How many births have you attended?

[happyday8598]

I have attended my own 2 and my friends 1...

None since going for my certification...

You?

Emily

[lisamarie]

Oh gosh, let me think. I only do doula work on a VERY pt basis~I have a full massage practice and its so hard to be on-call, work and have a family.

Anyways, 1-1991, 1-1998(?), 3-1999 and 1-2002 (EDD-2/9) for a whopping total of 6!

Warmly~

Lisa

[Riverhealing]

Number of births attendend

I've attended 15 births since my DONA approved doula training in September of 1999. I have three more on the way (Mid-March; early May and Mid-July). I have been interviewed by other families so may be attending other births in the next 4 to 5 months as well.

I too find it a challenge to balance attending births with my full time massage practice. Some how it always works out. The last few births have been on my days off so I didn't have to cancel any clients. The magic with those births was that I had an extra day off to sleep after being up all night. I have had to reschedule clients in the past but it hasn't been too much work to shuffle things a bit and my clients don't seem to mind when that does happen. I just give them a little more time or a bit of a discount at their next session depending on the amount of notice I gave them about needing to reschedule.

I prefer to attend one birth every month or two but sometimes I end up going to two births a month.

[madison]

I attended my first birth last week - and I can't wait to get to more! It was an absolutely amazing experience... I found it very empowering and encouraging! I can't WAIT to get pregnant, now!

I think it's so sad that most people associate birth with being "horrible, torture, nightmare-ish" etc. This one was a wonderful experience (natural waterbirth with compassionate, competent midwives).

I am going to start seriously advertising around town. Because I work more than full time, I have to take time off of work, so I think I'll do the next two hopefully about 3 months apart, if I can arrange it like that. And then hopefully I'll get pregnant, so I'll be certified before I give birth (and am not able to attend births for a couple of years).

[lisamarie]

Yeah Madison!!! Isn't experiencing a birth such an awesome, powerful experience? I feel so touched and honored to be a part of the birth process.

Congrats & Here's to Many more healthy births!

Hugs~

Lisa

[aiden&brennsmom]

Well i haven't done the cetification yet but have been to 4 births and one more next month. Its been for family members so I haven't felt the need to rush out and get the certification but I do want to expand out into the community so will be doing the classes this spring.

[candiland]

I've been too lazy to send all my paperwork in to DONA, but I've attended four, not including my own!, and have another birth lined up for the beginning of April.... after which I will be taking a long hiatus, because my baby #2 is due in May!

[shine]

Cool, Madison!

I've attended 12 births. In that dozen there were 3 sets of twins, 1 birth center birth, 4 home births, 3 cesareans (I was in the O.R. -- 2 of those were twin births, 1 was my breech boy), 1 was vacuum extraction (gasp!), and the rest were singleton hospital births. It's been exciting and I'm looking forward to more. Attending a birth is a deep spiritual experience every time for me. It's such a blessing to be a part of someone's experience that way. I'm grateful to each and every one of those families that allowed me to be a part of their births.

[azaria]

A grand total of 4...
#3 was a 11 lb 9 oz homebirth with an extremely difficult labor and birth as well as a concealed hemorrhage and transport....then while at the hospital we got the call that another lady was in labor. Her labor was picture perfect (she said she had NO pain, just intensity) and the birth was gentle and lovely. Amazing how the universe balances itself out...sometimes in the same day!
On call for a birth at the moment....

[SJane]

I'm very part time as well and although I'm open to any and all clients, they just don't seem to be coming my way.
So- 1 a long time ago, my sister's third baby
Then my own 2
One friend where I wasn't right there, but was involved and I count it
Then 2 clients, and one more due this fall
And then with a woman through a loss, which is really just like labor, but with out the beautiful ending.
I really want to find more client though, I feel like following pregnant woman around when ever I see them until they let me!

[nimamom]

Births, births, births!

I'm working on my apprenticeship to become a midwife... I've currently attended 18 births that count towards my certification. I attended many as a doula before that! I just can't get enough!