I write a regular feature for the local weekly newspaper, the Source, called “Your 15 Minutes.” The idea is to approach someone in the community, interview them, and then share a bit of their story. I’ve loved the opportunity to write these, as well as other articles, for the Source. I get the opportunity to reach out in my community, meet new people, and hear their stories. And I can tell you that everyone has a story, although many people deny that there’s anything interesting to tell about them.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview a woman who is a nurse, Parent Educator, and Doula for the local school district. Her story is especially fascinating because she received her training as a Doula and is employed in this profession by a grant obtained by the school district. The local early years programs supports children from birth to 5, which includes support for families and teen mothers. In a small mid western town, this is a fairly progressive program.
I like to joke that I’m becoming a bit more “granola” as I get older. Truthfully, I think I’m just more comfortable in my shoes as I become more experienced as a mother, explore new things, and feel more confident in my place in the world. Everyone told me 30 was freeing: I had to experience it to believe it.
Part of all of this has been deciding to breastfeed, despite the fact that I didn’t really know much about it initially, and more recently, deciding to cloth diaper. As I’ve connected with moms who also do these things, I’ve discovered that moms who do both of these things are often interested in babywearing, co-sleeping, homeschooling, and natural childbirth. My favorite thing about connecting with other moms is learning from them and then taking ideas that work best for me. I am very interested in babywearing and childbirth options, but don’t like sleeping with baby (not even in the same room truthfully) and have opted for public school. I plan to continue to read and learn as much as I can about choices for my family and adjust as I go along.
Awhile back, I watched the documentary “The Business of Being Born” and was a bit surprised by my emotional response. As I witnessed the women in childbirth and watched their faces during delivery, I thought, “This is beautiful.” While I don’t think I’d probably ever select a home birth for myself, it definitely peaked my curiosity about midwives and water births. I’m not certain how much longer my family will live in this area, but I was excited to discover that an area hospital offers water birth tubs.
My husband and I attended a prenatal and birthing class while I was pregnant with our first child. We covered breastfeeding, breathing techniques, information about pain medicine, and a myriad of other topics. I felt informed, but not necessarily confident in my knowledge about the experience to come. Obviously, no class can fully prepare you for this life-changing experience, but I’m curious about the difference support from a Doula or even a midwife could have provided. As someone who was induced out of necessity (gestational diabetes) the first time and simply induced the second time, I would like to explore my options more fully next time I am pregnant.
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