help me with plan?

09-11-2009, 02:07 PM

Ok ladies,
I have an operation special delivery client due in october. Well the military hospital here does not offer any childbirth preperation classes, so i offered her a lil! Since im doing it for free and i will be on call for her soon! I opted to do one this weekend and then again in 2 weeks!
Well, so what should i go over?
I was thinking about doing some ice contractions. like in Birthing From Within! and doing some breathing excersizes and also some non focus awarness...i think those would benefit mom! am i missing anything?
She has read alot of pregnancy books about labor of course! I will go over some of the things i know with her, but i wanted to focus more on working through contractions! Mom is not sure she wants to go natural, but she had heard from other moms to be prepared for a natural childbirth, because they seem to have a limited ansthologist (spelled wrong) at the hospital!
so any and all advice is welcome!
thanks ladies!
love ya

AmandaB · 09-11-2009, 04:47 PM

Well:

You should cover the basic information regarding interventions that are used in that particular setting, speak on the pro and cons of all of them; including the pain-medication

Speak about uterus function, dilation, station of baby. Speak about each phase of labour and how she might be feeling, needing and what her support team should do in each phase.

Newborn appearance, behaviours in the first few days, breastfeeding, diapering and genral care for both mom and babe.

CBE is not a walk in the park, it requires a lot of research, planning, preparation and knowledge. Now I am not saying that you haven't done this but please be very aware of the information that you are providing her as you are her only "professional non-biased" source. Her friends will tell her one thing, her family another and her doctor something else all together. I spend months prefecting my teaching program and it is a work in progress every day. I am a little apprehensive about Doulas with basic Doula training "teaching", again this is not against you it is just my opinion. I would suggest that you look at websites that list what is a general outline, like this for example:

Signs of labour
Stages of labour
"Natural" unmedicated comfort measures
Breathing and massage techniques
Labour coaching
Epidurals and pain medication options for labour and birth
Medical interventions (Induction of labour, Fetal Monitoring, Forceps, Vacuum, Episiotomy)
Cesarean births
Postpartum experience
Early newborn topics/procedures, infant communication and crying, bathing and diapering the newborn
Breastfeeding

Best of luck and please feel free to ask any of us that teach regularly for advice.

doula Michele · 09-12-2009, 12:18 AM

I agree with Amanda. Those of us who teach have spent months making and revising our curriculaums. Birthing from Within is a total different ball of string too.

I would focus on the basics and don't stray to much into unchartered territory unless you have a good understanding of what you are trying to teach.

09-14-2009, 01:46 PM

The first class went really well! She is not looking for like a childbirth class, the military has provided her with the basics, she wants childbirth prep! which is what i do anyway being a doula! We did ice contractions, and she handled them well, i told her she might handle labor well!
She is reading Ina Mays Guide to Childbirth!
the thing that im kinda stuck on is she has a hard time with her imagination!
I have never met anyone that had an issue with that!
anyways i will have the internet back at home tomorrow so i will be able to do more research, and get on here more! But thank you ladies, youre right CBE is hardcore....altho it is one of my goals, i dont think i would like to take it on right right now!

AmandaB · 09-14-2009, 02:56 PM

So she is looking for comfort measures then? I was/am confused by what you were asking.

If it is comfort measures then yes you are well within your scope as a Doula to provide that kind of information but if it about replacing what isn't offered in the community then you need to find time to develop a program before you start offering anything, even if it is to a private client. Just be cautious about trying to mix too many styles (traditional CBE with BFW, HypnoBirthing, the list goes on and on) that is why they are all seperate; all of their philosophies, outlined, structures are all different.