The next doula called me a few times throughout the day.  This birth wasn’t going so smoothly and she thought she was calling me for advice.  All I did, though, was listen.  She presented a situation and told me what she had said or done and I just held her hand over the phone so that she wasn’t alone.

The last call was from a doula who had been at a long, emotionally-charged, yet satisfying birth.  It was over now and she just needed to release.  How else would she have been able to sleep that night?

Each of these doulas needed a sounding board.  They didn’t turn to me for my expertise.  They just needed a pair of ears with a heart that could relate and perhaps a shoulder to lean on.  Perhaps everyone needs to debrief at the end of the day, but clearly some of us need it more than others.  I think doulas can be a particularly needy group.  After spending so much time supporting others, we need a little support ourselves.