Well it FEELS like I post every day
I am surprised to see it's been nearly a week since my last post. I guess I have been busy.
The Center for the Childbearing Year (a.k.a. CCY), of which I'm not only a board member but FUNDRAISING CHAIR, is kicking its annual giving campaign in to high gear. In the last week I have met with the Center's Executive Director and a fundraising consultant and, at a separate meeting, the Center's research coordinator and another fundraising committee member. Lessons learned?
1) if someone has given to the organization in the past, we need to approach them to give again.
2) States and cities have many small (and not so small) family foundations, many of whom make charitable donations to groups that work with women, children, "areas of human services" or "health care." In other words, we need to start applying to these foundations for money.
Of course we have also had some interesting side conversations on doulas, birth, etc.
Relatedly, I am working on assembling a slide show of birth photos I've taken. I'd like to use it at fundraising desserts and teas that I'll be hosting as a way to introduce the "audience" (friends) to the Center on an emotional level. If I can figure out how, I'll post it here once it's complete. At the least I'll make it available as a PowerPoint slide show I can e-mail you on request.
I also had dinner with a former classmate who was visiting from out of town. She shared a great birth story: Her sister had a baby last spring. This was her first child, first pregnancy. One afternoon around her due date she got home from work and felt a little fluey. She had some diarrhea and felt nauseated. She laid down on the bathroom floor because the cool tile felt good on her face.
When her husband got home, he was alarmed to see her on the floor and said, "I'm taking you to the hospital." She said, "I'm fine, I just feel a little sick." He insisted that she at least call her OB. She did. The doctor asked if she was contracting. No. Did she feel rectal pressure? No. Was she having any bloody show? No. The OB said maybe it was food poisoning.
The husband made some dinner and came up to invite his wife down. She was now naked on the bathroom floor. Even more alarmed, he made good on his decision to take her to the hospital. He brought her some clothes and helped her down to the car. All the while she insisted she was fine, just a little queasy.
At the hospital a staffperson brought out a wheelchair. My friend's sister was embarassed about all the fuss. "I'm just a little sick" she kept saying, rolling her eyes at her husband.
They took her to labor and delivery. She was completely dilated on admission.
On hearing this news, she went from laid back nay-sayer to panicked first-time mother in a matter of minutes. They began preparations for her to push and she started crying that she didn't know how to do it because she hadn't taken any classes (she was planning on getting an epidural the minute she was admitted!).
Friends, this woman pushed for 20 minutes before delivering a healthy baby boy.
But that all labors were this way. I saw Sage Femme's post yesterday about the woman who pushed (PUSHED!) for seven hours. Look soon for a post from T$, whose first-time doula client delivered this morning after being 10 cm. on admission to the hospital.
More posts today and tomorrow, I promise. As work slows down I'll get back in my groove.
The Center for the Childbearing Year (a.k.a. CCY), of which I'm not only a board member but FUNDRAISING CHAIR, is kicking its annual giving campaign in to high gear. In the last week I have met with the Center's Executive Director and a fundraising consultant and, at a separate meeting, the Center's research coordinator and another fundraising committee member. Lessons learned?
1) if someone has given to the organization in the past, we need to approach them to give again.
2) States and cities have many small (and not so small) family foundations, many of whom make charitable donations to groups that work with women, children, "areas of human services" or "health care." In other words, we need to start applying to these foundations for money.
Of course we have also had some interesting side conversations on doulas, birth, etc.
Relatedly, I am working on assembling a slide show of birth photos I've taken. I'd like to use it at fundraising desserts and teas that I'll be hosting as a way to introduce the "audience" (friends) to the Center on an emotional level. If I can figure out how, I'll post it here once it's complete. At the least I'll make it available as a PowerPoint slide show I can e-mail you on request.
I also had dinner with a former classmate who was visiting from out of town. She shared a great birth story: Her sister had a baby last spring. This was her first child, first pregnancy. One afternoon around her due date she got home from work and felt a little fluey. She had some diarrhea and felt nauseated. She laid down on the bathroom floor because the cool tile felt good on her face.
When her husband got home, he was alarmed to see her on the floor and said, "I'm taking you to the hospital." She said, "I'm fine, I just feel a little sick." He insisted that she at least call her OB. She did. The doctor asked if she was contracting. No. Did she feel rectal pressure? No. Was she having any bloody show? No. The OB said maybe it was food poisoning.
The husband made some dinner and came up to invite his wife down. She was now naked on the bathroom floor. Even more alarmed, he made good on his decision to take her to the hospital. He brought her some clothes and helped her down to the car. All the while she insisted she was fine, just a little queasy.
At the hospital a staffperson brought out a wheelchair. My friend's sister was embarassed about all the fuss. "I'm just a little sick" she kept saying, rolling her eyes at her husband.
They took her to labor and delivery. She was completely dilated on admission.
On hearing this news, she went from laid back nay-sayer to panicked first-time mother in a matter of minutes. They began preparations for her to push and she started crying that she didn't know how to do it because she hadn't taken any classes (she was planning on getting an epidural the minute she was admitted!).
Friends, this woman pushed for 20 minutes before delivering a healthy baby boy.
But that all labors were this way. I saw Sage Femme's post yesterday about the woman who pushed (PUSHED!) for seven hours. Look soon for a post from T$, whose first-time doula client delivered this morning after being 10 cm. on admission to the hospital.
More posts today and tomorrow, I promise. As work slows down I'll get back in my groove.
posted by doulicia at 7:46 AM
5 Comments:
I've missed your posts!
I love CCY, and admire the work you all do.
Hh
thanks! on both counts.
Post often... I'm on a fundraising committee myself. ;)
Sigh, too bad it had to all of a sudden become a big ordeal. Just think if she hadn't been aware up until the very end, how relaxed the whole thing would have been!
Thank you, very interesting!
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