Rivkah's Story

I knew I wanted a doula when I was only a few weeks pregnant. I wanted to have a natural birth and I realized that this was not the standard practice in Israel. I felt nervous that I wouldn't be respected as it was my first birth and that therefore I would be commanded to just do what the midwife told me. I was more frightened at the thought of having an epidural than of the birth itself!

My husband and I met with a few doulas, all very nice and professional. I knew that I wanted to have Michal at my side the moment I met her. She gave me a feeling of honesty and comfort that was just what I was looking for. I felt like she would look out for my interests and that she would be able to help me cope with the pain. Just knowing that I could call her any time gave me a feeling of security.

When my waters broke, I was taking a nap. I thought that it was urine but when the water kept seeping out, I realized something was happening and I called Michal. It was a Thursday afternoon and we decided to keep me out of the hospital until I started to experience contractions. This was in order to keep me and the baby clear of antibiotics and to prevent having the birth started by means of medication.

When the contractions started to come along, I was still not sure that I was actually experiencing labor. The pains felt like those of period cramps and I was sure it was supposed to be different when in labor. I kept on cooking and cleaning.

My husband came home from work and we began to time the contractions. During the night they became more powerful and closer in interval and when I just couldn't lie down and rest anymore I called Michal and told her that we wanted to go to the hospital.

The three of us went and Michal came with me into the reception room. I was examined and very disappointed to discover that I was only 2 cm dilated and that they wanted to send me home. They also told me that my waters had not broken but to make sure they wanted to give me an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that the baby was positioned very low and they tried to make up their minds whether to send me home or not. Meanwhile my contractions picked up and when they examined me again, I had gone to 3 centimeters. At this point the contractions were very painful and I was happy to have Michal’s support. She helped me to communicate with the staff and she comforted me with her healing hands.

I was sent into the shower while waiting for a vacant delivery room. Michal came with me and coached me to relax and concentrate on nice thoughts while I was coping with contractions that started to get difficult.

When we got into the delivery room I found it very difficult to lay in bed with the monitor. My midwife turned out to be a lovely lady and she let Michal help me to move more freely with the monitor.

I was again sent into the shower and it did help even though the contractions were extremely painful at this point.

The few hours before the time came to push, I spent half sitting/lying on my side in bed, squeezing Michal’s hand while squirming and screaming. She kept reminding me to breathe and to relax as much as I could and she kept and eye out questioning if I really needed every suggested examination.

When it was time to push, I got up on my hands and knees, leaning over the bed which was put in an upright position. Michal coached me to push, helping me to get into a rhythm and to focus my energy most efficiently. I only had to turn around to a half sitting position when the head was down. The last part seemed to go pretty fast and when I finally got to see my baby, I felt such relief.

As our little baby boy was taken for observation, I found myself full of energy and my doula sitting next to me completely crashed. It was Friday noon and to me all of those hours of laboring without sleep or rest seemed to have gone by in a blink.

Michal came with me and my husband to the maternity ward before she got to go home and get some much needed (or well deserved) rest. When we met up a few days later, I was still too close to the birth to realize just how much she'd helped me. Today, a few months afterwards, I know I did the right thing by bringing Michal with me. It brought me and my husband ease of mind and I was able to deal with the pain of a natural birth.

I recall that one of the first things I said as I was laying on the bed in the delivery room, looking at my son being checked across the room, was "I'd do this again". All the pain and difficulty that still soared through my body felt good in a strange way. Perhaps because I went through it all most awake with constant prayers on my lips. I was able to do this because I prepared mentally in advance and because I had Michal at my side helping me out.

May G-d bless her to continue this beautiful and most important work so that she may help more women to such a beautiful and holy experience whether it is with or without an epidural!

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