Long fabled cravings such as pickles, ice cream, and pickles and ice cream are a reality for expecting people. I’ll address the science behind cravings in another post but for now, let’s focus on pickles. Pickles are not just a tasty marinated cucumber entrenched in vinegar and spices, it’s also a real life dilemma!
Pickles are also associated in a baseball or softball context with a runner scrambling between bases and a live ball actively being lobbed among defense to take that player out. Ultimately, it comes down to timing. Similarly, this can translate to a birth doula’s role.
Birth can be capricious, and typically has an element of unpredictability. After all, it is a natural process and in the most ideal circumstances, we leave it largely up to nature. With that, planning around birth is a delicate matter as the concept of time floats in an ambiguous cloak of fog. Two people due on the same date could inevitably birth weeks apart. Likewise, two people due weeks apart could inevitably birth within minutes of one another. This is why birth doulas always plan for backup. We take an oath to be at the birthing person's side when we are needed. It is our intention to be there. But alas, things beyond our best planning capabilities can happen! One of my favorite birth doulas to work with is Allison Petrides www.gentlebeginningsdoula.com because we have an informal system of watching one another's back and we relish the fact that our pickles always get resolved!