Does anyone have a "cheat sheet"

[doulaamber]

that you take to births with you? I know a couple of doula's who take along the little book called the Pocket Doula with them to births. I don't have the money to buy that, but I found a pink and brown ( ) book of 3X5 cards and I was thinking of having a card say for like "back labor" and have all the things listed there that I can do to help with labor in case I forget anything and need to refresh my memory.

I was thinking about having a card for:
back labor
stalled labor
epidural
malpositioned baby
c-section

what else could i have a card for?

[truelife]

I have "cheat cards" that a friend gave me from her CB class.

It has:
- Affirmations
- Help Me! (What to do in Transition to help Mom)
- BRAIN (Benefits Risks Intuition Alternative Nothing)
- A card for each stage of Labor
- Positions for Pushing listed out
- Massage - Where to Massage for different affects
- Positions for first stage listed out
- What NOT to say during labor
- Back Labor
- Natural Ways to Speed Labor

The cards are about 3" x 3" and connected with a silver binding ring (?) I really like them and they're small enough to slip in my pocket in a hurry. I need to redo them though w/my info on the front and laminate them b/c this set has already gotten wet....

[jesscardona]

YES!! I bought from Polly (cutting Edge) its actually from the laboring handbook, some cards that are put in a small ring and their laminated.. it's called Laboring Progress Cards b/c I found that in the last birth I was in which was a long one, it got to a point where I went blank.. so I think it's good to have these..

[dorothyh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doulaamber that you take to births with you?

I carry the Labor Progress Handbook by Penny Simkin and Ruth Ancheta and have referred to it many many times. It gives infomation about just about any situation in labor, gives suggestions for working with women with epidurals, back labor, positions, pushing, comfort measures, etc. etc. I think I paid $30.00 and it was money well spent. I know for me in more than one case, a suggestion from that book turned the tide of those particular labors, and changed it from talk of a cesarean to the moms having vaginal births.

http://www.amazon.com/Labor-Progress...e=UTF8&s=books

[earthgirl]

Yes, I have the labor progress handbook, and I've photocopied Things to say from the CAPPA manual, that's is in my Birth Binder.

[motherstouchdoula]

I take my Birth Partner book

[waterbaby0205]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jesscardona YES!! I bought from Polly (cutting Edge) its actually from the laboring handbook, some cards that are put in a small ring and their laminated.. it's called Laboring Progress Cards b/c I found that in the last birth I was in which was a long one, it got to a point where I went blank.. so I think it's good to have these..

where would I look for something like this?

[AussieDoula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterbaby0205 where would I look for something like this?

Try the Cutting Edge Press website for some fantastic Doula tools and materials.
The cards Jessica was talking about are the Labour Progress Cards.

[MothertheMother]

I sent my mom a wish list from this site last year and she got me tons of stuff for Christmas. It was GREAT!!! Best Christmas gifts by far. I love my birth ball carry strap, the client folders are a great example of what kind of info to keep on your clients, and she sells quite a few great books (in addition to the labor support cards etc)

[capandcradle]

I don't tend to take stuff like this but wish I'd thought of it a long time ago. Very often back labor/stalled labor/long prodromal labor is because of fetal malposition. That or psychological dystocia or sometimes there are too many people around the mother, and sometimes covering her eyes and darkening the room just works wonders!

I've also been in rare situations where we know the baby is OP and the care provider doesn't want her off her back to H&K or walking around so that the baby can rotate easily. Frustrating!

Truelife, I'm interested in hearing what you've heard recommended as what NOT to say :-) I can think of a few myself ~

[truelife]

"What NOT to Say During Labor"

- How do you load the camera? Work the camcorder?
- You make me so proud to be a woman!
- It's not so bad... remember when the cat did it?
- WOW... your face is RED!
- Your Mother-In-Law said... (anything)
- I've just gotta take this one call...
- I know exactly how you feel
- Your FIL, BIL, Nephew, etc are all outside the door - are you sure you don't want them to come in?
- How long was your first labor (in the "WOW this is taking a while tone")
- Most women cannnot handle the pain, when amniotic sac is broken or pitocin is given, without an epidural.

(This was on the card given for both Doulas/Dads some apply, some don't and some are just common sense.)

I would enjoy hearing some others...

[jesscardona]

That's funny! and waterbaby Aussie, gave you that link!

[tlcdoula]

I used to carry the Labor Progress Handbook and these cards on a ring and found that I never used them because it was already in my head LOL. I still carry the cards on a ring and will sometimes give them to the dad to read and figure out what to do for mom - it depends on the dad.

[scarborogal]

I love the labour cards, but does anyone know of a canadian place I can get them. I'm not being patriotic it is just they are expensive and with the exchange rate, I'd like to compare prices.

K.

[sumama]

Great post Amber!
Thanks for the links AussieDoula.