Pregnant Doula

[loudmama]

So all,

How long into your pregnancy did you attend births? I just found out about 4 weeks pregnant with my second, & just set up an interview with someone who is 11 weeks. I didn't think much about it on the phone, but now I'm not so sure I should work that late...

Thoughts?

L

[BensMom]

I attended 2 births when I was around 22w and it wore me out! Doula work is always exhausting, but all that contorting and supporting and double hip squeezing with my own joints out of whack...whew! And I was feeling great at that time in my pregnancy in general. I needed about twice the rest and recuperation time as I normally do, as well as a big adjustment from my chiro.

But I had been willing to take births the following month, which would have took me to around 26w (no clients, though). Beyond that, i personally would not have felt like I could have provided the kind of service that a laboring family deserves.

But every woman is different.

[Persephone]

I'll be attending one between 28 and 30 weeks. That's about as long as I'd like to go, especially since after that is Thanksgiving and Xmas... I know my limits, and that's it!

[MamaTaraX]

I'm wiling to take moms until I am 35-36 weeks but that's because I ikonw how I feel at that point. Also because I know that I have ctx at births and I know that if I'm anyfurther than that, I can probably gaurantee myself going into labor :) I have one mom left who is full term rightnow, she'll deliver by the time I'm 31 wks at most. I havea friend whose birth I am attending, though not as an actual attendant ;) We're due the same week :) I attended births when I was green from morning sickness. Heck,I got pregnant after attending a birth :) If anyone else needs me to attend a birth, they'd better be due before I'm 34 weeks.I'mkind of sad that I only have one more official birth before thsi baby comes. My friend's birth will be a real treat though :)

Namaste, Tara
mama to Doodle (7), Butterfly (2), and Rythm (due at home 1/06)

[Levatrice]

I'm not a doula but I attended births as an apprentice until my 8th month. I have to be honest and say that it sucked at the end. They seemed to be the longest births of my career, I was often starving, I had trouble all along with my nausea so any kind of non-amniotic fluids or solids really made me gag, my back would KILL after a few hours of labor support, and I was really tired a lot.

I'm a cranky and unhappy pregnant person so this is just my take, lol. Oh, and the last couple of births I did go to did not go well and that was a little traumatic for my about to give birth brain.

Oh, and Congratulations!

[doulanichole]

In my last pregnancy, I attended births until I was 32-34 weeks. I love being pregnant and have always felt really good, but I was also a little picky there at the end. I am not sure I would have taken her if it wasn't her 3rd baby and she had 2 previous un-med births. I anticipate stopping just a little sooner this time so I have more time to enjoy it!

[ldsapmom]

I am due November 29th, and I thought I would take births through October, but September proved to be my breaking point. I don't know at what point I will continue, I will have to play it by ear. But I am still organizing a Meet-the-Doulas night for me area for next Monday -- I am not ready to step out of the zone, you know? LOL.

Physically, it got to be too intense, and my recovery time after a birth was taking too long, and I got to the point where I was spiraling inward anyway and wanting to concentrate on my own upcoming arrival.

[loudmama]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm thinking I will have to call her up & say I'm not available. I hate to do that, because she wants a VBAC, but I need to do what's best for me & the new babe!

L

[Noelia430]

Where in WI are you? I have a friend that just took doula training and she's looking for cert. births. She doesn't have experience with VBAC but she has experience with her own un-medicated births.

[loudmama]

I'm in Madison. If she's in my area, she should volunteer with Small Miracles. They do volunteer births for low income Mom's. A good way to get experience & certification births.

Me, I'm getting a VERY experienced doula for my VBAC. No offense to Newbies, myself being relatively new with only 27 births, but I want a gal who seen it all!

L

[Noelia430]

Oh, I totally get what you're saying. I would want a very experienced doula if I was VBAC'ing as well. Maybe she could shadow a more experienced doula. I'll pass the info along about Small Miracles!

[loudmama]

I really reccommend shadowing a more experienced doula! I shadowed 3 veteran doulas, not only did I learn a lot, it just made me comfortable with whole doula thing.

L

[tmarina]

I did births up until 36 weeks and felt great. I didn't think twice about scheduling them that far into my pregnancy...but I've always only done one a month.

[Gray's Mommy]

I'm still very early in my pg (4weeks) but I plan on doula-ing until 32-36 weeks. I remember how tired I was towards the end of my first preg. & don't think I could give everything they needed.

Mary