Step 8: Interpersonal Communication: Debriefing and Active Listening

Many emotions surround the birth of a baby.  Whether it is a positive or negative experience,  the feelings she experienced are remembered the rest of her life.   As postpartum doulas, our role is to hear and validate  her underlying feelings, and be a safe place for her to express them.

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Birth Debriefing and Active Listening

Application and Understanding

1.  Complete this sentence: “The biggest aspect of active listening is listening to hear and understand and not listening with ________________.
2. You are a postpartum doula for a new mother with her first baby just two weeks old. She had a long labor but a vaginal birth after an induction and epidural where they needed to use forceps to pull her baby out.  She suffered a fourth degree tear.  Her baby is a healthy, 8.5lb little girl. She knows her husband really wanted a boy to carry on the family name. She had some vaginal lacerations and is in much pain when peeing. Midst the tears she says, “I have always been a happy person and I don’t know what is wrong with me now. My partner tells me I just need to get over it.”

Write two paragraphs of your dialogue with her using Debriefing and Active listening.

(250-300 words)