Being a doula is an amazing path to walk and it’s a rewarding career to choose. But, it’s a really often misunderstood role. I’ve written many times about “what does a doula do?” and “what is a doula?” but this time I’m here to show you what it actually looks like!
So, here we go! A day in the life of a Montreal doula…
After the usual morning routine, which today involves me dropping off my older son for preschool at Curzon, I head off to see my first client. We are meeting for the final time before I go on-call for them next month. This couple is expecting their first baby, as most of my non-repeat clients are and so we have lots to talk about! Today’s meeting involves discussions about what to expect after baby arrives. We speak a lot about what those first moments are like after the birth and how to manage expectations and reality. Much of our time is spent talking about breastfeeding, pumping, and how exactly to differentiate between all the different sizes and styles of baby blankets. My advice: just use whichever one is closest to you!
There are lots of laughs and as I walk out the door we remember that it’s the last time we’ll see each other before “the big day”. I love this moment. I get to see the anticipation, the joy, the worry, and the excitement in their faces. I am privy to what they haven’t yet experienced and there’s nothing I can say, no way I can describe how this birth will impact them or how this baby will change their lives. They’ll find out soon enough!
I got a bit caught up in chatting and now I’m late for my next meeting. No speeding for this doula, so I send a quick text to my client to let her know I’m on my way. She’s got a new baby at home, so time moves slower for her anyway. She’ll have an extra 15 minutes to relax on the couch before I arrive.
When I do arrive we get to sit down and coo over the baby for a while, which I love! This baby is especially adorable and sweet. Since we are doing a postpartum follow-up we discuss the birth and how it went, what they are happy with, what they might have wanted to go differently, and how they feel about it now that they have some perspective. It’s a great opportunity for a woman to really delve into what she feels about the experience. Everyone loves to talk about their birth I’ve learned. Try it- ask anyone, even a 95 year old great grandmother, and she’ll remember every detail (although I’ve noticed the stories get foggier or more dramatic as time goes on.)
We also get a chance to discuss breastfeeding and how that’s going and I offer her a few tips and resources to get things back on track. At the end of our meeting I spend a few minutes helping her with her stretchy wrap so she can start getting out of the house for more walks, but we’re cut short since I realize that during the time we’ve been chatting, my phone, which I turn to vibrate during meetings, has been buzzing off the hook! A client’s husband is on the line and he’s calling because “it’s happening!” and so, off I go!
That’s the thing with births- you just never know when they’re going to happen! A doula’s life is never predictable.
I head home, and quickly grab something to eat. My client and I speak a few times on the phone over the next hour and she finally decides it’s time to call the hospital and see if she should go in. I have a hunch it is, so I grab my bag and start walking towards the new Royal Victoria hospital, which is about 10 minutes from my place. I stop in at Melons et Clementines to grab a coffee on my way and chat while I wait for them to call me back. I’m suddenly alerted that it’s GO time and I’d better hurry. I jump on the bus to Vendome metro and run (no, really RUN!) to the hospital.
I arrive and jump right into my role as doula, supporting my clients through a beautiful birth. After spending a couple of hours supporting them with breastfeeding, taking some cute family shots and making sure they are settled in, I walk home. My family is there, my two boys waiting for me to tuck them in. So I do- a few times, in fact. Then I grab a snack, and a beer and I plop onto the couch and think “How did I get to be so lucky?”
There you have it. A day in the life of a Montreal doula.
