the baby was to be born. I started my first few prenatal appointments at one of those groups. There was a midwife there but there were also OB's & my appointments would rotate with who they were with. And when you went into labor whoever was on call was who you got. Luck of the draw. Let's just say I didn't click with one of the OB's.

Now it is a total myth that chiropractors don't get along with MDs. Or atleast that is not the case with me. I know & like quite a few. He just didn't have any, should we say, bedside manner. And the result was that it brought me to my original MIDWIFE LOVE ~ Gayle. She, also, was the best. When you went into labor, you knew it was with her. And she KNEW respect & labor.

Off track, back to Dollie. Without her, without a doubt, I would have ended up a c-section statisitc. I have nothing against necessary c-sections. I was a c-section baby myself. I do take issue with the routine interference of a totally naturally process ~ birth~ trying to be shoved into "norms" and some doctors schedules. Babies are smart. They know what to do. So do our bodies. We've just been told, maybe by a well meaning person, that nature & God don't always know best. How redicoulious is THAT?!?

So Dollie. She walked in to my life. She was our birth educator too. She was a Bradley Method Educator & we secured her last Doula spot for the month of May. We scraped together something like $500, as a super poor college student. Because we just KNEW we needed her. She told us about writting a birth plan. Then she stepped out of our way and let us visualize our baby's birth. Then she softly reminded us our plan is great, but flexibility in birth is key.

When I finally called Dollie to come to our house & help us labor I had already been having contractions that I couldn't sleep though for atleast 24 + hours. I was tired, I was scared, & I was fighting birth. She immediatly affirmed me when she walked in. She told me I was doing great. She pointed out every time I had a contraction I would lean my forehead on the door jam, which apparently, was a natural pressure point to releive pain. I was instinctually doing it. Affirmation. And I can breathe. It's gonna be okay. She pointed out that I needed to go with the contractions not fight them. And I could breathe a little more.

I had seen my midwife that morning. Gayle was certain that "I wasn't gonna have this baby tonight." Maybe in a few days. I tucked that in the back of my head. When I was so tried and at a very broken point...that thought came back to me. That one statement, in passing, during my appointment. Gayle didn't mean anything by it, but I held on to those words. When Dollie & I were in the bedroom by ourselves. I broke down. I sobbed. I told her I can't do this for two more days. She looked me directly in the eyes. She told me I wouldn't have to. She was so sure. She gave me courage when I had none. I am crying typing this. What an amazing woman.

We walked & walked around the neighborhood. Stopping along the way to have a contraction here & there. The neighbor lady down the block comming to her door on that georgous May evening, peering out at me leaning against my husband and my superwomen Doula squeezing my hips together to offer counter pressure. Awesome. And I can breathe. It will be okay.

Back at the house labor is rolling now. Soon it is obvious I've hit transition. Time to go to the hospital, just like we planned. Dollie's so cool, she has Gayle's # in her cell phone. She's gonna meet us there. All through the rest of the labor & delivery she was there for us. All & all my labor & delivery ended up being something like 54 hours. If I hadn't had Dollie, I just may have given up. I might not have had anyone there to tell me it was normal. That it'd be okay. That I could do it.

She showed my husband & I how to labor together. She taught my husband how to be a rockstar birth partner. Something I greatly appreciated my next two births! She gave me support. She gave me courage. She gave me love. She was my advocate. She was my rock.

Dollie had a great birth story herself. If I remember it right, she has an induction with her first that led to a c-section. The amazing woman that she is...was able to have a successful - natural - unmedicated - VBAC with her second. Her mantra in class was "If I can have a natural birth, so can you. I don't like pain. I did it." So that is my inspiration. And that is my message to you too. If I can do it (3 times) so can you. You were made wonderfully and beautifully. YOU WERE MADE TO BIRTH.

Blessings & Love to You All,

You Are AMAZING

5 comments:

  1. AWESOME! I NEEEED Dollie!!!! :)

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  2. I love your blog already!! Even if I am not pregnant or have any kids, this is something to THINK about... THANK you!!

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  3. Rea,
    Yes Dollie is AWESOME indeed. You don't need HER though. Find a Doula that you click with. NEVER forget...You CAN do it!

    Doula's are there to be your Everything-Go-To person in birth. The rate of unnecessary interventions does typically go down with a Doula ~ They are human, even though they may seem super human! ;)

    If you seriously want a Doula, I would be humbled to be there for you. Message me :)

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  4. Truly His,

    Soooo glad you are enjoying the blog :)

    Thank YOU for the support!

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  5. Amazing, simply amazing! Thank you very much for sharing :)

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