Be sure to read this entire article to get its full affect.
You don’t actually need a doula…. Sounds kinda contradictory to what my message usually is. Doesn’t it? Well, what I’m actually saying is that you’re a bad a** and don’t need anyone to make sure you get the birth that YOU want.
You are strong, fierce, and capable. You know exactly what you want and you’re more than capable of getting it yourself.
Let me tell you a little story. When I was pregnant with my second son, I knew I wanted an unmedicated, vaginal delivery. I did my research (this was before I became a doula), read blogs, got my affirmations together, and I was ready. I got to the hospital, after laboring at home for a short while, fully confident on getting the birth that I desired. I went in there knowing exactly how I wanted things to go and I wasn’t going to back down from it. I asked if I could do different things, pushed my boundaries a little more than other patients probably do, and I labored the way I wanted. In the end, I got the outcome that I wanted. I had my son completely unmedicated! Mission accomplished.
Plot twist, I didn’t have a doula present. Now let me let you in on a little secret. My biggest regret from that labor and delivery; not having a doula present. Ya see, I got the birth I wanted, labored MY way, and yet I still regret not hiring a doula.
I didn’t actually need a doula there, obviously. But I regret not having one because she could have been there, paying attention to the tiny details that I forgot when I was deep in labor land (it’s a real place. IYKYK). She could have been an extra cheerleader for me, reassuring me that I was making the right decisions. She could have helped my husband help me. She would have been there to help me when I freaked slam out when I felt Sawyer drop into my pelvis. And she could have reassured me that my butthole was, in fact, not ripping.
So no, I didn’t actually need a doula present, but I WANTED one. And I’ve got one already lined up for the birth of our daughter! I’m not making that same mistake twice.
I hope you don’t make that same mistake twice or three times. Just go ahead and do yourself a favor AND HIRE THE DANG DOULA. I‘ve never actually heard someone say that they regret having a doula present 🤷🏻♀️
My email is always open for us to chat!
Until next time my birthy friends,
Jayme