Pre-natal Visit

[zora]

Ok, so I have secured my first client and the initial interview/visit went really well.
Just a little background. Client is a 26 yo educated primigravida with no childbirth education classes (due to lack of transportation). Her husband is a little wary of my role and I will be meeting him for the first time in the next visit. The next visit will be the last visit before her mid-October birth.
These are the things I'd like to go over. Please let me know if I'm on track:

• Squatting and kneeling positions (with her husband actively involved)
• Breathing techniques
• Epiosotomy preventative measures
• True versus False labor
• Provide a handout on pain management (non-pharm and pharm)

Is this too much for one visit? Anything that I'm missing?

[UtahDoula]

One thing I find VERY important is asking THEM what they want your role to be (Primary support with some help from dad, team with dad, secondary support with dad as the main support) Dads especially appreciate being asked this question.
Go over what THEY want from the birth experience. One common "rookie mistake" is thinking the prenatals are all about what YOU can teach THEM, when what THEY have to tell YOU is probably even more important! If they've written a birth plan, go over it with them, asking clarifying questions, and suggesting ways that the two of you can make sure it happens as they'd like.

[DoulaCBE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UtahDoula One thing I find VERY important is asking THEM what they want your role to be (Primary support with some help from dad, team with dad, secondary support with dad as the main support) Dads especially appreciate being asked this question. Go over what THEY want from the birth experience. One common "rookie mistake" is thinking the prenatals are all about what YOU can teach THEM, when what THEY have to tell YOU is probably even more important! If they've written a birth plan, go over it with them, asking clarifying questions, and suggesting ways that the two of you can make sure it happens as they'd like.

Absolutely.
One of the first things I cover is "Working Together During Labor" and we explore how each of them see me working with them individually and what their expectations are of me for working with their partner.

[zora]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UtahDoula One thing I find VERY important is asking THEM what they want your role to be (Primary support with some help from dad, team with dad, secondary support with dad as the main support) Dads especially appreciate being asked this question. Go over what THEY want from the birth experience. One common "rookie mistake" is thinking the prenatals are all about what YOU can teach THEM, when what THEY have to tell YOU is probably even more important! If they've written a birth plan, go over it with them, asking clarifying questions, and suggesting ways that the two of you can make sure it happens as they'd like.

I went over that with my client during the first visit. She wants me to team with dad, although I suspect dad wants me to be the secondary support.
That's why I wanted to involve him as much as possible in demonstrating the different positions.
Any other ideas on what to cover?

[UtahDoula]

That's why you ask DAD as well what role he'd like you to play. May I ask why dad was not included in the last prenatal/discussion? Because it's pretty important to have them there and get their input as well. I'd take some time to do that with him in this meeting since he missed the last one. ESPECIALLY since you describe him as "wary". The more time you listen to him and ask him how you can best work with him, the more he'll understand you don't intend to stick him in a corner and take over.

[zora]

He couldn't make it because he had to work. Basically, I got all my info about the dad from my client.
I do intend on speaking with all about his concerns and reassuring that I'm not there to replace him. Because this will be the last visit before the birth, I wanted to make sure I covered all the things the mom and dad needs to know.
She was pretty vague about her birth vision in the first interview. She knows that she wants it be as natural as possible. She has a low pain tolerance and wants all the non-pharm techniques that I can provide her. And she wants her husband involved but worries how he gets when he's stressed. So that's when I would come in and help him and her out.
I gave her some 'homework' on pain mgmt and to complete a birth vision. Should I spend more time talking to dad then doing the other things I had proposed in the first post?