tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686997867572223504.post7208966676613578785..comments2023-10-02T06:42:39.541-04:00Comments on musings of a montreal doula: A Word About People in the Birthing RoomAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06059951273542374898noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686997867572223504.post-63480452247795958062010-01-10T04:29:51.359-05:002010-01-10T04:29:51.359-05:00A very important post! Well said Lesley! Thank yo...A very important post! Well said Lesley! Thank you Thank you Thank you. I hope women will take heed to the point of knowing that 1) Their body knows how to birth - it works perfectly really it does. Maybe just a change in energy (people & place) is the only thing needed. 2) This is why homebirth works! Alas even at my homebirth (25 years ago) My midwife had to shoo loving family into the other room and I was immediately complete!<br />Last year I was the doula at two births where I ended up being outside the birth space, holding the space from outside the door...it's what the mom needed. It's so important for birth attendants to know when to slip out. So that baby can slip out. Admittedly I have been present at a couple of births over the years where I remember feeling bad energy, I got a sense mom was resenting me, I listened very carefully to the vibe. Eventually asking mom out right if she wanted me there or wanted me to leave. These times mom said "stay" so I did. I always wonder if she spoke the truth. But once she spoke I worked as smart and delicately as I could. This is why prenatal time is so so important - what wasn't shared, uncovered, dealt with? It will surely show up during birth...when 'it' is shared birth can heal 'it'. When we are present and our lovely, strong, amazing birthing friend is not ready to go to that scarey place to heal past wounds...we respect that. And birth? Well she just takes her time...respectfully.Rosiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17234934625003859257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5686997867572223504.post-86153407771065836212009-12-09T18:39:54.091-05:002009-12-09T18:39:54.091-05:00Even loved ones and doulas and all kinds of valuab...Even loved ones and doulas and all kinds of valuable lovely people can really interfere with the process. That is not to say that some of them aren't totally vital a lot of the time... especially in the hospital. <br /><br />At the birth center the midwives usually sit outside the room, just so we can hear her vocalizations and poke our heads in and check vitals here and there and provide labor support where necessary. But for the most part, especially if it is a couple laboring together we stay out of the way. One of the downfalls of the birth center is that the waiting room is just outside of the labor rooms, so you can hear a mom in labor, which makes grandparents and aunts and uncles and friends nervous, because most of them have never heard a mom in active natural labor, and the anxiety they put into the air is palpable sometimes. And every time I walk out of the birth room on the main floor I get nervous looks wanting updates. <br />I get performance anxiety and I think if I knew my family were all outside waiting for me to give birth I would get so nervous. I think I would only tell my birth team I were in labor just so I would not know that people all over where waiting on me to do my job... Eeek!<br /><br />A good birth worker knows how to be a sacred witness and interfere as minimally as possible while maintaining well-being. Our love should be the largest part of our presence. Of course I dont need to tell you that, because you taught me! :)Sagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14858417335598475676noreply@blogger.com