(no subject)

[ocelot]

I woke up hearing someone messing around with our stuff outside. Turned out to be the neighbor's cat, who wanted in out of the rain. But now I can't get back to sleep.

I'm tempted to give the doula program a piece of my mind. I sign up for two days a week. On those two days, I can't go further from home than the library (and even then I'm unlikely to get there within the 30 minute response time if they call - I basically have to be sitting at home ready to go for that to happen) and have to be ready to drop everything at any moment, pack Leif off to friends, and rush to the hospital. This means that my friend is also on call on these days.

I haven't been in since November. It's disheartening, especially since I'm the only person on the schedule those two days. I get no feedback, so I don't know if there's something I'm doing wrong that's causing me not to get called. I did get called once, but it was randomly on a day I wasn't actually on the schedule, and they found someone else before I could arrange care for Leif.

Looking at the tentative schedule for the next two weeks the coordinator just sent out, I don't think it's just me. Only four people (out of 50 or so on the mailing list) responded for her first request for availability information, and there are lots of slots open. I'm sure some will come out of the woodwork (like I did) now that she's basically sent the final reminder, but still, it looks like people are losing interest. Only 2 people other than me attended the last group meeting.

I have a friend who was in the program a few years back who eventually quit because she was never being called in.

I know the coordinator can't force the midwives and nurses to call doulas, and maybe there just truly isn't the demand. Not everyone wants a random stranger to come in and sit with them during labor.

Still, it seems like something needs to change if they want the program to work. The current coordinator is moving on to a new project (making the hospital into an official baby friendly hospital, meaning basically that they provide exceptional breastfeeding support), so perhaps the new coordinator will be able to push the program a bit more.

A funny LJ coincidence happened yesterday. In the morning, someone posted in ucdavis about seeing a cop staking out a local bank with a rifle, and mentioned seeing some people across the street taking about it and taking pictures. In the evening, I saw a post while reading friendsfriends from the person who had been taking the pictures. The really odd part - she's was just visiting Davis for the weekend, and our mutual friend lives on the other side of the country and has no connection to Davis. She was, however, with a local friend who is on the friends list of my former roommate. Small world.

Leif is in love with the Babar movie. It's cute, but I find I really don't like the colonialist, materialist message it has. Yes, the elephants are of course oh so much happier wearing clothing and living in a city than they were frolicking in the wild. And then there's the mommy-death, which, if I'd thought about it in advance, probably would have had me avoiding it entirely. The inconsistancies between the movie and the bonus episode on the DVD bug me, too. In the movie, he clearly becomes king as an adult. In the bonus episode, he's a child king. Ah well, continuity is for wimps.

I should try to get more sleep. 5 hours really isn't enough.

Comments

[koyote.livejournal.com]

you know, even if they don't need you for a birth specifically, calling you in at a minimum of twice a month to gopher for midwives or something would get you in there and give you more exposure to the environment, which would be beneficial.

And if you are THERE, odds are that laboring mothers would make use of you. I know that, stranger or not, a pleasant, calm, friendly person would have been nice to have around when you were delivering.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the last time I was there, another nurse commented that she could use a doula for her patient, too. But I expect that, had I not already been there, she wouldn't have thought of that.

I'd be happy to go there and do volunteer stuff for a while once or twice a month, regardless of whether I got to attend a birth or not. It would also make it more useful from a resume building standpoint.

I'll add it to my suggestions when I actually do end up giving them a piece of my mind.

[telemicus]

Dude, it might sound strange but i would be all over having a stranger come in, I'd be way more comfortable with a stranger than someone i have to face afterward in my normal life! Especially because the doula would have some experience unlike anyone I know in LA, my friends here would all be squicked out (and have said so). I really wouldn't be surprised if its just the hospital staff who don't let anyone know of the option.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

It doesn't sound weird at all. I think that's a big part of the appeal of a doula in general - you can be naked around them and yell at them or whatever and then never have to see them again. I don't like the volunteer setup, because meeting the person for the first time when they're already well into labor means it is hard to know what exactly they want and need, especially the ones who don't speak English.

I so wish there was a way for me to get down there (assuming you wanted me there, of course), but I can't think of a way for it to work financially, and with Leif I imagine we'd be more of a hinderance than a help.

Have you looked at http://www.bellywomen.net/ yet? There are a bunch of listings for doulas in the LA area who are willing to provide no or low cost support. Most probably don't have much experience and are working towards their certification, but even someone with no experience who is comfortable with the idea of birth and has some training or education would be better than nothing. With Devin injured, that would be a really good idea, since I guess he won't be able to do much physically during birth. I've also asked in the doula community if anyone in LA is available during the next two weeks or so.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

Oh, and what's with the shoulder injury right before delivery thing? I have another friend who gave birth in September, and her husband broke his collarbone like 2 weeks before.

[fleckerbug.livejournal.com]

2 questions--
1--I either didn't get your reply or you didn't reply, but what would you think of volunteering with me at Sutter Davis, just to be my partner? I'm supposed to be volunteering with one of the other douals, but it just doesn't seem to be happening.
I too was called in on a day I wasn't on the schedule.. I felt so bad.
Also, you supposedly can have more than half an hour if they know you need it. Maybe have Kristen mention it on the schedule?

2-- If I were to list myself on bellywomen.net and/or the ALACE site would you be willing to be my back-up/partner if I weren't able to attend a birth(or even if we jsut wanted to doa birth together)?

[fleckerbug.livejournal.com]

Hey, sorry I got off the phone so quickly today, I was just about to leave when you called. I do appreciate you calling and hopefully next time I'll be able to go with you. :)
I had class otday and I have a huge paper due tomorrow or I would have gone with you. I hope things went well.

[therealocelot.livejournal.com]

I emailed the gmail address you gave me. Can you email me from that address so i can make sure I have it right?

I have no problem with you working with me. Currently I'm officially on call Tuesdays and Thursdays during the day, but I also said I was willing to be called on other days, but couldn't guarantee availability. If you can tell me when you're available, I won't bother you at times when you won't be able to come in. Or I can just call you whenever I get called. Whichever works for you.

I'm going to have to think some about the backup thing, but it would probably be ok.

Kristen wants you to email her with your current address, since she's having trouble with the ucdavis email, too.