Over the past few months, I've been interested to see if becoming a doula is for me. Recently, an opportunity presented itself to try my hand at being a labor helper for a woman due next month. As I do not have any formal training in such things, there are many things I do not know. I want to give this woman as much support and help as I can during the hardest work she will probably ever do in her life.
This is where you come in: Do you, readers who have had babies, remember the things that made your labor harder that would have not been so if someone had just __________? Were there things someone did or did not do that you found helpful or think you would have found helpful? Is there anything that burns in your memory that I may be able to use or keep in mind? I'm really looking for specifics here, so please explain what you mean.
Any readers who have not had babies are also welcome to weigh in if you have good insight or experience on the subject. I really am looking for any good ideas to be a better help to her. Fire away!
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Hey Sarah! What an exciting experience this will be!
ReplyDeleteI have a few tips that helped me...
In very active labor I wanted my lower back (almost to my butt crack) massaged with a lot of pressure. Jarod would "hit the spot" for a second and I kept thinking that I would have loved "that spot" massaged during the entire contraction.
In transition Jarod stood behind me and I would fall into him. He'd hold me up under my arm pits. I would be completely limp. By doing this I felt most of the pain and pressure leave my back and bottom. Or maybe I just fainted during those contractions and don't remember the pain! Either way, I want to do that again next time. I want to be held up from behind.
Shortly after Micah came out Jarod came in the room with cold orange juice for me. (you may remember this from the Bradley book) The juice had been frozen and put in the fridge for a few days so it still had little slivers of ice in it. It tasted SO good to me! After all that hard work I wanted my OJ and a subway sandwich! LOL
Because I didn't have anyone else to help me through contractions I kept thinking I wish someone could stayed by my side. Jarod was running back and forth preparing for us to go to the hospital. This woman will have it made with you by her side! I really want a doula next time. I want there to be someone within arms reach at all times!
I can't wait to hear how it all turns out!
God Bless!
-Linda
i dont know if i have any advice really. Maybe an affirmation though. That the knowledge you have already gained, the passion you feel for the subject matter, and the expierence that you have had, coupled with you just being you will all come into play and be a great help. i am sure of it. tiff
ReplyDeleteHi Sara,
ReplyDeleteI am excited for your opprotunity to assist in a labor. I have to say I only had Tom in the room with me most of the time, and he was an excellent doula after all that Bradley training. He was so supportive and understanding.
I think how a client or friend should be supported during labor will be very dependent on their personality type. Do they like to be massaged and touched normally (I don't!), did they practice mediation and/or visualization prior to labor, what positions are they interested in trying?
I am normally such a strong, opinionated person but when I was in heavy labor all my decision making capablities left. Having Tom there to calmly recommend I try a few different things we had talked about prior really helped me! That a cold wash cloth on my head:)