Exploring Birth Options
What You Should Know About Recovery From A Cesarean Section.
Whether preparing yourself for the unexpected or researching what to expect after a planned cesarean, it can be hard to find reliable information on what to expect from the recovery. The reality is that nearly 30% of babies born in the US are born by cesarean; while this rate is astronomically and unnecessarily high (the…
Read MoreContinuous Labor Support Was Left Behind When Birth Moved Into Hospitals.
The support of a continuous labor support person. As human beings, we fare better, especially in new or stressful situations, when we are surrounded by those we have a trusted and loving relationship with. Historically, labor and birth support persons were friends and family members who had gone through childbirth themselves, mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters.…
Read MorePrenatal Yoga: Becoming a Parent one Class at a Time
This is a very special blog post. First, it is my first (of many) guest blog posts; but, certainly more importantly, it is written by someone that I respect, appreciate, and love more than I would think possible of someone who I really just met. Brigitte’s background in dance, pilates, yoga work, midwifery studies, lactation,…
Read MoreOxytocin: so much more than the hormone of love!
Oxytocin & Pitocin, what’s the difference? Oxytocin is perhaps the coolest hormone that I know of. Not only does it regulate social interactions and sexual behaviors and play a key role in maternal-infant bonding and breastfeeding, it is also so much more! Here’s a fun list of what oxytocin does in our bodies {1}: stimulates…
Read MoreVaginal Seeding?! Sounds Bizarre. What the heck is it?
Your baby’s microbiome. Did you know that when a baby is born vaginally, they are exposed to all of the bacteria that reside in the vagina? Wait a minute. Aren’t bacteria what cause infections? Doesn’t bacteria = bad? No! beneficial bacteria = very good! In fact, recent evidence shows that exposure to these beneficial bacteria (the…
Read MoreMy baby, my body, my birth preferences!
YOU are the boss of your birth! Not your friend, not your cousin, not your parents, and not even your care provider. Am I arguing that you shouldn’t listen to their input? No. Am I arguing not to listen to your provider, especially in an urgent situation? Absolutely not! What I am saying is you know…
Read MoreACOG released a statement recommending limited interventions in childbirth!
I can hardly believe what I am reading. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which for years has recommended various interventions in childbirth, has released an official committee opinion that many common obstetric practices are of little or unknown benefit for low-risk women in spontaneous labor. Here are a few key points: For pre-labor rupture…
Read MoreBenefits of continuous support in labor
Source: Amorim MMR and Katz L. Continuous support for women during childbirth: RHL commentary (last revised: 1 May 2012). The WHO Reproductive Health Library; Geneva: World Health Organization. Compared with usual care, the provision of continuous support to women during labour increases the likelihood of spontaneous vaginal birth, reduces the duration of labour and use of…
Read MoreDoulas may be valuable member of any birth team
Much of the work of being a doula involves leaving our assumptions at the door. We find ourselves constantly humbled by the varieties of birth outcomes and the routes that lead there. Good doula work does not allow for an agenda- not a physical one, not an emotional one, and surely not one that is…
Read MoreNew research shows doulas reduce cesarean rate by 60-80%- benefit mostly occurring in wealthy, white demographic.
The American Journal of Managed Care recently released a study that shows hiring a doula can decrease the likelihood of giving birth by cesarean by up to 60-80%! That is truly an incredible effect! However promising this statistic, 40% of the participants were not even aware of doulas. The report also states Black and publicly…
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