All along my three July clients have been neck and neck, maybe I should have seen it coming.
All serendipitous matches to begin with, I felt such a strong pull to work with each of these familiesl. So of course I thought it would all work out and didn't really feel that pull to square away solid back-up!
Each told me at one point they thought they would have Fourth of July babies... none did, but I ended up attending another mama's birth on the 4th as I was back-up doula for the holiday weekend. Each of mine were checked out at 1-2 cm that week, and then each remained unchanged, still 1-2 the next week.
Then Friday, my first due date mama swigged back a little caster oil to get a labor going after nearly 24 hours of ruptured membranes and no contractions. While I was on the way to meet her at the hospital as contractions had definitely begun minutes after the caster oil... I got a call from due date number 2, I thought she was confirming a prenatal visit we had set up for Saturday morning. Nope, contractions were coming and going. But she was certain it was still early. Once due date 1 was admitted and checked (almost 4cm) I got a call from due date 2, they had just gone to their hospital (of course, clear across town) to get checked out, and they too were admitted at 4cm!!
**here is the moment where I had a mini doula panic attack**
Second couple said they didn't want an interim doula, me or no one.
I called nearly all the doulas I had in my phone, one answered, and was in fact willing, wonderful and ready to come to my rescue to hospital number 1 (I know I was already there, but they were coping beautifully, and I felt that I needed to be at hospital number 2) she could be there in 40 minutes. I went to present the idea of a swap with first family laboring in the jacuzzi... nope, me or nobody at this point they said.
Called to cancel emergency doula rescue, and prayed to the doula goddess, and before I could finish my plea--in shuffled a huffing due date 1 to the labor room from the jacuzzi room, and 10 minutes later she had pushed out her baby! Unbelievable. They thanked me profusely for staying, and I thanked them profusely for having the fastest labor ever! I left them semi-settled, but exquisitely happy (in that familiar incredible state; oblivious to everything but their shiny new hot slippery baby...) and went on to the next one. I listened to all the messages left by everyone I called. It was cozy warm doula vibes all around. Called second dad on my way, and he says (music to my ears) "you have plenty of time."
Second labor took a different route than the first, but both were amazing, glorious, un-medicated (ok, a little for labor number 2...) and ended with both mama's dream: I want this baby (second baby for both) in my arms immediately!! Needless to say, this was not the scenario for both first labors and it certainly was the case for both seconds. Hurray!
And a big thank you to due date 3 for not calling Friday night, I'm ready now though.
So this was a first for me, and it worked somehow. I've still never used back-up... Knock on something wooden!
What an amazing thing it is to be a doula?
All serendipitous matches to begin with, I felt such a strong pull to work with each of these familiesl. So of course I thought it would all work out and didn't really feel that pull to square away solid back-up!
Each told me at one point they thought they would have Fourth of July babies... none did, but I ended up attending another mama's birth on the 4th as I was back-up doula for the holiday weekend. Each of mine were checked out at 1-2 cm that week, and then each remained unchanged, still 1-2 the next week.
Then Friday, my first due date mama swigged back a little caster oil to get a labor going after nearly 24 hours of ruptured membranes and no contractions. While I was on the way to meet her at the hospital as contractions had definitely begun minutes after the caster oil... I got a call from due date number 2, I thought she was confirming a prenatal visit we had set up for Saturday morning. Nope, contractions were coming and going. But she was certain it was still early. Once due date 1 was admitted and checked (almost 4cm) I got a call from due date 2, they had just gone to their hospital (of course, clear across town) to get checked out, and they too were admitted at 4cm!!
**here is the moment where I had a mini doula panic attack**
Second couple said they didn't want an interim doula, me or no one.
I called nearly all the doulas I had in my phone, one answered, and was in fact willing, wonderful and ready to come to my rescue to hospital number 1 (I know I was already there, but they were coping beautifully, and I felt that I needed to be at hospital number 2) she could be there in 40 minutes. I went to present the idea of a swap with first family laboring in the jacuzzi... nope, me or nobody at this point they said.
Called to cancel emergency doula rescue, and prayed to the doula goddess, and before I could finish my plea--in shuffled a huffing due date 1 to the labor room from the jacuzzi room, and 10 minutes later she had pushed out her baby! Unbelievable. They thanked me profusely for staying, and I thanked them profusely for having the fastest labor ever! I left them semi-settled, but exquisitely happy (in that familiar incredible state; oblivious to everything but their shiny new hot slippery baby...) and went on to the next one. I listened to all the messages left by everyone I called. It was cozy warm doula vibes all around. Called second dad on my way, and he says (music to my ears) "you have plenty of time."
Second labor took a different route than the first, but both were amazing, glorious, un-medicated (ok, a little for labor number 2...) and ended with both mama's dream: I want this baby (second baby for both) in my arms immediately!! Needless to say, this was not the scenario for both first labors and it certainly was the case for both seconds. Hurray!
And a big thank you to due date 3 for not calling Friday night, I'm ready now though.
So this was a first for me, and it worked somehow. I've still never used back-up... Knock on something wooden!
What an amazing thing it is to be a doula?
.JPG)