I am so exhausted, so this will be a short post. At today's class, we spent most of the day doing "hands on" stuff. We learned massage techniques and pressure points, as well as practiced different positions for labor. Even though I knew most of the positions, it was so great to be able to practice them and to actually learn how to do them.
By doing all of the hands on stuff today, my confidence in my ability to be a good doula definitely went up. I learned that it doesn't always matter if you're doing something "wrong." Sometimes the mother in labor just wants something. She doesn't know or care that I'm not a perfect massage therapist. What she needs is someone to help her relax, just by touch. Or to help her slow her breathing down. Or someone to suggest changing positions. There's still a lot to remember, but it feels more manageable.
Tomorrow is the last day of class. I've had a great time being with 10 other women who pretty much have the same feelings about labor as I do. It's sad that tomorrow's the last day! Well hopefully I'll be able to find my own circle of women who share the same beliefs - whether that be friends or other doulas. It's nice to have people who you can talk openly to about these kinds of things.
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