January 17, 2010
It seems like an eternity since attending the Doula training info night. I have never been so excited about something so new and different since I was expecting my own two children.
I have been a bundle of nerves in anticipation. Would this be the career and life change I’ve been looking for? I’m reading everything I can before classes begin, have attended a Childbirth Prep class and now am enthusiastically awaiting Day 1 of DM training.

Day One | January 19, 2010
Introduction and Childbirth Education

Finally the first day of class has arrived. I return from class late at night after a long day of playing mother, business professional at my day job and then eager Doula in training. My husband waits up for me as he’s as excited as I am at all there is to learn and what we both expect to be life changing expreriences ahead of me. I share with him the story of that I learned of the Russian Black Sea births and dolphins that protect them; hence the Dolphin name. I also tell him about the “client” I will be assigned as a case study – that I will research and follow her as I would a real client, and warn him of the very real call to expect late at night in the coming week from this client as I practice being on call. I’m not too concerned about late night calls as I still am periodically awoken in the wee small hours of the morning by one or more of my two children (my boy of 16 months and girl of 4 years), not to mention our menagerie of cats and dogs.

January 20, 2010
I awoke this morning to heavy rain, a sleepy child looking for her mommy to cuddle with and too many thoughts floating in my head. I’m feeling a bit stressed over the lack of time I have between our next class and my work plus spending time with my little ones. I wish I would have been able to have called in sick to work today, and just spend all day on my required reading and researching my faux client. Instead, I resigned myself to the fact that I’ll sneek in a bit of research while at the office, and do my homework reading once the kids go to bed (after all I am skipping work on Friday for class). I am now up again working on this blog after having a “nap” from falling asleep finishing my reading for the evening. Curious if my sometimes strange sleeping habits will benefit me when it’s time to be spending hours in the hospital with my real clients?

Day Two | January 21, 2010
Intro to Hypnosis 101

We each got to share our client stories and the research each of us had done on our clients. I was very impressed with everyone in the information they were able to uncover on gestational diabetes, preterm labor, preeclampsia, and VBAC. We also got a taste of what’s to come in our next class as we begin to learn about hypno therapy. I somewhat feel that a reset button has been pressed in my brain and look forward to reeducating myself on everything I’ve ever understood about pain and pain management.

Day Three | January 22, 2010
Hypnosis for Childbirth

Today was truely groundbreaking. We learned techniques on how to assess our clients on how they process. Hilarity at home attempting ice test on my husband. We also had some good discussions on how he had processed pain in the past. Found he’s Auditory and Kinesthetic. Not much time to type, gotta run to the next class.

Day Four | January 23, 2010
Doula Training Pt. 1

This evening my husband asked me what we covered in class today, and I drew a blank. Seems all the classes are starting to meld into one. As I thought a bit more, I remembered we did a lot of “hands on” work today. Learning to find our voice to help our clients relax, practicing how to use touch, and how to look someone straight in the eye to get their attention in a state of panic (such as when the client is going through transition). We discussed the responsibilites of a doula, and what expectations to set for our clients. All and all a lot of information to absorb. Not surprising that I drew a blank at first when reflecting on my day.

Day Five | January 24, 2010
Doula Training Pt. 2

Went home tonight feeling quite emotional after having watched a video of one of the births that Jennifer assisted with. Many thoughts were running through my head such as, “Can I do this? How could I ever be as effective as Jennifer was in that video?” I also had thoughts run through my head about my own births…specifically my daughter who was born 6 weeks early. At first I was upset that I didn’t have some of the options that the woman I watched on the video had. I wasn’t allowed to walk, and was completely bed ridden throughout the whole birth (excepting to use the bathroom). Thankfully they didn’t tell me this until much later…so I didn’t realize how confined I really was. Frusteration, diappointment and anger were all in my head as I drove home. However, once I arrived home to my two smiling children, everything was put into better perspective. Why should I beat myself up about my birth experience? I have two beautiful children, and really a positive outcome with both births. Although I would have loved to have had more options for myself, I realize that I may have a client someday in a similar predicament. I hope I would be able to be there for her, and help her through a tough emotional time and fight the small battles with her for whatever would help make the experience as positive as possible.

