Prenatals when you get a last minute client...

~Tranquility~Doula · 04-03-2006, 12:59 PM

do you try to squeeze in both prenatal visits (or more if you offer them) or do you try to make sure you cover everything in one long visit? I just got a client that is due in 2 weeks and she lives about 45 minutes from me. With the way my schedule is I don't know if I can squeeze in the 2 visits, especially if she has the baby soon.

fearlessbirth · 04-03-2006, 01:37 PM

I've not had this situation but I would probably just do one lengthy visit and then maybe a couple of phone conversations, if need be. Also, you wouldn't want to wait for the 2nd prenatal and not cover anything and the baby be born before that time!

Stacie · 04-03-2006, 01:51 PM

I would probably do a lengthy visit as well and maintain good contact via email and phone. Find out what she wants to know about, and work around that.

Gentlebirthmama · 04-03-2006, 03:27 PM

For me I would meet with her initially to communicate about what her needs are, what her expectations of you as a doula are, and what her desires for her birth are, and then spend time getting to know each other as much as possible. Of course I do this anyway with any doula client, but I would spend extra time in a situation like this and basically cut right to the chase if you will!

Plan for a second get together in 2 weeks, because she will most likely still be pregnant. This second get together can be to review some things with her and maybe give her a foot massage, etc. Just a relaxed meeting to follow up, and definitely stay in touch by way of the phone between now and then.

Amy

DL · 04-03-2006, 03:30 PM

Probably half of my clients have come to me within 2-3 weeks of giving birth; yes, the time crunch can be tiring & frustrating! In this situation, you can only do so much. I tell my moms that I will do my best to get all the information to them, but that if she goes into labor before we can fit in the 2nd prenatal, then we'll just learn as we go while in labor (meaning which comfort measures she wants, etc.). They just have to understand that that is the consequence for booking so close to their due date (not to sound like I'm punishing them, but that reality is that there's only so much time left).

Whether I do two separate prenatals or one lengthy one usually depends on distance for me and what all is on my calendar. I live in a rural area and am accustomed to driving 30-45 minutes for many of my clients, so the 45 minute drive alone probably wouldn't be my deciding factor (although your 'mileage' may vary

). If I could fit it in my schedule (and that's usually the biggest part of my deciding factor), then I'd do the first one ASAP and the second one within a few days to a week (but not later than a week). That's what I usually try to do; I think that the clients retain more with two visits than they do the one long one (let alone that each of my prenatals are usually over 2 hours long), plus it gives us more opportunity to get to know each other. Of course, sometimes it's necessary to do the one long prenatal, and you just do the best that you can. Regardless, phone contact with clients usually becomes more frequent during the last two weeks before her due date, so you can cover some of your prenatal material over the phone (although, IMO, in-person is usually best if you can do it, over the phone is just not the same, especially if she has a birth partner that would normally be at the prenatals).

Just do whatever you can do, and it'll work out fine.

I'm sorry it took me so long to say....umm...not a whole lot!

raspberrymoondoula · 04-03-2006, 03:58 PM

i usually skip the nutrition portion of my prenatals since if they're gonna deliver in a week it probably wont make much difference anyhow unless the have a blatantly glaring food problem.

Kim Trower · 04-03-2006, 05:52 PM

I've had many last minute and 2 calling me already in pre-labor...I don't stress myself out about it..It was the woman who waited until the last minute. So, I spend the time I do have getting to know mom/partner, finding out what's important, goals, etc. and we wing it in labor. At that point in the game mom has either educated herself or she is uneducated and it's extremely hard to learn 9 months of stuff and make decisions when you are heading into labor any day..so if something comes up, like induction, we go over it at the time, giving pros and cons and encouraging her to listen to her instincts.

Tashina Marker · 04-04-2006, 12:58 AM

I have no experience with this ,but I would give one lengthy visit & if I could fit another one in later,GREAT!

I know I'm not much help,but that's all I can give ya.

~Tranquility~Doula · 04-04-2006, 09:02 AM

I'll see if I can squeeze in the 2nd visit. My problem is time. I have 2 May clients that I still need to see plus I have postpartum appointments to do. And then there's school. UGH! I feel like I'm doing too much right now!

Cherylkind · 07-16-2008, 04:01 PM

bump again! Seeing if anyone has new thoughts on this.

JackieM · 07-16-2008, 04:43 PM

I am MAYBE getting a client next week at 37 weeks, so I'm subbing. Unfortunately, I have no way to get in touch with her until next Tuesday evening (long story, not my fault). Eh.

Wendy79 · 07-16-2008, 06:14 PM

As I've posted in several other places, I got a client in her 41 week. But since she transferred from another doula, she'd already done two "doula prenatals". In the limited time we had, I decided just to over birth wishes thoroughly, and find out how much they knew, and get a sense of the couple. We spent one hour face to face in their home and had two phone conversations. Delivery was less than six days later.

Thinking about it now, I guess I could have done more practice of comfort measures etc, but it really felt sort of urgent. I should have asked about preferred scents (though I didn't end up using anything scented). It turned out the other doula did, indeed, practice some comfort measures with this couple, and the mom used the vocalizing technique the other doula taught her.

I didn't want to do a second visit because I felt like another appointment of any kind would add stress to the couple's life. I think they had four pregnancy-related appointments in the five days I knew them. But we talked on the phone a couple of times, and at the beginning of labor I said "I can't believe I've only known you guys a few weeks!" and they both said "I know!" in unison--I think because we all felt so intimate with each other in the labor room.

I think I will make a checklist of "things I absolutely want to know" that I can go over with future last-minute clients. Scents and whether they want me to take photos, another question I forgot to ask, would be on there.

BellaLuna Rayne · 07-18-2008, 06:44 PM

I am bumping this again because I got a call from a Mom due August 5th. This is also my first client. I am a bit nervous and have only some idea of what to try and cover. Also, the husband is deployed in Iraq right now. If the husband doesn't make it home for the birth, it will most likely just be me in the delivery room.

earthgirl · 07-18-2008, 08:00 PM

When a client hired me at 38 weeks we did one 4 hour visit,and kept in contact every few days by phone or email. I asked her to call me after every prenatal visit with her care provider. She was a hopeful and successful VBAC (my first).

swissmiss · 07-27-2008, 11:47 PM

My first two (and only) clients have delivered within 2-3 weeks of initial contact.

I usually just tailor the meetings (two with the first client, one with the second) to their circumstances and go with the flow. I address up front that it will be a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants experience as far as my support goes since we've had little to no time to address a lot of things. In both cases, both moms were willing to opt for the epidural and limited my role a bit from that standpoint.

My third client contacted me at just shy of 35 weeks. But since I haven't heard from her lately and she's not returning my calls, I might not have to worry about it.