When I first started my doula work I put a lot of thought into my doula snack. When I say a lot, I really mean it. Everything was considered when choosing the right thing to put in my doula bag. "Will this give me bad breath?" "Will this smell?" "Will this keep me satisfied for hours?" "Will this stay fresh in my bag?" "Will this be noisy when I eat it?"
I ended up packing a variety of items which usually consisted of
1) a couple of Power Bars
2) some nuts
3) a banana
It wasn't a bad snack combination. There was protein and fresh fruit. But...There were 2 big problems with my snack strategy.
First problem...I HATED IT.
After a few years of births using this snack strategy I got to a point that I hated power bars. I HATED them. I would be starving at a birth and would just look at my sad power bar waiting to be consumed. I just did not want to eat them any more. I was so sick of them. I tried so many types only to end up being sick of all of them. There just wasn't anything satisfying about those bars.
Second problem...I NEEDED THE BREAK.
Once I realized that I hated my snacks, I started leaving my clients and taking a proper break to have a meal. When I started out in my doula career I couldn't imagine leaving a client. Why would I do that? Now I have realized that I need a break. A break is SO good for me. Leaving my client and taking a short (10-15 minute) break for a meal completely changes my mood. I am recharged. I am bright eyed and ready to go. I usually just pop down to the hospital cafeteria which is my no means gourmet food, but it makes me so happy. Sometimes this break gives my mind a chance to think about the birth from a different angle. I get ideas on my breaks that wouldn't happen if I was munching on a protein bar in the labor room.
Of course this strategy isn't for everyone. We all have to find our own ways of making this unusual profession work best for us and our clients.
How do you snack? Do you like take a meal break or can't imagine leaving for a meal? Share!!
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