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My First Birth as A Doula
- Aug 19, 2007 at 10:40 AM
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- Comments (8) Total Views (156) Everyone can see this journal post.
So I am a doula in training, I have not taken my DONA class yet, and I got lucky that a friend agreed to let me support her at her birth. This was a great opportunity for me to see if this was really something I could do (middle of the night calls etc).
Collette is a pro at birthing, this was her third child (she is in her 40's) and her body was truly designed to do this. She had an epidural for her first child and swore she would never do that again, she had her 2nd naturally and was very easy, as soon as her water broke there he was!!
For her third baby, she had a CNM and delivered at University Hospital (brand new facility, that is very baby and mom friendly).
I got the call at 9:30 friday night and was at the hospital just before 10. She had been going through early labor since the morning, and waiting until her surges where 4 minutes apart. At 10PM she was dilated to 4 cm. By the time we got into the birthing room she was surging every two minutes or so.
She was only comfortable walking and was still able to walk by herself. As things got more intense, she was feeling like she did not know what she wanted, and then decided to get in the tub. Collette is very modest so it took her a few minutes of intensity before she was comfortable enough to let me in the bathroom with her and hubby.
Her nurse let us know she would be hands off since I was there and she had a hands on midwife, but let us know she was there when we needed her. Her midwife was just divine..so warm and caring, I got to learn a lot from her!!
As she labored in the tub we moved her to a few different positions, and when she was on all fours I massaged her back (although she had no back labor)..she was concerned she was going to throw up, so I rubbed peppermint essential oils in my hands and cupped them so she could breath deeply and the smell of the mint calmed her belly.
She was probably in the tub 30 minutes before her water broke, we helped her to the bed and it was time for the pushing.
I cannot tell you how long she pushed for, time was suspended for all of us, but it was not long. She was sitting up and myself and the nurse held her legs up for her, between pushes I massaged her legs to help with the shakiness.
She was so awesome at this, we had to get her into all fours to help the baby rotate, he did and we moved her back as he started to crown. The midwive had to get in there and help out, because his fist was under his chin, so she had to help him get his shoulder through, once she did that dad got in to catch the babe and there he was, and went right to mommies chest while dad cut the cord!!! He was born at 12:43 AM. What a miracle and blessing for me to have witnessed this.
It was the picture perfect hospital birth!! I am so lucky to have that as my first experience!!
Comments:
just a heads up..you can't count this birth if you did it before your workshop....you have to have the workshop first before you can officially count the births. I just did DONA last year and I don't think its changed since then.
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