Brief moments in time
I have always loved capturing magic moments. The first photo I took that opened my spirit to photograhpy was of my best friend's sister holding her baby brother. I couldn't take my eyes off that instant of joy preserved forever! Just thinking about it now I'm smiling and it's in my mind's own time capsule.
Thanks so much to these familes for letting me share these special split seconds in time, brief glimpses in a much longer journey!
Photos taken by Debbie Mitchell.
Labour has moments of tranquility as well as moments of movement,
contractions are intermittent for a reason!
There are pauses which can provide a welcome break for mother, baby and partner too. Having a second birth companion, such as a doula, can help you and your partner take a rest, knowing you are still receiving continuous care and attention.
These smiles may make birth look like a walk in the park,
but there are many, many emotions to experience and it's more like hiking in the mountains on an unsettled day with wind, rain, moments of stillness and stormy clouds, with many doubts about which path to take, fears about not making the right decision, and worries about not being prepared enough...
... but the moment the sun comes out, or we see a fantastic view, we take a pause, smile, breathe the air in and take a picture.
The trimesters, both before and after birth, can feel like forever, even though the changes happening are fleeting and exquisitely radical: the metamorphosis of mother, baby and partner starting a new life-journey together.
Having a doula (or two, in this case, as I was taking the photo!) is both another set of hands and another heart to hold you.
Meeting all together before birth helps establish deeper mutual understanding and having this continuous support can be especially helpful when medical staff are busy, or there are changes of personnel during labour and birth.
Partners
The experience of the partner is more nuanced as their body is not undergoing such incredible changes, but nevertheless the impact on them, their relationships and their sense of identity is immense.
Supporting the couple as a doula means I'm present, but sensitive to their need for intimacy, to ensure they feel fully supported especially during the periods when medical staff are otherwise occupied.
Doulas and partners can work together to help with changes of position and doulas can suggest comfort measures that the partner may not know of, but can quickly learn through demonstration. In this way partners can feel more reassured as part of a cohesive and attentive team rather than figuring out alone the best way to give their loved one the care they need.
New Family & Doula Duo:
Špela Peternel and Debbie Mitchell
Together again
in the fourth trimester!