1st Solo

Good Morning!! I think I am just now getting caught up on sleep and coming off of my rush from last week. Thursday, I had my first solo birth. It was AMAZING! Maybe not so much for the mommy, but for me, definitely. It was challenging. Probably the MOST challenging first birth anyone could have conjured up. But would I change it? NO! Well maybe the part where the baby went into distress and had to be born by emergency c-section. But, that's only because it wasn't in the mommy's plan. But mom and baby are both doing great! The sweet little baby girl weighed 8lbs 12oz and just didn't want to come out of the nice, warm place that had been created for her. :)
On Thursday night I got called up to the hospital because my girl was hurting pretty good. So, I mad my way up there and got to her at about 7pm. for the 5 hours or so, we bounced on the ball, swayed, tried turning the baby with hands and knees, and walked. Well, eventually the baby got tired of all that and went into distress. So as this sweet woman laid in bed she contracted VERY hard for a few more hours. With each contraction, I was putting intense pressure on her hips and lower back to try and ease some of the labor she was feeling in her back. We thought surely it was almost time. She was at 1cm. She had been contracting so hard from the pitocin, but was still not dilating. Finally she asked to be taken off and given the night to try and progress naturally. She was hungry and exhausted and she couldn't take any more pain without dilating. I told her how proud I was of her for going so many hours in that much pain and not asking for meds or c-section, which were HUGE goals for her. What a champ!! So, I left to go get a few hours of sleep, and to let her get some as well and told her to call me when things started moving. I never heard. I started to worry and at about 12:30 called to make sure everything was ok. No answer and more worry. Finally at about 2 I got the call that they had to be rushed in for an emergency c-section. My heart sunk, as I knew it wasn't what she wanted, and as I realized I wasn't there for it! I made my way up to the hospital to see them and that really made everything so much better. Once I saw that sweet baby girl and knew she was healthy, I knew that everything that had happened had to happen and all that mattered was that they were healthy. Again, she was so amazing to endure about 24 of back labor and not ask for anything to make the pain go away. I got some amazing experience with comfort measures and relating to hospital staff, so all in all I would say that everything turned out pretty great! Looking forward to my next one!!
Be fruitful and multiply,
Doula Tiffany

Another Week, Another Adventure

Well last week brought forth some interesting days. I got a taste of what it's like to live the life of a Doula. AND also a taste of how incredibly unpredictable birth is. I have a client, now 4 days past her due date. She was having contractions every 5 minutes and said she felt some pressure in her pelvis. To me, I thought hmm maybe she needs to get to the hospital, but when I called on the advice of the one I would say is my mentor, she knew immediately, that it wasn't time for that baby to be born. So, today, Monday, I still await the call for my service! I am still as excited (maybe even more) as I was last week, but I realize that my sitting around and thinking about it isn't going to make the baby come faster! :) Lesson #3698 learned. And that is the lesson to not stop your every waking move if someone has a contraction. I think I will get used to it!
A thought I've been having alot lately, is the parallel in this time of year and birth. It never ceases to amaze me when I look around and see a new bud sprouting on a flower, or a tree getting new leaves. And even more so, a mommy's belly begin to grow with the growth of her baby! God creates some pretty amazing things! Alright, that is all for today! I must get on with some other things! Have a great Monday!
Be fruitful and multiply,
Doula Tiffany

Hitting it Head On

Today was a big day for me. I actually put in writing, a business plan of action for my new adventure! Of course there are all the normal business planny type things. But #11 on my business plan was PRAY, PRAY, PRAY! I have spent so much time praying that God will use me to help people, and show me the direction HE wants me to go. So, join me won't you? I would appreciate a little shout out in your daily prayer time! Thanks!
Be fruitful and multiply!
Doula Tiffany

My Big Week

I had my first birth this week! I got a call after our small group on Wednesday, to go shadow for a doula and get some experience! I was nervous and ecstatic! On my drive downtown, I prayed and assured myself I knew what to do and that I would do great.
When I got there, she had decided after several hours of back labor, that she would get an epidural. I thought to myself, "great, how am I going to get any experience?!" WELL, actually, when you are presented with a situation that on any given day, you would turn your nose up at, you are probably going to learn something! Not that i necessarily turn my nose up at epidurals, I just wasn't aware of my role, as a doula, when one has been given. Little did I know the work it is to hold someone in a position to push for 3 hours!! WOWZA!! She did so great and worked SO hard for those 3 hours. However, after 3 hours you would think a baby would move down some. Especially after dilating from a 4 to an 8 in about an hour and a half! However, the baby had not made any progress, so they checked to see what was going on. Turns out the baby was stuck in the pelvis and there was NO WAY it was going to move through. So after a very tiring labor, she was told she had to have a C-Section.
So my first experience was different than I imagined it would be, my I'm so grateful I got the opportunity to see things in action! AND, the doula I shadowed sent me a referral of a girl that is due any day! I'm so excited and I'm sure you will be hearing about it soon!