- Booked our Childbirth Prep class at Alta Bates, the hospital where we will deliver;
- Booked our Hospital Tour;
- Booked a breastfeeding class
- Interviewed and settled on a doula (big step!); and
- finally have baby gear set up in our house!
Whew. It's all starting to feel really real now.
I had been on the fence about getting a doula. I know that my mom, sister and AJ will be an amazing support team, so I thought maybe it wasn't worth the money (and they are pretty expensive here in Berkeley!). I couldn't see us paying $1500 for something that just seemed "extra." But on the other hand, I have read and heard how beneficial a doula can be to your birth experience, whatever that may be.
When we had to make the hard decision between a hospital and the local birth center, I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to make the hospital a more comfortable environment. I think that's where a doula comes in for me. I've also been reading The Birth Partner (a great book even for mom's to be, btw -- I highly recommend it) and I see all those little situations when having a doula would just make me more calm and things go more smoothly, regardless of what happens at the birth.
I heard from a friend that you could get a doula who is currently in training for a discounted rate through a local doula school in San Francisco. I contacted them and found a number of potential doulas. AJ and I interviewed one this weekend and really clicked with her. She seemed to really get us and our outlook on birth, was very open to our own idea of what we want without pushing her own agenda and (I know this may not be high on the list), but I lover her voice! I was like, okay, this is a voice I can listen to telling me what to do for 24+ hours when I may want to rip everyone's head off.
Oh, and I realize that this post may be boring because it has no pictures (and I know how we all LOVE pictures), so here's a random picture of my polka dotted belly today :)
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