Silver Spring Doula

The Tree of Life! The human body is truly astonishing.

So…intellectually, I understand this sign. The monitors don’t go in the shower. But practically…let’s break this down. 1) The corded fetal monitors are about 6’ long. You couldn’t get to the bathtub in them even if you wanted to. 2) There is no bathtub at this hospital. 3) The fixture that the fetal monitors are hooked to in this particular hospital is built into the wall. So if this sign is saying don’t move the cart with the monitors on it so you can get in the shower, they have a wildly inflated idea of the strength of the average laboring person. 4) Where are her arms? 5) WHERE IS HER HEAD???

I have been a birth worker for almost 12 years now, and I had never been to doula for a gestational carrier and the intended parents. Due to complications from her first birth, the mom was unable to birth more children. So her friend gave birth to her second baby for her. It was so freaking beautiful. What an unfathomably generous gift to give somebody. This is the moment - maybe 10 minutes after baby was born - that the mom laid her head down on my client’s shoulder, held her hand and wept with gratitude. I don’t think I have ever witnessed such a moment. It really just restored my faith in humanity. If these three people, if this open hearted, generous woman, if this new baby are in the world, I’m feeling a little bit okay about the future. Goodness everywhere, friends. Joy is tucked away in a room at the hospital where hope was born this morning to a family that had lost hope. There are small (and astonishingly large) acts of joy and kindness and humanity all around us.