Being a doula for my best friend

   It is almost time! I am a crazy mix of emotions for my next upcoming birth I am attending as a doula. See, this one is going to be a different dynamic completely, I will be a doula for my best friend at the birth of her first baby. I am going all the way up to Ohio for it, hoping to be there from 38 weeks until after her baby is born.
   Heather, my sister, and I have been a trio of friends for over 10 years now!  We have been through so many things together, including our crazy rebellious teen years, my marriage, and the birth of my two sons. She has been an ever faithful ear to listen to all my crazy birth rants and has taken it into her own hands to become educated and aware of her options for her first birth.Seriously, this girl new more about birth before ever even conceiving then most people do that have children of their own.
  She decided on a wonderful Certified Nurse Midwife and a hospital delivery with a doula (me!) and taking a really wonderful homebirth friendly childbirth education class. I am super excited for her to experience this.
  I know it is going to be hard. The hospital we are going to is not exactly known for being natural birth friendly. I know that we will have to fight for her right to birth her way. I know that she will be surprised to feel how labor really feels, but I have confidence in this girl! Heather is an extremely strong willed person, always has been, and I know that she will fight for her birth with all she has, and I will be there to support her in whatever she does. Birth is such an unpredicitable thing! I can not even guess how hers will be: long, short, easy, or harder. But my job is to be there for her no matter what, and to support her in every decision she makes.
    The toughest part though, is going to be what my "job" entails when it comes to being a doula for my best friend. Am I her doula first, or her friend first? Because as her friend there are definitely some things I would do and say that a doula would not! So this is where I am struggling for the moment. Finding the right balance and choosing whether just to wear the "friend" hat in the delivery room, or the "doula" hat at all times. I will post again about her birth experience. I am beyond ecstatic for her to experience this life changing event! I know it will blow her mind away! :)  (Birth is kinda like that....mind blowing!)