Doula Training Update

At this point, I have completed 4 tests from the Physiology for Birth portion of the course and finished my 1st book review (Spiritual Midwifery - Ina May Gaskin). I'm pretty happy with my progress. Just hope I can keep it up. My goal is to be finished before June.

Pregnancy - I really enjoyed this section. The nuts and bolts of conception is nothing short of a miracle. I truly don't see how anyone can study anything science related and not believe there is a higher power that designed all of this. Our bodies work through very complicated processes with ease. I learned about the various types of umbilical cords as well as the way baby descends into the birth canal. It's pretty amazing to learn how a baby's head is perfectly designed to fit their mother. Another new thing I learned is that the body is continually replacing amniotic fluid even throughout labor. Even after the bag has ruptured. Cool!

Labor & Birth - This section mainly works through the stages of labor. I most enjoyed learning of ways to monitor progress without the use of vaginal exams. The frequency & duration of contractions as well as the mother's mood and other involuntary responses can be good indicators of where she is at in the first stage. I also learned many pros for an actively managed 3rd stage of labor even though I'm always a fan less invasive, expectant management regarding the delivery of the placenta.

After the Birth - Here, the text talks about changes in the mother and baby after birth. It specifically touches on the differences between Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression. Significant changes happy in the baby as well. I most enjoyed seeing the video of the neonatal respiratory system and how it immediately changes following birth to begin to use the lungs. I was not a fan of the section regarding newborn testing and potential diseases. It was just tedious to read about things that are so rare.

Management of Labor - This section gets into the nitty gritty of active vs. expectant management of labor progress and the various interventions that are often performed. As mentioned previously, I much prefer low interference for labor. All the charts and time tables were tough to wrap my mind around since both have shown to have a higher C-section rate. This part of the course also discusses fetal monitoring and sites studies where this has not shown an increase in positive outcomes yet it continues to be used routinely in the United States. In fact, continuous fetal monitoring has actually shown to increase the C-section rate. *shaking my head*

In other news...

I have a mommy due soon. However, babies come in their own time so it could be any day between now and the next 2 weeks or so. I'm so excited. This baby will be born at The Farm, which is a dream come true for me to be able to experience. This baby's gender is also a surprise and I can't wait to meet this little person, whomever he or she is. This momma is a friend of mine and I am so looking forward to being labor support for her and the hubs. They are a dear, sweet family.