Hullaballoola....Paula's a Doula!

What's all the hullaballoola?

I have some exciting news to share - two days ago, I finally got my motherfunkin' backside in gear and submitted my final piece of coursework to earn my Doula certificate - and now I have it!

 How did this happen?

Since attending the workshop part of the course in Brighton last May, I have tried to write my final piece I don't know how many times but each time it somehow felt mediocre, kind of ok but nothing special. I'd write it then leave it lying around for a bit. I'd re-read it and think - 'nah!'

Why?

I think the reason is because in my heart I know that my main work right now involves being here for my kiddos and facilitating their learning journey. It's a pretty full-time gig. I chose to do that for them, to be with them, and my commitment to them is 100% The same question kept coming back to me - 'How am I logistically going to find childcare for my bambinos at the drop of a hat?' Birth is a bit, you know, random, generally, so how do I drop everything I'm doing and help another mama 'do the do'? The timing of birth is a science unto itself, and unless a client goes for an elective c-section, how can I know my children will have someone to look after them, care for them, feed them, educate them?

And then I had a realisation. How many clients am I really likely to have? Here, in these marshy flatlands I call home? Maybe two or three a year? Is this really such a big deal? I'll have time to figure things out, no?

So, laid up in bed with a bad back, on day 3, I started to write my coursework. And man, did I enjoy it! I wrote in a frenzy, the words finally tumbling from my heart just as I had always meant to say them. I couldn't write them before, because I hadn't quite figured it out yet. I had to go through months and months of experiences, interaction, thinking deeply and educating myself further. And in doing so, I have worked out.....

....my manifesto! ta-da! And here it is:

   To listen to each mother with my eyes, ears, hands and heart

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 To honour, defend, and support her right to find her own strength, her own truths, her own power

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To act as a signpost towards information but not to be pushy with my own agenda

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  To respect that each woman has her own journey

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To recognise that each mother will have different needs and wants

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To help the mother to tap into her primitive, monkey brain, whatever setting she births in, 

by speaking gently, touching gently, acting gently, and thinking gently

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 To provide relief for the father/birth partner of the child by allowing them to rest as necessary

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-     To acknowledge and respect the laws of oxytocin and adrenaline production – keeping my own adrenaline in check so as to extend a feeling of calm to the mother and father/birth partner, and in turn, the baby

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To help the mother to process feelings of joy, elation, tiredness, disappointment – the whole 

gamut of feelings that can follow a birth

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To help her feel safe to process the decisions she made, help her to be at peace with her birth and help her 

to self-reflect so she can draw her own conclusions if things might have gone better….

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To commit to my own ongoing education about birth 

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To help the birthing mother to the best of my ability, to have a truly nurturing birth

And here's my certificate :-)

( Doula-Doula happy dance )

I am one very happy motherfunker, so I am!

XXX