Hello!
I hope your summer is getting off to a good start.
My nephew and wife had a new baby recently and it required a lot of change and negotiations to get to complete their plan, but it happened, and I am so glad. They had to change the birthplace, caregivers and make connections with new nurses. Their fortitude and the staff’s willingness to cheer them all helped things turn out well.
Do you ever have plans that don’t go just the way you envisioned? Being able to pivot is such a great trait to have. Especially in the birth and postpartum world. In class I always say that birth is never a straight line and that we prepare, pack our bags, and follow it wherever it goes. Same goes for postpartum. The TV/Movie ideals do NOT apply. We are talking about real people, in real situations and the ability to change becomes the golden ticket.
As long as the parents get all their questions answered and make the decision about what happens next, they will likely feel like it is a good birth/good baby, no matter how it turns out. Do you discuss the art of asking questions in your classes or with your doula clients? You may even use the B.R.A.I.N. acronym for asking about Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, using their own Intuition and saying yes or No or Not now when they get the information they need. In the start of my childbirth education class, I tell the students that the one thing I hope they remember best is that they get to ask all the questions they want to get the information they need to make THEIR own decisions. I hope you do, too.
I am looking forward to speaking at the ICEA Conference: Circle of Care in October. I hope you can join us! I have even already found a roommate for the hotel. Maybe you can bring a friend and split the room cost! I’m looking forward to learning and growing while we are there and I know I will learn from all the attendees, not just the speakers!
I will have pictures of my 3 grandbabies to share with you. We are going to Oregon to see my 2 grandsons in August and just saw my granddaughter recently. Be sure to bring along things that you want to share, maybe a tool you use in class or with a client or an idea that helped make your last birth easier. You can even bring swag from your hospital or business to swap with others at the conference. That would be fun!
Have a great summer! And remember – Just Breathe!
