That is a really good idea for managing expectations.

I don’t have the experience yet, only observation and am trained to consider and evaluate risks based on those observations, so I’m relying heavily on what I’ve observed the moms in my inner circle go through and my family doctor (who specializes in pregnancy) recommends.

The one thing I know without a shadow of a doubt is that I want a doctor there to help if my baby or me have any medical complications that could impact their access to oxygen or cause loss of blood.

I do feel like Instagram and Facebook doula posts are somewhat toxic and unreliable. I hate the idea of making a spectacle out of such an intimate moment in our lives, and how it postures expectations around an experience that is so unique and personal to every woman who experiences it.