Would you take a client with an edd 2w before your edd?

[DoomaYula]

My first thought was NO, but I got a call from a woman new to my town -- and you all know how bad the hospital here is -- and she's a VBAC from another state. She described her c-s as emotionally devastating and how she's been working on healing from it, she's doing a lot of reading VBAC books and learning online, basically she seems very motivated to VBAC and sincerely wants help. I definitely got the feeling that she is really motivated to work hard and have the best birth she can have, that she is sincerely interested in her birth -- and I feel like women like that are fairly rare, unfortunately, especially around here. She's due 2w before my edd, and went 2w early with her first baby (labored before c-s for ftp). This is my third pregnancy and my twins were induced at 34w, and then my dd was born on her edd.

Thoughts? I'd really love to help her even if I can't attend her birth.

[mwherbs]

I would meet with her- but I have to say I would really let her know that I may not be available- the other thing is if she has a long labor and you don't get much -or any sleep and then go into labor yourself... not so fun but it is good to share while you are pregnant -- so there just may be some good exchange that happens between the 2 of you...

take care

[MidwifeErika]

I would if I really hit it off with the woman and as long as she understood the situation fully. Do you have backup that you can provide to her if you can't make it? If not, is that something that you could arrange before her due date? If not, then I would also be very upfront with her about the lack of backup if you were unable to make it.

[tlcdoula]

Personally I wouldn't, but that is only because all six of my girls came at 36-37 weeks so I would have had a baby in my arms by the time her due date rolled around. I think if you meet with her, she is comfy with the situation as it is and if you can provide her with a back up then I would go for it.

[loudmama]

I had considered it with a repeat client, but told her it was a big maybe & that I would need a back-up. She opted for someone else.

L

[DoomaYula]

Thanks everyone. Btw, I forgot to add that I'm the only doula in town, for 3h any direction. Really sucks lately, I've gotten several phone calls for Nov, Dec, Jan, and I don't plan on taking clients until my baby is a little older.

I'm thinking that I will meet with her and see how it goes -- like Sharon said, I do NOT want to be up at a labor til 3am and then go into labor myself. I want to help her as much as I can though, so I'll definitely meet with her and see how that goes.

[stellimamo]

Thats a hard one. Does she have a partner that can help you out with the physical stuff? I would be more inclined to take her if she had some to help you out with hip sqeezes and such. I would be very up front w/ her about any possible issues you migh have.

[Rockies5]

Yeah if there is no one else I would, but she'd have to be understanding of another laboring mama. I mean there can be no promises made other then "I'll do my best"

Congrats on your baby tho Birth work makes people fertile

[redpajama]

If I really felt a good connection with her, I would probably take her on--of course, like everyone is saying, I would be really up front with her about the fact that your availability is tentative, and I would work something specific out with regard to fees, et cetera, in the event that this happens. (I would also be clear that I wouldn't be attending her birth if I had already delivered--seems obvious, but I'd specify.) Then I would really focus a lot of my attention during prenatals on preparing her and her partner for the birth--even moreso than usual. I would be sure to provide them with a lot of the stuff that we talked about in print--handouts of how to support her in different positions, something suggesting different comfort measures (things that would be second nature to you, perhaps, but that they may not think of--like hydrotherapy, heat, et cetera). I would basically prepare them for the birth as if I knew I *wouldn't* be there.

Good luck (and congratulations).