How long did you take maternity leave from birth work?

[Meche]

I was just wondering how long other doulas and midwives usually take for maternity leave? At what stage of pregnancy did you stop attending births? Taking new clients? Providing back-up? How long after your baby was born did you resume attending births? What were your motivations -- energy-level, physical limitations, pregnancy complications, financial?

I'm curious because I am both eager and reluctant to take a break from birth work. I'm 26 weeks pg, and just attended my last scheduled client's birth today. It was a great birth, so I'm on that high that makes me feel like I could keep going, maybe as filling in as a back-up doula. We could also use the cash flow (ok, cash trickle). But most days, I am tired and have been struggling with insomnia lately, plus being on-call and doing prenatal/pp meetings wears me out. So I think I am probably done.

I am thinking of going back to births around six months pp, with maybe teaching classes or doing prenatal meetings before that. I don't want to be away from my work for very long, I am still a new doula (14 births so far) and I am loving my job. I will probably start out with one or two clients a month at that stage, but am willing to see how it goes with getting my baby adapted to other caregivers and pumped breastmilk.

I worked full-time corporate IT before this new "life" of doula work, and I went back about 14 weeks pp with both of my older kids. So six months off seems like a long time to me! Thoughts, experiences to share?

Thanks!

[homewithtwinsmama]

I stopped in November just before third trimester. The last couple births were good but took me longer to get over the exhaustion/physicality of doula work. I went 9 weeks preterm last time and thought it would be good to not push things this time (though I expect no problems, because this is NOT a twin pregnancy and testing has determined that this baby is healthy - my last one baby was severely disabled). So after the last births I really did almost no doula work for about 15 months. Then once baby was over separation anxiety and eating/drinking things other than breastmilk, I did some homebirths with my midwife who is mindful of my younglings and we tag team and I can pop home if I get super engorged and need to break. Two times I have gone to favored homebirth clients for later babies with one of my babies in a sling with me. Each of my last two girls attended births. One slept on my back in the sling, the other watched a twin birth from a swing in the mamas bedroom. Because these clients wanted ME they were willing to have my couple months old babes with me. One of those women is pregnant again, due two months after me, and already said "you are going to be there right?" I said, "sure, the baby and I can be there again." So generally, no births for almost a year and a half, but special clients/friends I will work it out to try to be there.

[loudmama]

I stopped at 28 weeks with DS. It was just too tiring. I took over a year off after.

L

[DoomaYula]

I had a doula client when I was 38w -- I am the only doula in town, and she was a VBAC and really really committed. But we had a deal -- I couldn't guarantee her I'd be there, and how much I could do. Luckily she went into labor at midafternoon and I was home by about 11pm. (She VBAC'ed! Hooray!)

I'm taking a client when my babe is 4 months old. I'm bringing babe to her house during early labor, and I also have a deal with her that I will need to leave to pump or have dh bring my babe up to the hospital to nurse.

If I weren't the only doula in town, I'd probably have stopped around my third tri, and not taken any clients for 6 months pp.

[mama2annabelle]

I am a midwife's assistant. I worked almost to the end of my last pregnancy...I think the last birth I attended was just short of 3 weeks before I gave birth. Yes, it was super exhausting but overall I had a great pregnancy which made it possible. DS will be "1" this week and I have just gone back to assisting this past month. So 11 months off for me. I can't imagine having been able to go back any sooner. He still nurses frequently and the one day a week on call that I do now is about all he and I can handle.

I went back to teaching classes after only 8 weeks or so. I brought him along to my classes for a couple of months and then started leaving him home with Daddy when he was ready.

[Meche]

Thanks for the responses! It helps to see the spectrum of experiences... I have to be open to learning how this babe's personality is before I commit to a plan for my return to birth work.

[tlcdoula]

I am currently 10 weeks pregnant with number eight, and plan on working as far into my pregnancy as I can. Unfortunately I only have one more client lined up for February, and I had only one other inquiring and when she found out I was pregnant she didn't want me. I would have been about six months along when she was due. As far as when I will go back - most likely I will be home with the baby for at least the first year since I do not pump and do not feed my babies via bottles. Of course, there is also room for change on that decision based upon what is going on in my life. I have not had any of my kids while I was a doula - actually started doula work when my youngest was two years old, so we will have to see how it all plays out.

[Doula Dani]

I'm 34 weeks and have one more client to go. I did a birth about three weeks ago that was forever long though and it about killed me! Next time I will stop around 5 1/2 or 6 months.

[olive&pimiento]

I was doing births until I was put on bedrest for preterm labor at 32 weeks. I just found it so unbelievably difficult to do birthwork when pregnant. I started having contractions at about 28 weeks, and I felt like I was just pushing myself way too hard, but didn't want to say I needed to stop. It was a pride thing, and I'm very sorry for it now, since I think it contributed to some birth complications. I went to a couple of births at about six months postpartum, finished well woman clinicals after my daughter was one, and just started being on call for births again now that she is 18 months. I am so attached to her and really have a hard time being without her, but I think it is definately time for me to finish up and finally be able to change my sig line from student midwife to midwife!

[Gunter]

i am 33 weeks now and working as a midwife's assistant. i do not know when i will start time off.

due around feb 29th and plan to do pp doula training on feb 1-3rd.

[CortLong]

I'm 37 weeks pregnant currently and I did my last doula birth in November. I also currently work as a midwife assistant and will work until my baby is born. I did two births last week and will attend prenatal appointments next week. It keeps me feeling well during these last weeks of pregnancy.

[beaches1098]

I worked until about 28-30 weeks. When I arrived at the hospital for a client they thought I was the one in labor so I thought hmmm maybe I should take a break! I went back when he was about 10 months old but only did 1 birth the first 2 months and they were friends.Then took things slowly.

[ldsapmom]

I stopped at 7 months pregnant, and then started again when baby was 7 months -- and I probably started a little too soon. I figured, a lot of moms go back before 7 months, and I would only be gone a day or so, but I was very resentful during the birth, of the mama, who was having a lot of very abnormal emotional issues, so it would have been a good idea to stay home a little longer. But live and learn.