Doula

We just hired a birthing doula (www.dona.org) and her name is Liz. Doulas help you before and during labor to relax and make things progress. They aren't doctors or widwives- they mostly provide emotional and physical support, along with giving the daddy useful things to do. She will be helping me by teaching me to use the birthing ball, water therapy (they have a jaccuzi at the hospital), massage and breathing. Dillon and I would like to have a natural birth without medicine, and she will be able to encourage and help us do that. The statistics for births with a doula are amazing:

• 50% reduction in the cesarean rate
• 25% shorter labor
• 60% reduction in epidural requests
• 40% reduction in oxytocin use
• 30% reduction in analgesia use
• 40% reduction in forceps delivery

Our doctor will still be present and doing all the doctor things, but Liz will be able to help us not get pressured to take too many medicinal measures and to trust mommy and baby's bodies. It's helping both of us be more at ease since we know absolutely nothing about what we are getting ourselves into!

Exactly two weeks from today is my due date!!