Letter from Ron

This is a letter from a dad who actually caught his son- on Christmas Day!

This was my 100th birth!

04/03/2001

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in response to your husband's concerns with the partnership of a Doula. When my wife first presented the Doula to me, I was a skeptic and had the initial reaction of being relegated to a bench player during delivery. After reading the same articles as my wife, I begin to see the medical support for a Doula and started to ask questions and looking for more answers.

Teresa Howard was the answer for us, for me. My personal fear about Resa's pregnancy was two fold: 1) would I be the supportive husband she needed and 2) would I know how to make an informed decision during the stress of labor and delivery. Through constant communication with Resa and the challenging perspectives brought out by Teresa's classes, I began to understand the value of my involvement during labor and delivery.

It was refreshing to know that I could pro-actively support Resa and do things to make our labor and delivery one that both of us look back upon fondly. Teresa was always supporting both of us through constant reassurance and communication. She had the uncanny ability to sense when I needed her approving look, because I had never experienced the helplessness one feels when your wife is struggling through the contractions.

The second key support from Teresa was at the hospital. She enabled me to have confidence in my support of Resa and when I was not sure, she was someone not drawn into the emotion of the moment that I could talk to. Resa had a long labor (30 hours) and there were several times when I know that I would have gone to the hospital had Teresa not been there to guide us. Resa wanted a natural childbirth and I wanted her to have the labor and delivery she desired. But as a man, who am I to say that Resa can make through the contraction or that she needs to tough it out? Together, we worked through the challenges and Teresa provided us the guidance we needed to make the right decisions for us.

One last note, a bit selfish. Teresa's involvement allowed me to catch our son and cut the cord. Something I will never forget. That happened only because Teresa asked me if I thought about doing it during birth classes. Had she not asked me, I probably would never had considered it much less answer our Midwife's question about it with a yes. Don't miss out on that experience, it will change your life and build your bond with your spouse and child.

Please don't hesitate to ask my wife or me any questions about Teresa or our birth experience.

Regards,

Ron Mechling