Two doula booths, a birth and it's drawing to a close

We had two doula booths in the past two weekends (one at a Baby Fair, one at a Women's Fair the following weekend). It was busy in regards to having to set up, tear down, print paperwork, get display items (last minute once we figured out our set-up stunk and was not inviting enough), etc. It was hard to guage with was productive since last year at the Baby Fair I gave out 200 brochures (and then some) and didn't get one birth - but this year we gave out maybe 50 (or rather I did... seeing as my results from last year, I wasn't as jumpy to spend the $200 to repeat the same deal)... I just didn't see good results and I didn't want to blow the money on something someone was going to throw away once they got home anyways. The Women's Fair was MUCH older in audience age that it drew and we save maybe a small handful of pg Moms, but oh well - neither show was really well attended this year according to last year's attendance and that was kind of too bad b/c we spent $ going to both shows you know. Oh well, not much you can do about that. Hard to decide whether to go next year or not, but I'd hate to not have a booth at them - in our area the word spreads by word of mouth almost 85% of the time (at least) so the more we can be seen, the more word there will be. It's kind of a demented way of advertising though (slooooow going).

I also went to a birth this week (it was lovely) but the Mom had placenta acreta (from a D&C she'd had just the month before getting pg with her baby that she had) and the midwife I assist had to go up and manually remove it (because after several doses of herbs (two of them twice) and a shot of pitocin she was still bleeding very heavily (the most I'd ever seen)). The midwife tried to pull with the cord (her only other option being manual removal) and so when it pulled off she had to go up - it looked excruciating to experience and I felt so awful for the Mom. She did great (and apologized for "being a wimp" (WHAT?!?!!! I don't think so!!), and she immediately stopped bleeding but her lips were VERY pale and all of that so after some food and lots of liquid she was looking/feeling a *lot* better so that was a major relief. She had other children that we made stay out of the room for quite a while (because of the blood/placenta issue) and that was too bad, but I think it was in their best interest (as did their parents) and they got over it when they got to hold their sibling.

That was a first though... and interesting to know the connection between acreta and D&C (which everyone thinks is so benign of a procedure). Natural miscarriage is the way to go I think...

And the drawing to a close - it's my midwife apprenticship - the midwife I assist leaves in June and only has two clients in April - and that's it. I am trying to prepare myself for an ending to it, but I am sure it won't hit until it's been several months without any births... (well, by that time I'll have my baby so I guess it'll be timed right). It's kind of strange to feel a mental-energy shift towards my family but it's time. It'll be strange to be 'normal' again but I'm grateful (exceedingly) for the chance to work with my friend and mentor.