First Time Doula Client Help!

[wingsareforflying]

I may have an opportunity to attend my first birth. To be honest I have never even been to a birth before so I am petrified. I was hoping I'd be able to attend a birth with another doula before attending one on my own it doesn't like its going to happen as they are currently no doulas where I am. I just looking for any advice, tips, or anything that you experienced doulas could offer me & how should I prepare myself for this?

Thank you so much!

[stellimamo]

Have you read the Birth Partner? If not, thats a great start. Did you attend a trainig of any sort? If so you can review your notes ad texts. I even have pulled out a few of the really important pages to keep with me in my doula bag (illistrated comfort positions for me and the couple, illistrations of the baby in OP ad OA lies to show parents if they have questions, etc).

See if you can do atleast one prenatal with them and talk about how they think they wat to be supported ad them try out some comfort positions.

Pack your doula bag before the EDD. Nothig is worse tha scrambling aroud i the middle of the night it get everythig i order.

[SimplyRochelle]

I'll be attending my first birth in a few days probably. And of course, loaned out my Birth Partner to a guy I know wanting to be able to help his wife out more during labor.

I work with the girl who's birth I'll be attending and she hasn't really given me a chance to ask her any questions about what she'd like my role to be so this is going to be rather interesting. She only asked me to come a few days ago because her mother isn't going to be able to come out here and her hubby isn't going to be much support (he told her if anything goes wrong and she has to have a c/s, he doesn't want to go in with her!). So I'm just going to kind of play it by ear. Recommend things as I can. She is having a hospital birth and it's her first child. We are both 20. She will definitely be getting an epidural so I feel like that knocks out so many pain relieving and helpful positions. I'm going to be emotionally exhausted after this for sure. She's one of those, whatever the dr. says must be right, kinda gals, so I'm just going to do what I can, and try and make her as comfortable as possible.

There aren't any doulas where I am either and I won't be able to attend a workshop for a while since there aren't any in my area or even in the couple of surrounding states.