21 births
15 hospital births, 6 home births
20 vaginal, 1 Cesarean
1 VBAC (vaginal birth after Cesarean)
14 unmedicated, 7 epidurals
9 inductions
15 with midwives, 6 with OBs
Smallest baby: 5 lbs, 9 ozs
Biggest baby: 9 lbs, 1 ozs
Shortest labor support time: 3.5 hrs
Longest labor support time: 34 hrs
Average labor support time: 13 hrs
Longest gestation: 41 weeks
First birth: 10
Second birth: 9 (6 repeat clients!)
Third birth: 1
Fourth birth: 1
Location of births: Baptist Health Lexington 1, UK 9, Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center 1, Frankfort Regional Medical Center 2, Norton Women’s & Children’s 1, St. Joe’s East 1, Home 6
Individual provider who caught the most of my clients’ babies: Sarah Hood, Home Sweet Home Midwifery Services (4 babies)
Practice whose providers caught the most of my clients’ babies: UK Midwife Clinic (7 babies)
Professional development: Became an NRP Provider (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) and started childbirth educator training with Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings
2020 ended up being my busiest year yet. It started off beautifully, with my first repeat client giving birth at home (her first baby was born at a hospital) under the care of a midwife. Three more babies came before the pandemic, with one being born the week before everything started shutting down in KY. I had planned off call time in April due to a spring break trip (that got cancelled), so thankfully I was not dealing with the initial insanity caused by frequently changing hospital policies and had time to prepare for the possibility of supporting clients virtually. Thankfully, I was able to support ALL of my 21 clients in person. I had one client switch from hospital to home birth because of the pandemic, but others considered it.
My clients’ induction rate went down to 43% (9 of 21) after last year’s 50%. Not surprisingly, my longest continuous support time of 34 hours was at an induction. Even though I tell clients to expect inductions to last days, it’s hard to wrap your head and body around what that feels like until you’re in it; exhaustion is typically a huge factor in the process. Out of the nine inductions, there were only two that I would consider elective (although I don’t know that that is how they were labeled by the providers).
Some other stats that I want to highlight are that one of my clients had a VBAC (100%) and that six were born preterm (2) or early term (4). Both of the preterm births were originally planned home births, but transferred to hospital care- one for hypertension/preeclampsia and the other for imminent preterm birth at 35wks 1day. Not surprisingly, I had a COVID exposure at one birth (that I know of). The hospitals stopped rapid testing at some point and unfortunately, we found out that a client was positive two hours after baby was born. Thankfully, I did not get infected and the mom and her baby are healthy! Also, I had a Leap Day doula baby this year! He was born at 12:48am on February 29, 2020.
The year was hard for lots of reasons, but I feel that it was the one in which I’ve grown the most as a doula. It no longer feels difficult to share confidently about my value when talking to potential clients; I’m really good at doula work. Thank you to the providers and nurses who provided over-the-top excellent care to my clients during some seriously stressful times. Thank you to the six families that allowed me back into their birthing spaces this year and to the fifteen others who welcomed me for the first time. You all have provided some of the brightest moments of 2020!