Re: Coronavirus and Your Doula
3/18/20
Hello All,
What a whirlwind this week has been, and its only Wednesday. My goal with this email is not to stir anxiety or fear, but to spread knowledge and understanding of what is happening in the health care system and some tips we can do to stay above it. So before I start, let us all take a deep breath, be thankful for our current health, our beautiful village, and the many people facing the invisible enemy on our behalf.
Everyday, 10 times a day, rules are changed, policies are made and unmade, and I am doing my very best to stay on top of it all, while supporting you from afar. I have been up night and day writing letters, calling hospitals, speaking with hospital providers, nurses, as well as management, and still trying to maintain normal business (prenatal visits, postpartum visits, and consults for new clients (YAY!)) via FaceTime.
As of now, I have heard that the only hospital that is still allowing doulas in the metro is Woodwinds. In the same breath, I have heard that there has been a Twin-City-wide consensus that Doulas are Essential and WILL be allowed in every metro hospital. The truth is changing by the hour. I have heard from my doula peers as well as personal clients, some of the following statements:
- My due date is not for 2 more weeks, but my OB wants to induce now so that there is less likelihood of compromised health risks two weeks from now, should my baby be born when the virus is more widespread.
- My nurse practioner / midwife has given their patient load to the leading OB until further notice.
- My provider has cancelled my 6 week postpartum check in (the only check in for mother's following birth) and rescheduled it for another 6 weeks out.
- My provider advices against switching birthing locations, because those hospitals have looser policies and will become infected quicker than mine.
These statements, among others, are so hard to hear. My head and my heart are taking a toll, but I am here for you no matter what. So what can we do?
SO MANY THINGS!
This is your time, and your birth, and outside of the health care system, the way we prepare for birth, nest, and survive is... together. So here are my suggestions (if you are all healthy and not self-isolating):
- Go for a walk or play outside in the yard together once a day, weather permitting, without your phone. This will give you exercise, fresh air, sunshine, vitamin D, and a worry-free chance to just be.
- Talk about the good together. Snuggle up and talk to baby about how excited you are to meet them and all the things you'll do together as a family.
- Plan ahead, together. We have spent so much time talking and planning all the wonderful things you can do in early labor... do you remember them all? Sit down together and write them out, then get up and do the routine!
- Practice self-care together. Give each other massages, get those feelings out, take baths, exercise, read a good book, paint a picture, cook a healthy meal, make some sweet love, and remember to laugh! Those good dopamine and oxytocin hormones are all baby needs to know they are loved and safe.
- A phrase that comes to mind is: do something for your brain, something for you body, something for joy, and something for somebody else. What can you do for others from afar, that could brighten their day or make this time a little easier for them?
- FaceTime or Skype friends/family members. I know you've probably heard that already and maybe have even exhausted all your contacts already.. but we are social beings. We are meant to be with others, so give someone a call!
In the likelihood of not being allowed a doula, I have attached a list of labor positions that we have already talked about and practiced, so that you have something to go off of if I cannot be there with you. I want to point out the last page of it specifically that talks about breathing, balance, movement and gravity. If you do nothing else, remember that these things together will allow your baby the space they need to move effectively through your body.
My plan at this point is this:
- When you believe your labor has begun, call me to talk about it.
- Call your birthing location to see if they allow doulas (you may or may not want to disclose that you have begun labor).
- If doulas are not allowed, I will plan to come to your home using the 4-1-1 rule (contractions are every 4 minutes lasting one minute for a while hour) or using your best judgement (as in, when you feel like you need my support).
- I will plan to stay with you in-person until it is time to go to the hospital - assuming we show no symptoms (cough, fever, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, etc).
- When its time to go to the hospital, I will switch to video/call/text communication. This will likely be intermittent, but I will remain with you virtually as long as its helpful!
- Of course, if your birthing location allows me in, this won't be an issue.
- Some of you may fear that virtual communication will not be enough, and I want to assure you that it is yet another tool for your birth tool box. This tool will help you talk through your options with an unbiased, evidence based person, let you make decisions you are proud of, give your birth partner suggestions on how to help, give yousuggestions on how to cope, remind you of positions and breathing techniques that will get you through the hardest stretches of labor, and help remind you that you are not alone.
- if doulas ARE allowed, then you should go to your birthing location as planned (most hospitals follow the 5-1-1 rule) and call me when ready for my additional support (as much into active labor as possible to avoid having more people than necessary in the hospital to limit the spread of virus).
- If you feel that there was a lack of support, remember that I will be gifting you all postpartum credits should you want or need additional support following the birth of yourbaby, once you are home.
I know this is a lot of information, both good and bad, but I have hope and still believe we have a chance at making your birth as beautiful and peaceful as ever, as long as our rights are not taken away. Be strong, keep me in the loop, and let me know of any changes you make so that we are all on the same page.
DISCLAIMERS:
- I am not a medical professional; please follow your providers instructions should they be regarding a medical emergency or the safety and health of you or your baby.
- My last hospital birth was 3/2/20, so I believe I have not been infected with COVID-19. The more I break quarantine and the more hospitals I enter, the higher my chances are of contracting the virus. At this point I do not plan to leave my home except for birth.
- I need some TLC and will be away from my phone and computer for one hour per day to reset. During that time I will be with my family, in my home or yard, remembering what it is to be free and human. If you would like a text letting you know when I am away and when I return, let me know.
