Seven Doulas for Seven Moms

Apparently there was something in the water this weekend and EVERYONE and their sister went into labor. This is what it looks like... when doulas cry.

6am Saturday morning, a doula named Amadoma called me. I said, "How are you?" to which she replied, "I'm so stressed out!" She had three clients go into labor at the same time. Her back-up doula, Erin, was at another birth, and Erin also had three clients go into labor at once. So Amadoma found another doula, Alison, to cover her, but then that Alison had an asthma attack in the middle of the birth. So Amadoma called me. So I went to that birth. But then, one of my clients went into labor. And my back-up, Koyuki, had a cold. Thankfully, mama #1 labored fast and mama #2 labored slow. I left mama #1, went home, showered, ate, soaked my feet in hot water, and went to mama #2.

That's 7 moms for 3 doulas. All the moms eventually got doulas, after lots of frantic phone calling. WHEW!

In other news, Choices in Childbirth released the 2011-2012 New York Guide to a Healthy Birth today! After visiting a client for a postpartum follow-up, I walked over to CIC's headquarters to pick up my copies. It's beautiful! You can pick up copies at any maternity-centered place (clothing stores, yoga studios, etc, Metro Minis included obviously) or order copies (paying only for shipping) from CIC here.

And to finish up, here is a cartoon depicting the 7 babies who just got born this weekend. OMG.

Goodbye Metro Minis... Hello Clementine Midwifery!

Tuesday is my very last day at Metro Minis. My very last day fitting mamas and papas into baby carriers, explaining the ins and outs of cloth diapers (pun on poop? not on purpose...), and holding squirmy babies while mamas and papas try to understand baby carriers and cloth diapers. I'm really going to miss that place.

So why am I leaving? Well, I was recently presented with a new and very exciting opportunity that I simply cannot pass up. Drumroll please...

Clementine Midwifery! Homebirth midwife Stacey Rees has asked me to work as her assistant office manager and birth assistant. OH YEAH!

This job - working alongside a midwife - has actually been what I wanted to do since graduating. I became a doula (went to the training during senior week... I am a DORK) because I thought it would help me land a job with a midwife. Didn't happen that way. So I decided to use that training, began working as a doula, and found out I really loved it. But I also needed a part time job, so I found the truly wonderful Metro Minis. Then, a few months ago, it was time for my annual gyno check up. I was in the market for a new midwife and decided to see Stacey since she just relocated her office to my neighborhood. At the end of the appointment, I said, "If you ever need help, I'm around..." And the rest is history.

The lesson here is: if you want a job, get a pelvic exam. Is that funny, or weird? I think it's funny.

Anyway, I've already had a few days of work at her office. I've been restructuring the content of her website, inputting patient info into her electronic medical record system, and updating her phone system. And answering phones: "Hello, Clementine Midwifery, this is Leda"!

Stacey recently forwarded this video to me, and I am in love with it. It's a short and very clever animated depiction of a hospital midwife's shift. The graphics are amazing and the midwife is wonderful:



My favorite part: when the midwife answers the phone. Watch what the phone cord becomes...