January 25, 2010
Back to the usual routine getting kids ready for school/daycare and going into work feels a lot like coming back to earth from another planet after the last 3 days of DM training. Definately the professional working world is a universe apart from the world of a doula. It feels like I’m living a double life…software sales by day, doula in training at night. Thoughts come to mind like, how will I do this? What will my schedule be like? How will I take care of the kids after a long (potentially 24 hour) day at a hospital? Only time will tell, but I sure hope to make it happen. I really believe being doula is important, life changing work, not only for myself but for my (someday soon) client.

It’s the morning before our 3rd Doula Training class and although I feel overwhelmed but accepting of the amount of information that I need to learn about birth I am equally excited about learning the relaxation and other techniques that help a pregnant woman feel more confident about birthing.

We are learning many things in class, but I think the most powerful experience that I had today was learning to use my voice to calm someone. The tone and pace of speaking are very important. I like the fact that conviction or belief must be behind what you say because that means you can play an active role at changing someone’s experience.

I am buzzing again tonight with all the information that was given during training today. We spent the majority of the day soaking up as much of Jennifer’s vast wealth of information on hypnosis as possible. She walked us through the process of testing clients for their primary way of processing: kinesthetic, visual or auditory. I was riveted the whole time with all the information as we went through each exercise, and it was so immensely valuable for me to be taken through the process of discovering my own primary sense (and now I know that I can chalk that up to the fact that I am highly kinesthetic, and so I learn best by doing…).

And even better, I then came home and tried some hypnosis out on a friend, thinking that Jennifer had made it look easy, so why not? Well, I got an opportunity to learn that this is going to take a lot of practice! The words came easy, but that amazing soothing voice and unwavering confidence I quickly discovered does not just happen right away.

Nevertheless, each new step is teaching me to consider both my potential clients and myself in a whole new light. I can see how much learning to be a doula is about becoming not just well versed, but fluent in the language of the body. A language that, oddly enough, not many people take the time to translate and understand. It is reading someone elses body as much as it is being in touch with your own, and these are skills that are not just important in a doula practice, but in all areas of life – parenting, co-workers, and being in relationship. I feel like while I am learning tools for a specific path, I am simultaneously being blessed with new tools for life.

I am writing this the morning after and feel like things have settled a bit since class.  I am so glad to have seen what I have seen. This has all been very stunning and need time to process. I think if I had given birth this all would not have been so.  I am glad to have to Doula tea and last day extended.  I think this will allow for active integration of the massive amounts of knowledge(emotional, experiential, etc.. )  So loved the active role playing and putting to use the skills when have been discussing.  I really know that one must combine practice with discussion and reading.   My friend listened to me while I told her about class and that was helpful to integrate.   So great to have marketing section and and access to someone for advice. I am continuing on. I hope to be able to be a warm confident happy supportive doula. Thank you classmates and teachers. Thank you.

Ok I feel much better after getting to practice the techniques we have been learning.  Having a real pregnant woman come in and actually do the interview process even for a part of it, was so helpful.  Making it real.  I got to see how they the client perceives and that this is their birth. I am coming to appreciate more and more the difference of my classmates and enjoying being able to work with all of them.  I feel relieved to know that I can be flexible and supportive.  I am excited for the next class.

The first full length day and its about hypnosis.   Love it!  So fascinating to see how people react to different stimuli.  Listening to people and seeing if i can hear who they are and discern   what works for them.   Experience the Ice cube!  I am learning about myself and how I process as well as others way of interpreting pain and redirection.. Emphasis on being the doula that empowers the choice of the client and not her own agenda.  Knowing that there will be time to be quite and time to be active.  Perceptions of women and birth, still born, and signs of women who had sexual abuse and how that can affect the labor, how do we handle that???!!  I can only sum up today with words of awe and oh my goodness holy moly golly gee willickers and other words … Going to reread again.

