Motorcycle Doula

I'm not your average doula. My politics range from liberal to radical, I'm all inked up (not that unusual for Hollywood, but not the national norm), I'm a black belt martial artist, and I like to roar around town on a motorcycle. A really zippy motorcycle.

The motorcycle riding isn't just for fun. Doulas spend a lot of time driving, and in Los Angeles, that can mean a lot of time stuck in traffic. When I'm heading to a client who lives 30 miles from my house, being able to use the carpool lane can shave an hour off my drive time.

That being said, though lots of moms-to-be admire the bike and tell me they think it's cool that I ride, I have never booked a single job when I arrive on the bike. I'm not sure if it's just too much of a clash of expectations vs. reality, but there it is. I usually take my SUV to interviews now, even though it's a gas hog. Like everyone else in this economy, I need the work. My volunteer work with Pasadena's public health department is awesome and I'm totally committed to that project, but paying clients do make it possible for me to give time elsewhere.

Then again...more and more, I'm just trying to be myself. I'm not the right doula for everyone, and that's okay! If, however, you were looking for a superhero ninja biker doula, you found her.

Avoiding Pre-term Labor

There are many things you can do to help ensure a full-term, healthy baby. This isn't medical advice exactly, just common sense.

1. Avoid unnecessary induction
In the absence of a good medical reason, let your baby come when they are ready! Due Dates are just estimates, and they can be wrong by as much as two weeks...so that scheduled induction at 37 weeks might result in a 35 week old baby who needs a lot of medical help.

2. Reduce job stress
Overwork, fatigue, and job-related stress leads to a higher incidence of pre-term labor than pregnant women who are not employed outside of the home. Try to work with your employers to find things you can do instead. If that isn't possible, pregnancy disability leave might be an option for your family.

3. Eat well
Not too much, not too little, lots of vegetables. Malnutrition before pregnancy and poor weight gain prior to 20 weeks are highly associated with premature labor. Take those vitamins, too.

Relax and enjoy the time before this new addition to your family!

What a Doula Is

From Doulas of North America:

A Birth Doula

*Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life

*Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor

*Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth

*Stays with the woman throughout the labor

*Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision

*Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers

*Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience

*Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level

For each individual woman, needs may be different. For some, physical comfort is the top priority. For others, emotional care is most needed. Others need to feel that their partner will be able to enjoy the birth without feeling pressured to do everything.

When you are interviewing a doula, take some time to think about prior times when you have been in labor, ill, or in some other difficult situation. There is a good chance that the kind of care you needed then may be similar. Some women love to be held or touched when they are hurting; others just want companionship or to have questions answered.