When I was pregnant, I only had about 3 weeks before we found it was twins and our pregnancy jumped into the high-risk category. At the time I decided that I would stick with an OB for my care, we felt that was the best decision for us and the twins. I had a great relationship with my OB and actually loved going to see her (to be honest, after the twins were born, I missed it even). I never actually considered hiring a Doula until much later into my pregnancy. With it being a twin pregnancy, I knew the birth would be full of lots of people, why would I need someone else. Plus, for much of my pregnancy the only way out was via c-section due to their positions.
However, when my dear friend Andrea of In Bloom Births – Doula Services was training to become a doula, I learned a lot of the value of them and how much they could bring to a birth. Since she was having her own baby just a few months before mine, we were unsure if she would be able to attend my birth or not, but left the door open, and she helped me with so much leading up to my birth. Especially when at 34 weeks, it turned out a vaginal birth was an option since both babies were now head down.
Having a doula, isn’t having someone who will be telling you what to do, or making decisions for you. But having a doula, is having someone support you, your partner and your birth. Having a doula isn’t someone judging you, pushing you do to something you don’t want to do. But having a doula is having someone help you and push you to accomplish something you desire to. Having a doula, is someone who can help advocate for you and your partner, and help support you in whatever you need, whatever your birth plan might be. It’s that extra person who can sit with you, help you, comfort your spouse, relieve your partner when they need a break, and can keep a calm in a room sometimes filled with chaos.
For me and my husband, having a doula meant everything. Thankfully for us, it worked out and Andrea was able to attend our birth. For me, with her there, it meant that I had the support of my husband, and we had the support of Andrea, our doula. Together they encouraged me, comforted me, and kept me focused. When Phil needed to sit down between the birth of our son and our daughter, I wasn’t left without someone who knew me, without my support, but he could go and was taken care of, and I was too, by my doula.
Having a doula was empowering. She believed in me even when I did not. She believed that my body could, even when I doubted. She encouraged me, even when I felt weak. She supported us, even when we didn’t know what kind of support we needed.
Having a doula at our birth was the best decision we made. If we decide to have any more children, Andrea will be one of the 1st calls I make, to hire her to be a part of our journey.
She is a friend, and it was an amazing moment to have her with us as we welcomed our children into the world, but that day, she became so much more to me. The respect I hold for her increased as I saw what her calling truly is, what her gift is, and how amazing she is for her clients. She is an incredible doula.
I couldn’t recommend it more. For us, it was the right decision. I know it isn’t for everyone, and that is ok too. But I encourage you to look into it, because I to never thought I would need a doula, and looking back, I don’t know what we would have done without her.
