And we're OFF!!!

[courtenay_e]

Well, ladies, I attended my first birth yesterday morning, and it's official. I am admitting it now. I'm a bonified birth addict. She was induced for (really, I felt like laughing in the doctor's face and dragging out a textbook to show the couple that this is normal textbook behavior!) bogus reasons, but even with pit she did great. At six am during a vaginal exam, she changed from an almost five to a six while the nurse was examining her. At seven forty, mom felt hip and rectal pressure and said, "I think I want to push!" and as mom wanted me there, I sent aunty running to get the nurse to check her. Nurse stated that there was no POSSIBLE way that a first time mom could need to push already and to "tell her to chill out." Five minutes later, mom said, "I'm PUSHING!" And she did. After fifteen minutes (I started applying wet warm compresses to the perineum immediately), I could see some head. Five minutes later the nurse strolled in, saw what was going on, and freaked. "She can't push unless I CHECK her first! She could cause swelling on her cervix!" To which I replied, "Uh-huh. That's why I called you down here twenty minutes ago. You should probably call the doctor, if you want her here. I was just going to put on the call light and tell you that." The baby was born thirty minutes later, pink and happy, and nursed right away. Mom only had two tiny labial tears that didn't even need stitches. I was so proud of the mom and dad! They did just a really great job.

My husband tells me that he doesn't care how much I like doing this, I had better start charging soon... :wink I think he's afraid that I love doing it so much that I won't charge to get more clients. Tee-hee! Oh, birth is grand!

[mamato3cherubs]

:thumb WOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!! i am so excited for you! I cant wait! oh, um anyways, sounds like you, mom and dad all did great! thanks for sharing!

I hate to hear how my DH reacts after my first birth or 2. I dont think hes real big on me fullfilling this in my life as it is:irked:

[teachinmaof3]

How exciting!!!!

:hug Lisa

[ctowndoula]

:thumb Woo-hoo!

Sounds great! Very excited for you! :D :lol :wink :)

[hippiemom]

:jumpers: :banana :drum: :baby :tiphat: :twothumbs :hug :thumb

need i say more? Love playing with those silly things...:lol

Great job, glad it went well! Sounds as if the mom was lucky to have you there... keep going!

peace,
Laura

[Birth Junky]

Congrats on being a certified birth junky . . . I know the feeling! :wink

It's a fantastic adventure you are embarking on . . . good luck!

[MamaTaraX]

Congratulations!!! Birth rocks. I can't wait to get back into doula-ing :)

Namaste, Tara

[MamaRabbit]

Congrats!!! :thumb

Are you going to keep stats for all the births you attend? I'm planning on it, including the stupid reasons doctors induce :irked:

[courtenay_e]

Yes, I'm keeping stats. I've already started to pay attention to what certain practices in the area do, and have warnings about two practices in particular, in different areas. These two practices seem to have exactly the same "emergency" situation that leads to induction, for every one of their patients. Funny, that...

I really hope that this young woman realizes that she COULD have done it without me there...that I just made it a little easier. I'm going to be sure to touch on that during the post partum visit. I really really want her to trust her body and the birth process, and not to need a crutch (me, IV narcotics, an epidural) to feel like she can be a success. To know that having support is really important, but that in the end, it's her body that does the amazing work of birthing that child!

[tnrsmom]

Courtenay, that is so exciting, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Steve and I have been discussing this a lot since we had coffee last week and I have decided to go for it. I have been looking into things to make a bit of money but nothing excites me. This is what I want to do. :)

[ctowndoula]

You know I struggled with how to answer the the whole "I couldn't have done this without you!" At first I always respond, "I didn't do the hard work, you did. You didn't NEED me, but I am happy I could be here to help."

Sometimes mom's really insist that they "couldn't have..." I have learned to just smile and say Thank You, b/c there are some women who really couldn't have done it on their own. That isn't ego talking (believe it or not)!! It is just a belief that Doulas have great statistics for a reason. I believe what I do does make a difference in the birth. It is ok to sometimes just smile and give a geniune "Thank you.":love

That being said, I take every opportunity to point out everything strong and positive that mom accomplished. I make sure to show excitement when I say "You did it!". :thumb




By the way, where does one find the cute little pics of Cloth Diapers, home birth and stuff? I can only find the staples that the bulletin board supplies under the "more" option:( :o

[courtenay_e]

Courtenay, that is so exciting, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Steve and I have been discussing this a lot since we had coffee last week and I have decided to go for it. I have been looking into things to make a bit of money but nothing excites me. This is what I want to do. :)


Yay team! I'm so glad you're gonna do it! I know exactly how you feel. I have tossed a bunch of things around, and this is the only thing that I've considered that really grabbed me and shook me and said, "YES, THIS, I COULD DOTHIS!" And you know what? I think I do it rather well, too. That feels good. Not being proud or anything, just that I had a realization...yes, this is IT. I've finally found my calling. I have a degree in Education, one in Psychology, a minor in Poly Sci, and a minor in English. I'm good at all of those things, and they interest me. But none of them but Poly sci lit a PASSION in me... and the passion didn't win out when I realized how little people who run campaigns really make for what they do. :) Not that this is gonna make me rich, mind you, but I really feel like this is worthwhile. *sigh* I'm really in love...glad I have a partner in crime!

[courtenay_e]

You know I struggled with how to answer the the whole "I couldn't have done this without you!" At first I always respond, "I didn't do the hard work, you did. You didn't NEED me, but I am happy I could be here to help."

Sometimes mom's really insist that they "couldn't have..." I have learned to just smile and say Thank You, b/c there are some women who really couldn't have done it on their own. That isn't ego talking (believe it or not)!! It is just a belief that Doulas have great statistics for a reason. I believe what I do does make a difference in the birth. It is ok to sometimes just smile and give a geniune "Thank you.":love

That being said, I take every opportunity to point out everything strong and positive that mom accomplished. I make sure to show excitement when I say "You did it!". :thumb






Yes. We had our post partum meeting today (as she was having a little bit of a latch issue, I may see her again). The comments did go something like that. She really did realize that she could have done it...under normal circumstances. She said that had she not had to have the pit and the tether of the efm, she could have probably sustained more easily...but that I really was so helpful, and she's so glad to have had me! So, that was nice to hear. Validating.

[cathicog]

Yes. We had our post partum meeting today (as she was having a little bit of a latch issue, I may see her again). The comments did go something like that. She really did realize that she could have done it...under normal circumstances. She said that had she not had to have the pit and the tether of the efm, she could have probably sustained more easily...but that I really was so helpful, and she's so glad to have had me! So, that was nice to hear. Validating.
Ask her if she is nursing belly to belly with the baby...I tried nursing holding the baby the way I would if I were bottle feeding (you can see it in the pictures) and got wicked cracked nipples. Once i finally was told what I was doing wrong, I got better.....

[courtenay_e]

Actually, she had two problems going...first the nurses (:irked: ) had her using the football hold for no good reason. As soon as I got them tummy to tummy, things were worlds better. THen, the baby kept sticking her hand in her mouth just as mom was going to have the "perfect" latch. I had her try tucking the baby's arm in her armpit or inside the space between mama's belly and the boppy. That really seems to have helped things a lot. I also have her practicing relaxation. Cracked nipples HURT to nurse on!! Those things seem to be helping so far. Also, she went to visit her CBE last night, who also happens to be a LLL leader, so I'm hoping that any other quirks that I may have missed were caught at that visit! :)