Laughter

Many don't link the thought of "laughter" with a birth.  But I have found many births to contain moments of laughter - and those are great memories.

Recently, the couple and I were rolling in laughter about an event during the labor - and kept retelling it and laughing throughout the day.

Of course, everything is funnier at 4am.  Once a nurse walked in on a dad and I laughing heartily and said, "There is entirely too much happiness in this room."  Yes - and labor rooms can be happy rooms!

A treasured memory is a birth where this couple had several family members visiting.  And the moms began to tell this couple's childhood stories.  Oh my - we laughed for hours.  Still remember this birth fondly.

Once a first time mom had been pushing for almost 3 hours.  It was going very slowly. Then, someone told a joke and the mom started laughing hard.  Guess what - that baby's head quickly delivered - so we said she 'laughed the baby out'.  Isn't that a great memory?  

Some worry about bringing a "stranger" into their labor room so they are cautious about adding a doula. But my experience has been that sometimes those long hours can be filled with a couple retelling their life stories - they've heard them many times - but telling a new person seems to be a pleasant passing of the time. And I have worked with so many interesting people and enjoy hearing their life stories.

So when I think of labor rooms - laughter is definitely a part of my description of that room. I even have two jokes I have told in labors before - just to keep the atmosphere light and pleasant.  If I work with you - I'll be happy to share them!