Take Childbirth Education or not??!!

As a 21st century mom, it's harder than ever to find the time to prepare for childbirth.
"You're busier than ever before, and have less and less time to go hunting through pregnancy book after pregnancy book, just "hoping" you're prepared. And, when you're living in such a fast-paced world day in and day out, juggling schedules, researching your options, and setting aside the time to attend live childbirth classes is virtually impossible."

"Skimping on your natural child birth education is the sure-fire way to end up with the long, complicated birth experience you desperately want to avoid."

"For less than the price of a nice dinner out - just $48.95 - you can learn to be fully mentally, emotionally and physically prepared to meet your child, free of any fears or anxiety about giving birth.I really want to encourage you to make natural child birth education a priority in your life. You"ll have absolutely nothing to lose, except your worries and fears about giving birth!"

I am not affiliated with this site at all....but fully agree with what her point is....

Knowledge is power. That cannot be more true in this world of birth, that is upcoming for you & your family!

Epidurals & Tattoos have a Connection??!!

What in the world could tattoos have in common with epidurals?

More than you might think.

The future may be one of the last things on the mind of those desiring a stylish look with a tattoo, but most likely they aren't aware of some of the other lesser-known problems that might occur with the permanent injection of dyes.

But, the whole reason for the post is this part:

What about epidurals? This is another area of potential problems with tattoos. With the popularity of tattoos on women's lower backs, these often large and ornate tattoos cover the specific sites where epidural needles are usually inserted. The most common reason for an epidural is for pain control during childbirth, but they also are used sometimes during certain surgical procedures when general anesthesia is not advised.

Back in 2002, a couple of anesthesiologists from Vancouver, Canada, wrote about a small study they did with three patients in labor who had lumbar tattoos. The doctors wondered if this was a potentially problematic situation because theoretically the epidural needle could pull down and deposit the ink near the spinal cord. Even though the study was small and they did not have problems with these particular patients because they inserted the needle where there wasn't ink, their article in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia caused many other anesthesiologists to change their practices.

MAKES SENSE, HUH?!

Birth Circle NEXT MONDAY, the 20th!

Hi friends,

It will be Birth Circle time again next week.

We hope you can join us for good information, advice & snacks!

It is at Kelly's home in Staunton, VA.

Email me for directions, if you need them.

doyoudoula@yahoo.com

It is at 7 p.m. on Monday, October the 20th.

Kegel Exercising Benefits in Pregnancy & Beyond

Ahh, Kegels... the exercise of perineum champions!!!

Kegel exercises can help prevent incontinence, & abdominal, pelvic, vaginal & urethral pain during pregnancy.

Doing Kegels regularly can also lessen the risk of vaginal tearing during childbirth.

Following the birth of your child, they can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, increase nerve activity & blood circulation in the sexual organs & preven postpartum incontinence.

*Do 6 Kegels each time you empty your bladder, while pregnant, for best results. Hold them for up to 10 seconds each.

*Do Kegels every day in either a seated or standing position during pregnancy & on into the rest of your life!!!
Reference: Holistic Pregnancy & Childbirth by James Marti w/ Heather Burton

Doppler More Powerful than Ultrasound Exams

According to Anne Frye, midwife and author of "Understanding Lab Work in the Childbearing Year" (4th Ed.)p. 405:

Doppler Devices: Many women do not realize that doppler fetoscopes are ultrasound devices. (apparently, neither do many care providers. Time after time, women are assured by doctors and even some nurse midwives that a doppler is not an ultrasound device.) . . . .
Not well publicized for obvious reasons, doppler devices expose the fetus to more powerful ultrasound than real time (imaging) ultrasound exams. One minute of doppler exposure is equal to 35 minutes of real time ultrasound. This is an important point for women to consider when deciding between an ultrasound exam and listening with a doppler to determine viability in early pregnancy. . . . .
If you have a doppler, put it aside and make a concerted effort to learn to listen yourself! Save your doppler for those rare occasions when you cannot hear the heart rate late into pushing or to further investigate suspected fetal death. " copyright l990, Anne Frye, B.H. Holistic Midwifery.

Personally, after 23 years of attending births, I would not permit a doppler in my house if I were pregnant. You always know that something is ultrasound because there will be "jelly" involved. If you want a cheap listening device for the baby's heart just save the core from a roll of toilet paper. Put one end on the lower belly and the other on hubby's ear.

If you want to know your baby is doing well, count the fetal movements in a day. Starting at 9 a.m. count each time the baby kicks. There should be l0 distinct movements by 3 p.m. http://gentlebirth.org/archives/preScreen.html#USResources

Difference Between Doulas and Midwives

A common misconception is that we, as doulas, can do what a midwife does. That is NOT true. Our roles seem the same, but in the midst of the laboring mother's world, the roles are different, yet both lead to raising the chances of having a normal birth.

Why have a Doula?

♥ Great testimony that rings true in most births with a doula attending. ♥

Birth Circle next Monday!

Come together to explore this significant time in your life.

Pregnant Women at any stage and New Moms

and anyone interested in Birth in general!

This Birth Circle will give you the opportunity to

focus on your pregnancy and transition into Motherhood.

There will be time to ask questions and to share

experiences with other Mothers and Mothers to be.

I host a Birth Circle at my home in Staunton, VA- every 3rd Monday at 7p.m. Please join us, if possible. We would love to have you!

Email me here for more info & directions: kelly@doulasurround.com

Children are welcome & we will have light refreshments!

