As the calendar turns to a new year, it's a time-honored tradition to pause and reflect on the 365 days that have just passed—a retrospective of the year gone by. This introspection is more than just a casual glance over our shoulders; it's an opportunity to dive deep into the experiences, challenges, and triumphs that shaped our journey. Making a retrospective is a chance to celebrate the goals we achieved and to learn from the obstacles we encountered. Perhaps most importantly, this reflection helps us to acknowledge our growth, understand our resilience, and garner insights that will guide us in the year ahead.
These were my experiences in 2023:
🌿15 doula clients, but 16 babies. I attended a twin birth this year, and I learned a lot. Yes, she gave birth to two!!!
🌿15 births (each twin counts one), and 1 cesarean section, exactly what you read, it was just one cesarean section, that is, 93.75% of births;
🌿There were 5 home births, 2 in birth centers, and 9 in hospitals;
🌿The shortest gestational age was 36+4 and the longest was 41+5 weeks;
🌿There were 7 first pregnancies and 8-second pregnancies because it doesn't matter whether you've already had children or not, the presence of a doula is significant;
🌿2 VBACS (1 of them at home), 3 vacuum extractions (twins count 2), and both vacuum had an episiotomy;
🌿2 inductions, one at 37 weeks (pregnant woman with cholestasis and pre-eclampsia), a twin pregnancy at 38 weeks (but they were only born at 38+4 if I'm not mistaken);
🌿Of the 15 births, only 4 had pain medication (1 walking-epidural, 1 epidural, and 2 remifentanil);
🌿Most of the births I attended started in the morning and not at night;
🌿7 girls, and 9 boys;
🌿No mother's or baby's name was repeated this year;
🌿One of the babies became a star, and being there for his family was the hardest thing I've ever done. He was and will always be greatly loved.
I would really like to remember that it is the woman who gives birth! The choices are all hers to make, we are there to ensure that these choices are respected. However, with each passing day, I believe more that my presence and guidance make a difference in the results of births. This is mainly due to my continuous study and wisdom, and I say this humbly.
This year I had incredible experiences, and others that I would never want to experience again. I honor and am grateful to all the women who chose me as a doula and everyone following me here. My 2024 didn't start as I expected, but it's by looking back that we move forward with purpose.
Fern,
🌿
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