Al-Nisa Doula Services

04/03/2021

04/03/2021

Early labor is still very much labor & it can last for DAYS! You’re not considered active labor until you’re 6cm dialated

04/02/2021

https://www.maplehollowphotography.com/what-birth-can-look-like-when-we-surrender-denver-center-for-birth-denver-colorado/?fbclid=IwAR2UaaW_hNi4zOy8sALQ6pmihi7GWKHVLyCPPjKkqlzE-QcctWv-2tx_keM

Birth is singular and physical, communal and deeply binding. It has carried us from the beginning of time and will carry us beyond. Birthing with the support of people you trust, in the safety of validation and your uninhibited answering to this calling, birth – this is when magic happens.

04/02/2021

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Holding space for a 6-week postpartum mom as I hosted her closing ceremony with baby resting peacefully nearby. 🌿

This ceremony acknowledges the immense changes a woman has undergone in pregnancy and childbirth and assists in bringing her spirit back into her own body. Physically, it guides her bones back into place, helps her pelvic organs shift and her uterus to shrink back down, and stimulates blood flow. Women who are honored in this way experience a sense of calm and grounding, re-establishing her sense of self.

Research shows that postpartum maternal care in America is devastatingly inadequate. If we can commit to care for our moms during this major transition in her life, imagine the increase in her well-being lifelong.

Closing ceremony can be a great way to find closure from your birth story and the initial feelings of your transitions into motherhood. Often there is an emotional and spiritual component to this healing practice.

04/02/2021

What is Group B Strep or GBS?

* GBS is a common bacteria that lives in the intestinal tract, va**na, and/or re**um
* 1 in 4 healthy people carry GBS
* It is NOT an STD and has NOTHING to do with poor hygiene.
* You either are a carrier of the bacteria or you don’t.

Why is it important to know If you have GBS?

* If not treated before va**nal delivery it can be passed to a newborn.
* GBS affects about 1 in every 2,000 babies in the United States.
* The outcome can be severe to newborns, as such, physicians include testing as a routine part of prenatal care
* According to the CDC, if you have tested positive and are not high risk, your chances of delivering a baby with GBS are 1 in 200 if antibiotics are not given, and 1 in 4000 if antibiotics are given.

How do I know if I have GBS?

* For most people, there are no symptoms of carrying GBS.
* Many people who carry this bacteria test positive at certain times and negative at others.
* This is why all pregnant people are tested for group B strep between 35 to 37 weeks.
* It is a simple swab test (from the va**na to a**s) done at a regular prenatal appointment.


What will my care provider do if I test positive?

* Typically your provider will administer antibiotics via IV during your labor.
* The antibiotic is administered about every 4-6 hours during your labor process.
* They commonly like for you to receive at least two doses of antibiotics before your baby is born, but will continue with antibiotics until your baby is born.

What can I do if I test positive WITH GBS?

Ask your care provider….

* When they would like you to come in to start your antibiotics if you plan to labor at home.

04/02/2021

What is a Doula?

a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.

Benefits of a Doula?

•Less likely to need pitocin
•Less likely to have a cesarian birth
•Also less likely to use medication
•More likely to rate their childbirth experience positively

KEY MYTHS ABOUT DOULAS

1.) They only do home births or natural births.
- This isn’t true. They want you to have the best birth possible FOR YOU. If that’s in a hospital, great. If you want drugs – fine. Although you’ll have to ask each one individually, their main goal is to help you have the birth of your choice.

2.) They will take the place of your birth partner.
- Absolutely false. Most times the doula actually enables more connectivity with your partner. One of the main doula benefits is that they can go get the nurse, or ice chips, or remind you of the questions you wanted to ask. This means your partner can focus solely on you.

3.) IF YOU OPT FOR AN EPIDURAL YOU HAVE NO USE FOR A DOULA.
- Although the role of a doula alters when you’re getting an epidural, they can still greatly support you through the birth process. Even if you choose a medicated birth.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE HIRING A DOULA

Cost: Doulas aren’t cheap, nor should we be. We’re available to you whenever & wherever you need us once you go into labor, no matter how long that may be. Statistically many first time moms can have labor that can last over 24 hours.

03/23/2021

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but get you a doula😊!