Since it’s World Doula Week, I thought I’d share some of my doula stories. I won’t share anything about the births I attend–those are sacred and private memories that belong to the families I work with. However, I thought it would be fun to share some doula-life stories this week. Here’s one of my funnier moments as a doula…
I received the phone call that my client’s water had broke and she was going to head to the hospital. This was a family I had honor of attending their first baby’s birth and I was so excited to be a part of this birth too! I gathered up my doula bag, dropped my boys off at the sitter, and headed towards the hospital. I’ve been to this hospital for so many births that I never expected something like the following story to happen…
The Labor and Delivery front desk staff knows me by now, so after a cheery hello, I checked in and was told my clients were in Triage Room 1. I walked back to the room and saw my client’s bags and coats, so I sat down and started writing a few notes after I filled her water bottle. I figured they were out walking around trying to get contractions started and that they would be back soon. (She wasn’t having contractions so I didn’t feel the need to rush to find them.) I knew she would be back within a few minutes to be monitored again.
Pretty soon, the curtain opened and there were two complete strangers looking at me. I’M IN THE WRONG ROOM!! I said something ridiculous like, “Evidently I’m just a lost doula” and quickly gathered all of my stuff and went back to the front desk. I guess she assumed that I knew that my clients were in Triage 1 at the other end of the labor and delivery floor. Hopefully the lady in labor appreciated having her water bottle filled at least.
I quickly went to the other triage and found my clients. Thank goodness they saw the humor in the situation because I was late in getting to them! I explained that the strangers had coats with the same school colors as my clients so I just assumed it was them!
For the people that hire doulas: Moral of the story, text your doula your room number and location if you don’t hear from her when you think she should be there. It might just save her an embarrassing moment!
For the doulas: There are TWO Triage units at Methodist.
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