06/02/2026
I found myself thinking a lot about labor and my role as a doula during our recent trip to Dollywood.
Let me explain:
đ˘The build-up is often the hardest part.
Standing in line, watching other people go first, wondering what it will feel like.
Whether itâs your first roller coaster or your first contraction, anticipation can feel overwhelming.
đ˘Sometimes closing your eyes helps.
When we reached the top of the drop line, I closed mine. I took myself somewhere else and focused on my breathing.
In labor, many moms do the same thingâtuning out distractions and turning inward. Itâs not about avoiding the experience; itâs about finding what helps you cope.
đ˘You can do anything for two minutes.
My kids wanted to ride all the rides, and with each one, I felt a little more nauseous (contractions, anyone?). But their excitement kept me going.
More than once, I found myself asking the attendant, âHow long is this ride?â
Knowing I can do anything for two minutes made it manageable. (Remember those wall sits in Prep4Birthâ˘ď¸?!) Thanks, !
đ˘Support matters.
Sitting beside my youngest on her first coaster, I reminded her to breathe, soften her shoulders, and keep her eyes on me. I even caught myself saying, âItâll be over soon.â đŹ (you wonât catch me saying this at your birth)!
Support matters not because someone can do the work for you, but because support changes how the experience feels.
đ˘Confidence often comes after the ride.
When it was over, my kids couldnât stop smiling. They wanted more.
The thing that felt impossible ten minutes earlier had become something they were proud of.
Birth often works the same way.
âď¸Birth and roller coasters arenât exactly the same, but they do share something important: they can become more manageable because someone is beside you.
A doula doesnât take away the intensity of labor. We provide encouragement, perspective, reassurance, and support when things feel uncertain.
By the end of the ride, my daughter was proud of herself. It may have been scary, but she did it.
And sometimes thatâs where confidence comes fromârealizing afterward that you were capable all along.
