I was dropping off my DD at a party two weeks ago when I ran into a mother of one of her schoolmates. The mother was 9 months along and telling me how she has scheduled a c-section for the following week. We chat a little bit and go on our way.
When I came back to the party to pick up my DD, I made sure to bring along a little bag of samples and stuff that she might be interested in, in addition to my card. "Oh, I didn't know you are a doula!" she says. Yada, yada, we talk for a few more minutes but I had to run.
Mom had her baby last week.
My DD tells me a few days ago: "K (the other mother's DD) is so silly."
I ask "Why do you say that?"
"Because she said that you deliver babies in bathtubs." Huh???
I asked her to rewind and start again.
"K's mother said that my mom is a doula and that means that she only delivers babies that are born in bathtubs."
So I ask "And what did you say?"
My DD: "I told her that my mother doesn't deliver babies - that's what Midwives and Doctors do. My mother is a doula and she takes care of the mamas while they're having their babies."
My DD then gives me THE MOST precious expression! It was like ~ Sheesh, don't people know what a doula is ~ kind of look. It was great.
I let her know that her duty was to educate people, in a nice way and I was very proud of her for doing her part.
I'm so happy that she "gets" it!
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LOL...that's great! I'm not sure my younger ones understand it as well as yours do, but my older girls do. It is funny to hear them talk about it with other people, especially when they talk about the rate of c-sections and why would someone choose to have a baby that way, etc...
My in-laws do not get it at all though! My brother-in-law has asked me questions several times about exactly what I do. He can't get his mind around that someone would pay me to be there! LOL My mil just shakes her head and says people are crazy these days. <sigh>
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Cindy
Married to the love of my life for 20 years
Mom to Rebecca, Rachel, Richard, Ruth, Robert, Riley, Reece, Ridge, and Reagan
ahh, thanks for that warm and fuzzy story. There is HOPE for the birth world!
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B'earth Angel the absentee doula "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."
My 2 1/2 year old daughter told me the other day "When I'm in labour, I'm going to have my baby in a pink pool. With a yellow duckie, a blue duckie and a green ducky in there and I'm going to have nice music playing - Dora the Explorer I think'!!
Priceless... I'm going to be sure to record this early birthplan for laughs later!
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Yes, she is a very sweet daughter! She is 10, going on about 22. She is very, very maternal and the big thing that she cannot wait for is to take her Red Cross babysitter's course next year! I think she is going to be a bit disappointed because she is going to know most of what they teach already. SHe is a great big sister - really great. All right, I'm done with the bragging.
Anyway, isn't it funny, like you mentioned Cindy, how kids can get it so effortlessly but grownups don't? Kids really are smart and I think it is not only our jobs to educate the mamas and families we serve but to do our part with normalizing birth for the next generations. Hmmmmm, I'll have to ponder that one. Maybe there's the potential for a class or outreach with that thought?
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Heeheee so darn cute. I wonder if kids "get it" easier because they know how it feels to just want someone there with them. They haven't forgotten that yet like adults have.
Love the duckie birth plan. That's awesome.
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Huh???
I'm so happy that she "gets" it!
Cindy 
Good for her!
That is so cute!!! What a smart girl!
She is very, very maternal and the big thing that she cannot wait for is to take her Red Cross babysitter's course next year! I think she is going to be a bit disappointed because she is going to know most of what they teach already. SHe is a great big sister - really great. All right, I'm done with the bragging. 
