Essential Mumma Birth Doula

29/05/2021

👉TRIGGER WARNING: Fetal Scalp Monitoring👈
Did you know that continuous electronica
fetal monitoring does not improve outcomes and raises the chance of surgical birth a huge amount? Link at bottom

Parents are often surprised to find out that the monitor that was attached to their baby’s head during labour wasn’t just a “clip,” as it was referred to, or a sticker, but instead a metal screw that went into the scalp. There may be times when parents want to make the choice to use a fetal scalp electrode to monitor their baby's heartrate, HOWEVER as is the case with anything, this intervention needs to be explained in detail to parents along with the risks and benefits.

Here's a link from AIMS that talks through various fetal monitoring in labour https://www.aims.org.uk/information/item/monitoring-your-babys-heartbeat-in-labour

Once again, things like fetal scalp monitoring *can* impact the baby's head and their head movement when breastfeeding, not to mention that it often leads to further interventions in labour that can further impact the baby's abilities to breastfeed comfortably.

Image Description: background is block colours and an image of a fetal scalp electrode monitor with text overlay, "Stop calling it a clip, it's a screw! A Fetal Scalp Electrode Can be screwed into your baby's head to monitor your baby's heartrate during labour. It's meant to help determine whether your baby is under any stress while you labour. stress???..."
from ’Nel Metherell IBCLC

https://www.kansashomebirth.com/sage-dragonflys-blog/blog-post-title-three-6bh2g

19/05/2021

Well said ♥️

Oh this makes my heart smile! 😍💜😍💜😍

You know I just read some comments on a major news site about how children shouldn't see their mother naked.

And I said, yeh well in homebirthing families, the kids see us GIVE BIRTH and BREASTFEED. And they seem to grow up pretty well adjusted and able to see women as sentient equal persons, rather than as sexualized commodities.

I have been at births where a child blissfully played with his Thomas the Tank Engine set right next to the birth pool where his Mum was loudly roaring his sibling into the world.

Mum: "RRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHHrrrroooooOOOOOHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Child: "Choo choo!"

- completely unperturbed by the epic drama unfolding in the lounge room of his home. Because he was with His People, and felt safe and secure.

I love the ability of birth, especially home birth, to make the exceptional so ordinary.

Including its ability to allow children to witness and naturally internalize normal mammalian behaviour. I feel like it inoculates them against some very negative and objectifying messages about women and our bodies that they may come across later in life.

The usual outrageification boiled over in this particular thread about women doing disgusting things like breastfeeding in public.

I said, "You could always use a cover. Some people call them "eyelids". So handy, they come attached."

Rock on, radical women. It's the love revolution. 💜💜💜

Reposted from

Birth is inherently normal to our children when we allow them to witness us.
Imagine the intergenerational trauma we can stop in it’s tracks when we allow our children to witness the power of birthing children.
Watching this family grow from 5 to 6 with all of their children present was such a gift to witness. Their perception of birth and their future generations will be forever changed.
Thank you for allowing me to witness you and your family transform.
(No children were harmed during this photo. Just a sweet girl having a blast in the pool with mum as she labours 🤣)

04/05/2021

No poking, proding, straps, monitors, strangers, interferences....just space holding. This is birth.

11/09/2020

Well said.

‘At least your baby is alive’ is the most bu****it phrase ever uttered. ‘At least your baby is alive’ suggests that a baby and woman who are alive represent the top rung of the ladder when it comes to birth outcomes.
I’ve got news for you, it’s the BOTTOM one! A live woman and baby is the minimum expectation of maternity care, the bottom rung! Not the top rung!
The ultimate expectation of maternity care is that the woman and her family are completely blissed out and satisfied with their birth experience, they are blown away with joy and elation at what they just did and they feel autonomous and respected. A joyful birth is the standard, a live woman and baby is simply and expectation.

09/05/2020

Happy mother's day to all the super mums out there. You are amazing! ❤🤰🤱🦸‍♀️💪

08/03/2020

Clever babies ❤

12/12/2019

https://www.facebook.com/100002825151669/posts/2321297497974399/?sfnsn=mo

01/11/2019

Teamwork ❤

That teamwork though 💪🏼
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Incredible image of midwife, dad and doula all working together to support mum.
⠀
Midwife + doula + partner = birth dream team ✨
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04/10/2019