What to Expect at Your Prenatal Visit | Erie, PA Doula
Congratulations on your baby due to arrive soon! You’ve hired a birth doula team to support you through your pregnancy, labor, and birth. Support matters, and having a doula team to support you is one way to make sure you feel comfortable and confident going into your birth experience. Let’s explore what you and your partner can expect during this meeting.
the prenatal visit
You can expect your prenatal appointment to last approximately 1-2 hours. If this is your last (or only) prenatal visit with your doulas before your birth, schedule it for a date that falls shortly after you finish your Childbirth Education class. This is typically around 34-36 weeks. It’s helpful to finish your Childbirth Classes before the Prenatal Appointment so you have a basic knowledge of the birth process and your unique birth preferences by the time this meeting rolls around.
wait, i hired a doula team. should i still take childbirth classes?
Yes, absolutely! We recommend that all our clients take a basic Childbirth Education Class, at the very least. Education will always be beneficial and empowering! Each class enhances your knowledge and experience.
There is so much to learn about pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and newborn care... much more than your doula could possibly cover during your prenatal and postpartum visits. Northwest PA Doulas’ Owner, Chrissy, certified as a Childbirth Educator in 2016 and teaches a variety of in-home classes surrounding pregnancy, birth, postpartum, infant feeding, and newborn care. If she’s one of the doulas on your team, you’ll get to spend more time with her during class and learn some tips to enhance your experience! After class, she’ll relay any information learned about your preferences to the other doula(s) on your team.
Our private classes can fit in with even the busiest schedules. Daytime, Evening, and Weekend times are available. These classes are ideal for those who are planning a pregnancy, currently expecting a baby (or babies), or newly postpartum:
*Childbirth Education (4 hours)
*Comfort & Connection for Labor (2 hours)
*Your Best Postpartum (2 hours)
*Infant Sleep & Feeding 101 (2 hours)
*Big Sibling Prep (45 minutes)
These classes are private and take place in the comfort of your own home. It’s pretty great— you and your partner can feel relaxed and literally come to class in your pajamas and snack the whole time if you wish. Teaching in home is the most fun part of my job... we have a blast! Okay, I’ll say it… Knowledge is power!
Okay, back to the Prenatal Visit…
where do we meet?
Typically our clients prefer to meet in the comfort and privacy of their own home where they are free to express themselves openly. We usually find ourselves at your kitchen table or at a comfy spot on the couch. If that is not possible, the next best choice would be your favorite local hangout— personally, we are quite fond of Ember + Forge and The Juice Jar.
who will be in attendance?
You, your partner, and your doula team. Try to schedule your visit for a time when both you and your partner will be available. If you have any other children, you may want to schedule your visit to take place during their nap time, after they are in bed, or while they are busy with another activity. Of course if you’d rather have your other children there, that’s fine too— we’re family-friendly and good with toddlers ;)! You know your family best. We simply want you to be able to focus all your attention on the important (and sometimes emotionally intensive) topics.
what will go on during the visit?
There will certainly be questions that we will ask you (many of which you may have never even thought to ask) but we add in a heavy dose of listening. Your doulas will give you time and space to express your feelings. We want you to feel comfortable sharing all your worries, things you’re excited for, and literally anything else that’s on your mind! Having a trusted and skilled listener is such an important aspect of support during this time when everyone around you seems to want to give you unsolicited advice.
There is also time for us to demonstrate and practice some hands on tools for coping, and talk about what tools you may want to bring to the hospital to use for comfort during labor. Some examples are: music playlist, wireless speaker, heating pad, back massager, your favorite pillow, etc.
We are happy to explore different massage options and don’t forget all those different positions for laboring and pushing! We can show your partner how to do a double hip squeeze or apply counterpressure in a way that feels comfortable to you (so their first time isn’t during your labor!).
what are some examples of what your normally discuss?
Most clients use their Prenatal Visit(s) to go over their birth preferences, learn more about their options, and talk through any anxieties or fears that are creeping in (from past births, or due to being a first-time parent).
We're knowledgeable about the ever-changing policies of local hospitals and if we don't know the answer, we have a relationship with several midwives and nurses and will do our best to get your questions answered that way.
We also can practice different labor positions and do some breathing exercises. We make sure you have pregnancy and postpartum resources (think: chiropractic and prenatal massage referrals, therapists specializing in postpartum depression, food delivery and catering services, etc.) and talk about a plan for the postpartum period during this Prenatal Visit.
We'll talk about how to know you're in labor and how you'll know it's time to head to the hospital. We’ll also walk you through what to expect when you arrive at the hospital.
Finally, we’ll talk about your unique preferences when it comes to the three types of support a doula provides: physical, emotional, and educational. Typically, clients know that they'll need one of those three more than the others. For example, you might want more "information" about what's going on verses physical massage, or vice versa. Everyone typically wants a degree of "coaching" through the tough spots of labor and pushing.
will my partner feel awkward or left out?
We do our best to make sure that does not happen at anytime during this experience. You can read more about why partners love doulas here.
We’ll most definitely include your partner in the discussion— after all, we support them as they support you, and want them to feel super confident in their role as the main support person. We’ll give them lots of tips and tricks (before, and in the moment!) and you’ll be left wondering how they knew how to do all the right things at all the right times! They already know you best and can even share helpful things about your personality/coping style with us. It’s truly a team effort, but most importantly, it’s the start of an amazing life-long journey between the two of you. We want you to feel more bonded than ever after the experience.
communicating with your doula team
Your doula team attends all of your prenatal and postpartum appointments together so we can all be on the same page and provide you with the most well-rounded support. One of your doulas will always be available, day or night. The doula who is on-call when you request your doula in labor, will support you during your birth.
Prenatally, we communicate through group-text, three-way phone calls/video chats, and emails. Whatever your preferred method of communication is, you can count on us to always answer the call/text/email in a timely manner. After OB/Midwife appointments, we encourage you to send a quick text or make a phone call (phone calls are especially appreciated in that third trimester!) to your doulas to check in or ask questions. Those appointments go by so quickly so it can be helpful to have some time to process things more thoroughly with your doula. We are available anytime between your OB/Midwife appointments as well... that's one of the big perks of having a team of two doulas!
Please do not hesitate to call/text us with anything... no matter how big or small. The good, the bad, and the ugly. Nothing is TMI for us! We want to know anything you want to share! Bought baby a cute outfit? Yes, text us a photo! Anxious about your gestational diabetes test? Yes, call us and we can talk it through! Experiencing a weird symptom and want to know if it's normal? Yes, email us and we’ll send you some articles that could help! :)