Natural birth at St George hospital
I decided to hire a doula fairly late into my second pregnancy. When I met Virginia , she seemed grounded and unflappable, I felt she was at ease within herself – all good qualities for a birth support person. My husband and I met with Virginia several times before the birth and we emailed and talked on the phone too, so by the time the of the labour we all felt very familiar and comfortable with each other.
Virginia’s knowledge about pregnancy and labour were really helpful when talking through my birth plan. She introduced me to some birthing techniques that I had not been familiar with . I also found being able to utilise Virginia’s skills as a herbalist during my pregnancy was a real bonus. She helped to treat a pregnancy related medical condition [low platelets] and went out of her way to look into all the treatment options available. The energy and enthusiasm Virginia showed here was characteristic of how she approached her role as my doula.
As the labour approached I felt that my husband, Virginia and I were a little team, that they were there for me, allowing me to focus on getting through the labour and acting as buffers, protecting me from the potential unpredictability of the hospital environment. A real sense of safety had developed which really helped me through the labour. My husband also felt supported by having Virginia at the birth, which allowed him to be more present for me.
On a practical level, Virginia did all the little things that make a huge difference and are so easy to forget when labour starts; reminding me to keep my fluids up, applying lip balm, dimming the lights, fetching hairclips. This freed up my husband to stay right by my side, where I needed him. Virginia’s skills as a doula and herbalist were also great during the labour, suggesting positions when I felt stuck, giving me herbs and flower essences when I needed an energy boost, and encouraging me to voice my feelings when they intruded into the progress of the labour.
The birth of our son was natural, short and uncomplicated. It was an intense yet manageable experience . I look back now proud of giving birth the way I wanted to and will always treasure that experience. I have no doubt that having Virginia as my doula greatly contributed to this outcome.