Amy S. and Audrey, experts in birthing fetish, discuss topics including stillbirth, doula fraud, sexual assault, false reporting, medical trauma, and psychological violence in birth fetish. The podcast explores themes of support for loss, encounters with strange behavior during stillbirth, emotional and physical challenges of supporting clients through stillbirth, and uncomfortable discoveries during labor.
The doula demonstrates immense dedication and empathy despite encountering unusual and suspicious behavior from the client.
Maintaining personal boundaries is crucial for providing effective support, even in challenging situations.
The doula's doubts and suspicions about the client's pregnancy and labor are eventually confirmed, leading to a sense of emotional turmoil and relief.
Deep dives
Supporting a client through a traumatic stillbirth
The doula, Audrey, was contacted by Caitlin, a young woman experiencing a stillbirth. Audrey provided emotional support and helped create a comfortable space for Caitlin's labor. Despite some odd behavior and inappropriate jokes, Audrey remained focused on supporting Caitlin through her contractions and provided physical assistance when needed. However, Caitlin's water breaking turned out to be a false alarm, leaving Audrey frustrated but still committed to helping Caitlin through the process.
Unusual behaviors and inconsistencies
Throughout the experience, Caitlin exhibited unusual behaviors, including being giddy and making dark jokes. She also displayed inconsistencies, such as claiming her water had broken and then admitting she had merely peed herself. These behaviors raised red flags for Audrey, but she remained dedicated to supporting Caitlin's needs and tried to maintain a sense of normalcy while waiting for Caitlin to be admitted to the hospital for induction.
Audrey's emotional journey
Audrey reflects on her emotional toll as the doula for Caitlin. She realizes that while she thought she was there to help Caitlin, she was actually the one in need of support due to Caitlin's erratic behavior and traumatic life events. Audrey's dedication and empathy are evident throughout the experience, even as she grapples with her own feelings and struggles to understand Caitlin's actions.
Personal Boundaries and Client Support
The doula discusses maintaining personal boundaries such as not spending money on clients and not providing transportation, except in exceptional circumstances. She shares a situation where she made an exception and drove a client to the hospital when no other option was available. She reflects on the importance of setting boundaries while providing support, even in challenging situations.
Suspicion and Discovery
The doula describes her growing doubts and suspicions about the client's pregnancy and labor. She recalls moments that seemed suspicious, such as the client's behavior and conversations about faking pregnancies. As the doula investigates further, she discovers a Facebook post warning about the client's deception. Feeling scared, she decides to confront the client, who denies the allegations. The doula and her colleague decide to leave the situation, leading to a group chat with other doulas who had encountered the same client. The doula expresses her emotional turmoil and relief upon uncovering the deception.