Being Present

Being a birth doula, I often times need to know what the next 9 months hold, in terms of family vacations, weekend getaways, and the like. Essentially, if I'm not going to be in town, I like to know in advance so that when I interview with a family, I can let them know if I'm planning on being out of town close to their due date. Sure, I arrange for a back-up doula, but when I spend time prenatally with a family and they've asked me to be part of their birth team, being with them is my priority. Short of being too sick to be around a laboring mother and new baby or a death in my family, I plan on being with the family at the time they ask me to join them in labor. 

You may already know that I'm going to be out of town this summer, returning at the end of July. I will be gone 8-10 weeks, and when I return, I very much want to be present for my family in a predictable way. Being a birth doula, as you can imagine, is anything but predictable. 

Though I love being with a family when they're working so hard to meet their baby, I'm stepping back from providing labor support until the new year. Giving myself and my family a more predictable schedule feels only right, given my summer away. 

I will continue to teach childbirth education classes, and I'm available for private classes and consultations. I'll be available to arrange appointments when I'm back, so please let me know if you're interested in setting something up after August. 

Thanks to all the families with whom I've worked. It's been such an honor and pleasure.