Being a Doula with the Flu at my house.

The 2 main challenges of being a doula are

1.  Being on Call – which is not so stressful.

2.  Being on Call when there is something challenging happening – which is stressful.

• Like when Thing 2 broke his leg!
• Or when my DH unexpectedly goes out of town.
• Or when each Thing gets the Flu.  One at a time.

This was my situation a few weeks before Christmas, I am posting it now, after everything is all healthy!  🙂

Thing 2 got the Flu on a Wednesday, I pick him up from school.

I do research and realize I am potentially a carrier for 7 days, so know I can’t attend a birth for 7 days.  I call my back up doulas and they are on call for me.

I don’t call my 2 moms who are due.  Why make them worry when I know I have back up standing by if they need someone?  I will add that I feel really good (intuitively) that I will be at both these births, so I try to relax about it. If I had felt like I might miss their births or they would need me, I would have called them.

I felt on Thursday, Friday and Saturday like I was really fighting something off.  But I am functional.   I feel like I have had “flu lite”. Which is actually reassuring to me.  It has worked through my system and built up immunity.

Day 6 arrives. I feel confident that we have beat this thing!  Then Thing 1 wakes up and is sick.  I cancel my doula appointment for that night.  I was going to explain the situation, that it was day 6 and let them choose if they wanted to meet, but since Thing 1 was sick, cancelling seemed smartest!  My client agreed.

I kept thinking Wednesday at 2 PM and we will be clear.  That will be 7 days exactly.

Well Wednesday at noon Thing 3 starts to get sick.  This flu hits suddenly.  He is playing happily and then a few minutes later is laying down on my lap and is feverish.

By now I am a pro.  I have a system.  I am used to washing my hands 100 times a day, washing sheets and clothes and nursing these little things back to health.

Lingering in the back of my thoughts is the worry.  What if one of my moms needs me? Last night after Thing 3 threw up, I couldn’t fall back asleep.  What if someone calls RIGHT NOW!?

I prayed and gave that worry up to God.  What else could I do?

I am so grateful that no one called.  (Though I have my back up doulas ready, I really want to be there!)

I am feeling healthy. I am past that 7 day window.  The boys all had the same thing.  So I feel cleared for action.

Though it may be a challenge to find a friend willing to watch my throwing up little thing.

Luckily my DH has his own company and can come home if I need him to.

I am hoping that my moms will both wait a few more days (they did!) so I can be here to nurse all my little things back to health.

AND I hope DH stays healthy, we all know they are the worst patients!  🙂  (He did stay healthy)