But what do you actually dooooo??

But what do you actually dooooo??? A question that comes quite often actually.

I often come into contact with the women I am going to serve at some point during their pregnancy. We connect usually by phone or video call the first time, just to see how it might feel to work together.

It is important for both of us to like and trust each other. Of course the trust part can take time, but there is often a strong feeling from right in the beginning about each other and if it is meant to be that we work together.

Lots of what I do is throughout pregnancy. We meet one-on-one, in person or through phone or video call. We talk about many things and I support the women I serve to make informed choices, to feel empowered about their labour and birth. We vision the birth and postpartum time together, we release fears and debrief past stories, or stories that have been heard. We talk about how to make all of the decisions that might come up, and what are the right choices for each women.

My role is really to serve each women in the way that she needs. It is not about my own agenda or my belief’s- it is yours.

.I also attend births and serve women as they labour and bring forth their baby.

Here's a part of the story of a birth I attended.

I arrive in the night, It is about 10.30pm after Mama has messaged to say she is going deeper and she's ready for me to join her. I wait for some moments before I enter her house, taking a few deep breaths of cool night air, centering myself. becoming grounded and present to this exact moment. Here I stand, ready to enter into a sacred birth space.

a pause.

important.

I knock softly and step inside, greeting Papa in the kitchen with a hug and asking how he is. He is calm but also busy. He is trying to connect the garden hose to the kitchen tap to fill the birth pool, but Mama needs him with her right then.

My first mission.

The hose is connected, the pool starts to fill. Mama is deep in her labour trance. she stays there. Papa hops in the pool too. She's got this, I can see it. She doesn't need me right now and her connection with Papa is strong. I step outside and leave the beautiful pair together, sharing the sacred space, journeying together.

As a Doula I know very well I am not needed to be right there in her face in every moment. I make tea, fill glasses of coconut water, prepare a snack. I wait quietly outside the door, listening to see if I am needed. I am holding space. I am leaving room for this sacred process to happen as it should.

But I am there if I'm needed.

After some time I hear quiet voices: the pool needs to be warmer. Papa stands to go and do it, but Mama still needs him there. I add water. It's warm again. I bring the snacks and drinks and offer them to Mama.

She stays deep in her process, knowing that her needs are met, she is calm.

She feels private, safe and unobserved.

She knows she has all the power she needs inside her to birth her baby...

This is just a tiny snippet of the gentle way that a Doula trusts birth, and let's the Mama follow her body and flow, while making sure her physical, emotional and spiritual needs are met..