I have thought about becoming a Doula since before my second child was born. When we started trying to conceive, I read every birth book I could get my little hands on. It that I realized how little CHOICE and information I had been given during my first pregnancy and birth. I was only 18 and I basically just went along with whatever my doctor told me. I read a few birth books but I trusted my OB/GYN knew what she was doing. When I went into labor at 38 weeks 6 days, I waited until my contractions were 5 minutes apart and went to the hospital. They admitted me, started and IV and Pitocin without really asking me. After a while I was given an epidural. My water was broken for me. When it came time to push I was given an episiotomy and not even told about it. That is the part that infuriates me the most, I was not given a choice.
It wasn't until I was 21 and I become more informed about birth that I became angry about my first one. I was determined to have a more natural birth the second time around. But then I was married. I was not the only one who had an opinion about the birth of our child. My husband was uncomfortable with the idea of me delivering our baby outside of a hospital. So in the end I delivered my second and third children at hospitals. And I still felt out-of-control. I felt that my husband would never understand because he is a man.
And this is why I have a passion to become a doula. I feel that had I had an advocate that was there JUST for me, I would have been A LOT happier with how my births went. I want to be there to support other women in any way they need me. I intend to help my clients become educated about birth so they can make informed decisions It will not be my job to convince or change a woman's mind about her birth, it will be my pleasure to ensure she gets a birth experience that will bring on feelings of happiness rather then anger.
