I'm back

Hello, all!

I have been doula-ing my heart out this week. 2010 has started with a bang. I had 5 babies born in 4 days....a set of twins, a preemie singleton, and then another set of twins.

All babies are well, Thank God.

One set of twins was born by C-section due to what the mother and her caregiver decided were positions that made them uncomfortable to attempt vaginal birth. These lovely boys ended up being 8 and 7 pounds 12 ounces. Can you IMAGINE shlepping around almost 16 pounds worth of squirmy babies in your belly?! I always want to give standing ovations to my twin moms...until you hang out with them a bit in their late pregnancies, you don't really get how intensely challenging it is carrying multiple babies around. This mother has an absolute angel of a friend who has been donating some of her own breastmilk (she also has twins) to help out. Now, that is love.

The next day, a mom called me with broken waters at 35 weeks. We went to the hospital and labour started soon after. She had a lovely, quick labour and afterwards said, "that was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be!" The young man latched on right away and is in great shape....a very happy experience! My favourite moment was when the paediatrician, who was asked to be present because the baby was early, refused to look at the baby under the warmer when the nurse put him there. He said, "no...skin to skin is where this baby belongs. This is where I'm doing my work, on his mother where he is healthiest."

The next day, an induction was scheduled for another set of twins, due to some serious health challenges with the mom. The labour went quickly and beautifully, even though it took over a day to get going. When the first baby was born, Mom said, "that didn't hurt as much as I thought!" Ah, music to my ears! The second baby was, let's just say, much more dramatic. To make a long story short, with great to do, he literally, with a loud sound, POPPED out, all 4 pounds of him. He's tiny and getting some oxygen in the nursery to assist his breathing, but he's in good shape. The mom was very weak after birth and unable to sit up, so I had a lovely, quiet time holding her beautifully latched daughter to her breast, skin to skin for her while the little girl's grandmother, who was a blessed, wonderful presence at this birth, cooed adoringly over her. The boy was in the nursery hanging out with his dad.

So that's the update in doula land. I am longing for a couple days at home without work or family or housework duty just to dedicate to paperwork and site building, but no...lots of pre and post natals all this upcoming week.

I apologize to my beloved friends who are probably wondering why they are so sadly neglected. I love you all, you know that!

I am off to rest my weary legs which have been up all night supporting labour and helping twins breastfeed...hopefully it will be a night of uninterrupted sleep before the next baby decides to arrive.