Thinking of you always,
Amy the Doula
3/18/20
Hello All,
What a whirlwind this week has been, and its only Wednesday. My goal with this email is not to stir anxiety or fear, but to spread knowledge and understanding of what is happening in the health care system and some tips we can do to stay above it. So before I start, let us all take a deep breath, be thankful for our current health, our beautiful village, and the many people facing the invisible enemy on our behalf.
Everyday, 10 times a day, rules are changed, policies are made and unmade, and I am doing my very best to stay on top of it all, while supporting you from afar. I have been up night and day writing letters, calling hospitals, speaking with hospital providers, nurses, as well as management, and still trying to maintain normal business (prenatal visits, postpartum visits, and consults for new clients (YAY!)) via FaceTime.
As of now, I have heard that the only hospital that is still allowing doulas in the metro is Woodwinds. In the same breath, I have heard that there has been a Twin-City-wide consensus that Doulas are Essential and WILL be allowed in every metro hospital. The truth is changing by the hour. I have heard from my doula peers as well as personal clients, some of the following statements:
- My due date is not for 2 more weeks, but my OB wants to induce now so that there is less likelihood of compromised health risks two weeks from now, should my baby be born when the virus is more widespread.
- My nurse practioner / midwife has given their patient load to the leading OB until further notice.
- My provider has cancelled my 6 week postpartum check in (the only check in for mother's following birth) and rescheduled it for another 6 weeks out.
- My provider advices against switching birthing locations, because those hospitals have looser policies and will become infected quicker than mine.
These statements, among others, are so hard to hear. My head and my heart are taking a toll, but I am here for you no matter what. So what can we do?
SO MANY THINGS!
This is your time, and your birth, and outside of the health care system, the way we prepare for birth, nest, and survive is... together. So here are my suggestions (if you are all healthy and not self-isolating):
- Go for a walk or play outside in the yard together once a day, weather permitting, without your phone. This will give you exercise, fresh air, sunshine, vitamin D, and a worry-free chance to just be.
- Talk about the good together. Snuggle up and talk to baby about how excited you are to meet them and all the things you'll do together as a family.
- Plan ahead, together. We have spent so much time talking and planning all the wonderful things you can do in early labor... do you remember them all? Sit down together and write them out, then get up and do the routine!
- Practice self-care together. Give each other massages, get those feelings out, take baths, exercise, read a good book, paint a picture, cook a healthy meal, make some sweet love, and remember to laugh! Those good dopamine and oxytocin hormones are all baby needs to know they are loved and safe.
- A phrase that comes to mind is: do something for your brain, something for you body, something for joy, and something for somebody else. What can you do for others from afar, that could brighten their day or make this time a little easier for them?
- FaceTime or Skype friends/family members. I know you've probably heard that already and maybe have even exhausted all your contacts already.. but we are social beings. We are meant to be with others, so give someone a call!
In the likelihood of not being allowed a doula, I have attached a list of labor positions that we have already talked about and practiced, so that you have something to go off of if I cannot be there with you. I want to point out the last page of it specifically that talks about breathing, balance, movement and gravity. If you do nothing else, remember that these things together will allow your baby the space they need to move effectively through your body.
My plan at this point is this:
- When you believe your labor has begun, call me to talk about it.
- Call your birthing location to see if they allow doulas (you may or may not want to disclose that you have begun labor).
- If doulas are not allowed, I will plan to come to your home using the 4-1-1 rule (contractions are every 4 minutes lasting one minute for a while hour) or using your best judgement (as in, when you feel like you need my support).
- I will plan to stay with you in-person until it is time to go to the hospital - assuming we show no symptoms (cough, fever, congestion, runny nose, sore throat, etc).
- When its time to go to the hospital, I will switch to video/call/text communication. This will likely be intermittent, but I will remain with you virtually as long as its helpful!
- Of course, if your birthing location allows me in, this won't be an issue.
- Some of you may fear that virtual communication will not be enough, and I want to assure you that it is yet another tool for your birth tool box. This tool will help you talk through your options with an unbiased, evidence based person, let you make decisions you are proud of, give your birth partner suggestions on how to help, give yousuggestions on how to cope, remind you of positions and breathing techniques that will get you through the hardest stretches of labor, and help remind you that you are not alone.
- if doulas ARE allowed, then you should go to your birthing location as planned (most hospitals follow the 5-1-1 rule) and call me when ready for my additional support (as much into active labor as possible to avoid having more people than necessary in the hospital to limit the spread of virus).
- If you feel that there was a lack of support, remember that I will be gifting you all postpartum credits should you want or need additional support following the birth of yourbaby, once you are home.
I know this is a lot of information, both good and bad, but I have hope and still believe we have a chance at making your birth as beautiful and peaceful as ever, as long as our rights are not taken away. Be strong, keep me in the loop, and let me know of any changes you make so that we are all on the same page.
DISCLAIMERS:
- I am not a medical professional; please follow your providers instructions should they be regarding a medical emergency or the safety and health of you or your baby.
- My last hospital birth was 3/2/20, so I believe I have not been infected with COVID-19. The more I break quarantine and the more hospitals I enter, the higher my chances are of contracting the virus. At this point I do not plan to leave my home except for birth.
- I need some TLC and will be away from my phone and computer for one hour per day to reset. During that time I will be with my family, in my home or yard, remembering what it is to be free and human. If you would like a text letting you know when I am away and when I return, let me know.
Thinking of you always,
Amy the Doula
