Posted by: sheryl in Doula on
Dec 1, 2008
This evening, I returned from a fourteen hour day at the hospital newly inspired by the dear friend of the woman I was there to help. "A" had been in labor all night, after being induced by cytotec at 42 and a half weeks pregnant. Her dear friend "S," who happens to be a yoga student of mine was with her all night, and in the morning, when things were getting tough, they requested a doula, and hoped that I would be available. It worked out well for us all that I was on call today, and picked up the phone right away.
"S" remained by her friend's side all night and all day, whispering words of encouragement, demanding her focus when she lost hope, soothing her, holding her, and simply being there with her for the entire experience of labor and birth. I was able to support them both in many ways, but in the truest sense of the word "doula," "S" was there for her friend, and I was inspired and touched to experience this woman's devotion. At a particularly difficult moment, she got on the bed right in "A's" face and told her, "I have a plan for us now. You close your eyes and rest, and I'll sit right here the whole time. If things get hard, open your eyes and look right here at me, and we'll breathe together, one breath at a time. We'll get through this together."
Every woman deserves a doula who can breath with her and help to carry her through this most difficult trial of her life.
When I was pregnant with my son, Jayden, six or seven years ago, we had just moved to Ashland, Oregon, and discovered Jackson Wellsprings, the warm hot spring water filled public pool. My husband, Benjamin, used to take me there on those HOT 100 degree+ summer afternoons to float me in the pool. The blissful experience of floating weightless and held in his nurturing arms while my child floated in my womb was beyond my expression in words. Ben and I could both feel our little sweet one, moving in my belly as the three of us breathed together, swishing through the warm water. My mind would reach a state of being which must have been similar to the clear meditative presence of my unborn child, and there we would meet. I would emerge from our watsu session in a clear meditative calm, my body relaxed, my emotions balanced for a change. I always resolved in those moments to spread the word to pregnant women across the globe that the experience of Watsu Aquatic Bodywork is beautiful, unique, and an opportunity not to be missed.
Benjamin studied Watsu Aquatic Bodywork with Lexi and Terry in San Diego, and went on to take classes at Harbin Hot Springs with Harold Dull, who came up with the watsu technique, based on his shiatsu training. This is Benjamin's true talent and gift to the world.
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