BEFORE LABOR
I will meet with you and your partner at least once before labor to get acquainted, to explore and discuss your priorities and any fears or concerns, to discuss your birth plan and how we might best work together. I also want to know your own ways of coping with pain and fatigue and how you and your partner foresee working together. At this meeting, we can fine-tune any preparation for your birth, including logistics and specific concerns you may have.
I will also inform you of times when I am unavailable for labor support. To cover those times, I will arrange one or more qualified back-up doulas. This meeting typically lasts between 1-2 hours.
WHEN YOU ARE IN LABOR
I prefer that you call me as soon as you think you are going into labor or are unsure if you are going into labor. I can answer questions and make suggestions over the phone. We will decide if I should come right then or wait for further change. I usually need approximately 1 hour to get to you from the time you request that I come. We will also decide whether to meet at your home, hospital or the birth center. I will remain with you throughout active labor and birth. If, due to extraordinary circumstances, I am unable to be with you, my back-up doula will come.
I may also call my back-up if your labor proceeds longer than 24 hours and I believe it is in your best interest to have a change in birth support.
AFTER BIRTH
I will remain with you for 1-2 hours after the birth to make sure you are settled and comfortable. I can also help you initiate breastfeeding. I will be available to you by phone for up to two weeks after your birth. During these two weeks, we will schedule a postpartum appointment to review the birth, admire the baby, and I can answer any questions and obtain your feedback.
