Day 4

I wanted to have started this earlier, but sometimes life gets in the way...

I have always felt a strong pull towards women's health, specifically to childbirth. When it came time for me to become a mother, I was excited and yet extremely anxious about what the experience would be like. And now, having experienced the wonders of birth with a doula, I feel nothing but lucky to be going through this doula training.

What I have learned thus far has been amazing and the women in my class are special and have created such a diverse group of new doulas. Becoming a doula is more than simply saying the words "You are ok" to a woman in labor. It is more than having the knowledge of childbirth. It is having the ability to create a bubble around a woman and her partner that provides the safe and loving environment so their birth experience can be everything they want it to be.

Today continued our doula support training, use of our voice, pyschology of laboring women, and more detailed use of the relaxation techniques we learned yesterday. Today was the first day we had to actually try these methods on each other. In relatively recent years, I have gained an exterior confidence in the business world. Yet, today I felt the anxiety and fear of my younger years coming back to me as I was asked to go out of my comfort zone and try something new (and in front of others!). Yet, after the first exercise, I realized that my anxiety is actually a reflection of how passionate I am about this new career path and I want nothing more than to be great. Once I acknowledged this as the source of my fear and anxiety, I felt liberated. I was able to approach each following exercise with more confidence and stronger energy than before.

I feel nothing but inspired and extremely lucky to be mentored by such amazing women. More importantly, I look forward to what tomorrow's training will bring in education, experience, revelation, and to this new life of mine.