Pelvic Types- 4 Different Kinds!!

Many women do not realize that they can have one of four different TYPES of PELVISES. Some women's pelvises are a mixture of two or three or four though!
I learned it in my 'doula training'. Not Surprisingly so...as it was like a mini-midwifery course!


The 4 Basic Types of Pelvis' are: Round, oval, triangular and flat .
They are different shapes in different women.



Why it matters: Rotation and descent of baby varies between the different shapes!!
Some women cannot 'squat' because of the certain shape they have, some women have naturally flat bellies, when not pregnant, because of their specific shape, some women have "boyish'' hips because of their pelvis shape...


So, you see??


Why it does not matter: Because NO MATTER WHAT PELVIS YOU HAVE, you can birth your baby vaginally!!
I would love to share a site called spinningbabies.com that can give you more info on this.

6th Birth Attended

I attended a birth on 8-21-08. One day shy of being 2 weeks overdue! It went fabulous.
Mommy wanted to labor at home as long as possible, but seeing as her cervix was not ripe enough for labor to begin, she used an inserted "helper", having to STAY at the hosp. then.

It worked within 12 hours... she had contractions that made her 'stop talking' through each one, starting around 9 - 10 a.m.

I arrived at the hospital around 11 a.m. She was working through them easily, as they were on the mild side.... just 'showing themselves'. She was still laughing then.
After a couple of hours of intense labor, from about 1-3, she was about 9cm. No more laughing.

She hit 10cm & baby was born around 3:45p.m.

The cord was around his neck, so the midwife cut it before he was fully born... he was born, turned pink & was making everyone in the room cry tears of joy. He weighed 7.5 pounds & is nursing beautifully.

Virtual Labor

Only one who believes in women's bodies to birth & who may or may not be pregnant would enjoy this, but I thoroughly did. This tool is based on natural birth.

I love this Virtual Labor online of "what-to-do" and of what you CAN do when labor starts.

At each stop in the labor you will be required to make a decision about how to respond. The next part of your labor will be randomly selected based on the way you choose to handle the current situation. There is no right or wrong answer.

Fun, fun for all my Birth Junkie Friends!

YAY!

Using a Rebozo in Labor

I have a doula client due in August that loves the "hip squeeze". I was hoping to utilize a rebozo in helping her in labor. My doula-friend has one at her home that she made. I am hoping she will allow me to use it.

Here are some ways to help a mother in labor, to use a rebozo for management of pressure.

• Have the mother sit in an upright position. Place the rebozo so that it is under the mother's arms and goes over her chest. The coach stands behind the mother, holding the ends of the rebozo to support the mother's weight. The coach can gently sway the mother from this position.
  
• Have the mother get in a hands and knees position. Wrap the rebozo under the mother's belly and around her thighs so that the coach can hold the ends above her. The coach will gently sway the rebozo side to side.
  
• Wrap the rebozo around the mother's eyes and ears, blocking and muffling incoming sights and sounds to help the mother relax.

Here is a link to more info on using a Rebozo .

Prevent Cesarean Surgery

"...real quotes spoken by women who have had both cesarean and vaginal births, it presents invaluable information that is researched based. All women of childbearing age will benefit from this educational movie. It is a must see!"

Please inform yourself, so as to avoid any unecessary pain, including emotional pain.

Preparing for Labor: Exercises you can do

Preparing for labor
During the final months of pregnancy,
a few simple exercises can help prepare your muscles for labor.

Kegels
For example, Kegel exercises help tone your pelvic floor muscles. Simply tighten your pelvic muscles as if you're stopping your stream of urine. Try it for five seconds at a time, four or five times in a row. Repeat throughout the day.
Various other exercises target the muscles that will receive the most stress during labor and delivery.

Tailor sitting
The tailor sitting position stretches the muscles in your thighs and pelvis. It also improves your posture, keeps your pelvic joints flexible and increases blood flow to your lower body.
Sit on the floor with your back straight. Bring the bottoms of your feet together, pull your heels toward your groin and gently drop your knees. You'll feel a stretch in your inner thighs. Try tailor sitting anytime you're able to sit on the floor.
If it's difficult to sit in this position, use a wall to support your back or place cushions under each thigh. Remember to keep your back straight.

Pelvic rock
The pelvic rock stretches the muscles in the lower back, which helps relieve backaches.
Rest on your hands and knees with your head in line with your back. Pull in your stomach, rounding your back slightly. Hold the position for several seconds. Then relax your stomach and back, keeping your back as flat as possible. Repeat several times. Gradually work up to 10 repetitions.
You can do a similar exercise leaning against a wall. Simply stand up straight and push the small of your back against a wall.

Wall slide
Squatting during labor can help open the pelvic outlet, which gives your baby more room to descend through the birth canal. But squatting is tiring. It may help to practice ahead of time.
Try the wall slide. Stand with your back against a wall, your feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down the wall until you're in a sitting position. Hold the position for a few seconds and then slide back up. Repeat several times. Gradually work up to 10 repetitions.
For less stress on your knees, try the wall slide with an exercise ball behind your back. You can also squat without the wall. Keep your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart.

May is International DOULA Month!

The month of the Doula has arrived! May is International Doula Month!

Doulas provide much support for women in pregnancy, in labor & afterwards.

Emotional, physical & informational support is their focus, for ALL mothers & their families.

Here are some questions to ask when choosing a Labor Doula for your birth:

Choosing a labor doula: Answers to your most-asked questions