Ok I am so glad to be expanding my knowledge about the birth process!  I may never have my own children and l am learning things I never thought I would ever have access to. The stages of labor (talking about it with women who have had their own and not) the positioning of the baby and the names of those positions and what they mean and choices women actually have and interventions and the impact that has ( possible cascade effects..).  I even have a mock client and I what do i really know!  Apgar score, Medical pain relief, Vaginal exams ( everybody seems to have  fingers in the birthing mother!), assisted birth procedures, labor inductions, Cesarean sections…..

I am so glad to know some options and hospital procedures and how to say things in an empowering respectful way. Goddess! I have got to reread!

It’s as if my entire life’s journey has been in preparation for this chapter on my path. Tonight was the first day of Dolphin Method Doula Training. It was only two days ago that I finished Dolphin Method Prenatal Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training with Jennifer Wolfe, which was incredible. I hung onto every word she said, she spoke with such clarity and wove in all kinds of incredible birthing stories. When I arrived home each day after the training I would excitedly regurgitate all that I had learned. I was hooked on the Dolphin Method and was thrilled to sign up for the Doula Training. Tonight I met a group of fantastic women from all walks of life. We were each given a “Client” profile, we will research our clients and report back to the group. We are now “on call” and will receive a phone call from Jennifer or Tracy of Dolphin acting as our client at anytime over the next week…Most likely in the middle of the night. This is a brilliant way for us to explore what it will actually be like as a Doula.

I am fascinated by our unique nature as humans, and I have for many years been drawn to supporting the environmental health of our mother earth, as well as people during the periods where life, is potentially drawing to an end. Now I enter the next chapter, being a Doula and participating in the miracle of when life begins~

I began to think about who I am, here in this precise moment and how that beautifully translates into how I can honor and support women in giving life, and how that connects to my mission to support the balanced health of our community.

I drove home into the sparkling sea of city lights inspired by the evenings events, knowing that my traits and all of the choices I have made have led me here. For that I am grateful.

In Peace

Talei Loloma

I was very excited to be attending and not at all sure what to expect.  The class consists of 4 students, two main instructors, and visiting doulas and a marketing fela (who will be posting this)  (thank you).  The instructors and the visiting Doula all seem to have this brightness to them when they talk about their experiences as a doula.  They seem happy to be teaching and empowering women.  Its been a long time for me personally to be around women who empower each other.  Most of the last ten years I have been surrounded by people in competition and employers who say the respect employees and rarely do.  Its kind of like reaching an oasis after walking in the desert.  I hope that its for real.  I hope because I feel like I am supposed to be here and cannot put the reason into concrete words yet. How cool is that!  So much info to process.  I saw my first stuffed placenta and vivid discussion about blood, bleeding and cramping and I think I have bad menstrual cramps!  I did get a little queasy.  More tomorrow.

The final day – the culmination of lessons, stories…experience.

We started this evening with an amazing discussion with Jake More about marketing and advertising; I was really pleased to have this information delivered at the end of the course.  There’s so much that we can do for ourselves in terms of stepping out into the community that will enhance our saleability as doulas.  By the end of his talk, I think we were all really excited to get going… my mind was racing with a flurry of website designs, business cards, and fliers, meet the doula nights, doula circles, and demographics.  Ideas, ideas, ideas!

The final bit of training involved a lesson on how to assist with breastfeeding, and then we went on to take our exam…

I felt so good going through and answering all the questions.  I felt confident, competent and compassionate. I’ve learned so much from this course – from the women in this course with me – and I found myself continuing to resound with their goddess frequencies.  In a way that is almost too powerful to relate, becoming a doula has really changed my life!

Thank you Jen and Tracy – my admiration and utmost respect to the other gals in the class with me.
Blessings, and Namaste.