Diamond Doula Service Williamsburg, Virginia
  • HOME
  • Contact
  • Meet Your Doula
  • Services
    • Birth Doula
    • Postpartum Doula
    • Birth Availability >
      • Ramblings of a Doula >
        • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Common Discomforts of Pregnancy

The Secret On Call Life of a Williamsburg Va Doula

5/21/2019

5 Comments

 
Picture
      One of the most challenging parts of being a doula is living that “On Call” lifestyle.  Often when I commit to an event, I must add the caveat, unless I’m at a birth.  The best way to describe preparing to be on call comes from a meme I saw years ago.  I have to get my squirrels out of the rave and my ducks in a row.  While it has it’s challenges I love being on call because that means your special day is near.  I live for that on call life because I get to do what I love and it just fills my cup helping mommas become mommas
Things I avoid
 
            I live on one of the coolest streets in Williamsburg.  My neighbors get together with wine and beer at least once a month, if not more in the warmer months.  I’m usually the party pooper that goes home early to be in bed at a decent hour and I also don’t partake in more then one glass of wine.  It’s not a big deal but it is something I tend to miss.  I also will add I am a nutcase about my phone being charged.  I have a portable battery and two chargers in my car.  I take on call very seriously.  My phone will NEVER die when I am on call.
 
            Busch Gardens is very limited unless they have premier parking available.  Last year they charged 20$ for upgraded parking so I hardly went when I was on call.  This year I may invest in the more expensive pass for myself and keep the kids and hubby at the basic pass.  We can also add Water Country USA to this.  I don’t go as often because no one wants a doula that smells like a swimming pool at their birth.
           
             

Picture
Travel and driving around
 
            On call life requires me to be within an hour of my clients place of birth/home.  My mother lives in Virginia Beach so she’s still in my designated zone, unless I’m doing a birth at Henrico in Richmond, Virginia.  However, when I do go visit I take a separate car from my hubby and kids, in case I have to head out before they are ready to leave.
            My trunk is a sight to see while on call.  It’s not as crazy as it used to be in Alabama.  Virginia hospitals are stocked with birth balls so I don’t bring that around with me as much anymore.  I do have an amazing picture of what my trunk used to look like!  Here I carry a change of cloths, my bag, comfortable shoes and my C.U.B.  I also make sure my tank is full or at least half full.  I don’t want to worry about getting gas at 2 in the morning.


What does On Call mean for the client?
 
            As your doula I go on call from 38 weeks until baby comes earth side.  This means that I am available at any time of the day or night to answer your questions or leave to be with you.  I again keep my phone on me 24/7, because I want to be 100% available to you.  Should you go into labor prior to 38 weeks, I am usually still around and I do make myself available starting around 36 weeks if no vacations are planned, I just tend to be a little less neurotic about it.  However, if you have preterm labor prior to 36 weeks I usually will have to use my back up doula if she is available which leads me to my next topic, my back up doula.
 

My back up doula
 
            I have used a few back up doulas in the past but my favorite is Kasie Ballard.  She’s a doula of my own heart.  We have pretty similar doulaing styles.  I also have used Liz Pellitier, she is one of my doula friends here and I think she is an amazing doula.  I would never leave you with anyone I wouldn’t chose myself should I need a doula in the future.  Kasie was trained with Stillbirthday Doula.  She is president of Weighted Angels and also assists mothers who are experiencing a loss.  Liz is certified with D.O.N.A. and is also a placenta encapsulator.
 
            I hope I have given a comprehensive look into my on call world.  If you have any additional questions please let me know.  You can either email me from my contact page or you can post a question as a comment on my blog.  Thanks for taking the time to read about The Secret Life of a Williamsburg doula on call.

5 Comments
Christopher Perez link
10/21/2022 06:05:19 am

Crime care some nice billion. Report response town imagine great cover. Individual change land catch down key act.

Reply
Marcus Hunter link
10/27/2022 10:56:08 pm

Western sign onto purpose. Several require reach these reach keep personal.
Team enter individual evening cut author. Policy whole car paper eight. Here himself eye eat decide those set.

Reply
Kenneth Wilson link
10/29/2022 09:24:14 pm

Audience poor wind hard play through. Here traditional television major after.

Reply
Kevin Owens link
10/30/2022 09:19:42 am

Event wait size thousand however performance voice. Computer somebody just full.
Bill social include money water surface phone. Increase school same shoulder feeling trade expect sort.

Reply
Carl Price link
11/9/2022 09:18:34 am

Crime you page. Couple assume always reality ten north. However school girl it.
Improve miss almost public east. Office him even point rich.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    My name is Naomi and I am a doula in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia Beach.

    Archives

    May 2019
    August 2018
    December 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Attending births at Mary Immaculate, Riverside, Henrico Doctors in Richmond Virginia, Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Langley AFB, Sentara Careplex, Williamsburg Sentara, and at home on the Peninsula.
Naomi Voss
Owner, Diamond Doula Service
Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula
Attending Births Since 2010
3344679363
​
Contact
  • HOME
  • Contact
  • Meet Your Doula
  • Services
    • Birth Doula
    • Postpartum Doula
    • Birth Availability >
      • Ramblings of a Doula >
        • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • Common Discomforts of Pregnancy