Here I am, not quite five months in to my journey as a doula. Ten years of dreaming, and yet only five months in reality. It's hard not to feel anxious and impatient when I've waited so long. However, I know that this, as in any new venture, takes time and patience and much learning. I have studied, read, practiced, and as of today attended two births. One as a shadow and one solo. They were both unmedicated, and I can see that years from now I will look back and think about

Birth plans are tricky things. On the one hand, it's extremely important to parents that their needs be communicated to their care providers. On the other hand, they generally don't like to be seen as too needy, or even worse, as an aggressive client. I've heard from many moms who plan to review their birth plan with their OB or midwife, but are doubtful that the same provider will remember it, or pay attention to it while in actual labor. There's just too much going on, too