Becoming a Doula

I have long been interested in midwifery and natural birth. I love reading birth stories of any kind and can't wait to be present at my first birth. The medical side of being a midwife never appealed to me, but as I learned more about the role a doula can play in birth it felt right for me.

These three books helped to lead me to my decision to start the certification process to become a doula:

A Midwife's Story by Penny Armstrong & Sheryl Feldman
Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent
Adventures in Natural Childbirth edited by Janet Schwegel

As well as this documentary:

The Business of Being Born

Yesterday I finished the first of my required readings:

The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin

In a couple weeks I'll be participating in a DONA approved training workshop for birth doulas. I'm going to try to read at least one more of the required reading before then. I'm very excited about this process. I feel like after the last few years of being in grad school and not having time for myself and my interests that now I can breathe again. Come alive. I knew that I hated being in grad school, but I hadn't been fully aware of how miserable I was and how I barely existed outside of it. It wasn't healthy and it wasn't living. Now it's time to do what I want.

Summer Plans

Now that school's out and the weather's nice I've got plans. Big plans.

I plan on walking at least four times a week, with a minimum of three of these walks with the dogs. We all need the fresh air and exercise.

I've been coming up with a list of places I'd like to visit in my general vicinity. So far they include an art museum (for a rainy day), a waterfall, and a mansion with lovely gardens.

I'd like to visit my mother who lives several states west of me.

And I'm planning on starting the certification process to become a doula. My long-range hopes are to serve as a doula during summer break when I'm a teacher. Hey, it never hurts to dream, right?

Purging

I have a lot of clothes. Even when you don't consider the t-shirts from Second Home Nature Center that could fill up their own dresser and will never be let go. Lately I'll be wearing something (usually a shirt) when I realize that it is either uncomfortable or unflattering (or often both). When it comes out of the wash, it goes straight in the donation bag. I've now collected two small bags to give to the Salvation Army. I'm always afraid I'll change my mind so I've been giving these items a waiting period before I take them away. Plus, I'm sure I can find a bunch more stuff to get rid of in the meantime.

It never ceases to amaze me how much stuff I have. The house is full, and it's all mine. The two small bedrooms and basement need some serious attention, but yuck. Who wants to spend their summer sorting and sweating surrounded by dusty crap? Not me.

Junk in the Trunk

Yesterday evening when I picked up my parents at the airport, I popped the trunk to load their luggage and was amused with what lives in there year round. Atop needles from my Christmas tree from two years ago is:

• a pair of snowshoes
• a pair of rollerblades
• a folding padded bleacher chair
  
• several old towels for the dogs
• a sunhat
  
• a picnic blanket

Do you have permanent fixtures in your trunk?

Reading

Adventures in Natural Childbirth ed. Janet Schwegel

So far it's quite good. I love reading all the various birth stories. I'm amazed that every one of the women was terrified of labor before they began their journeys toward having a natural childbirth, and most of them continued to hold on to that fear until after the baby was born. Maybe I'm crazy, but labor and delivery don't scare me in the least (all you moms out there, stop rolling your eyes). I've had the baby bug for more than five years, and this book makes me want to be pregnant even more. I will be reading more on the subject for sure because it is just so fascinating.