Shiloh Birth

02/10/2026

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02/02/2026

Spontaneous labor is labor that begins on its own, without medical induction or interventions to start contractions. Your body and baby work together to decide when the timing is right!

🤍 What does spontaneous labor look like?
It often begins gradually with:
• Mild, irregular contractions that become stronger and more regular
• Backache, cramping, or pelvic pressure
• A shift in energy or emotions
• Water breaking (before or during labor for some, but not all)

There’s no countdown clock and no one “right” way it starts, spontaneous labor unfolds in its own rhythm.

✨ Why spontaneous labor matters
When labor begins naturally, hormones like oxytocin and endorphins rise in a coordinated way, supporting:
• Effective contractions
• Pain coping and emotional regulation
• Baby’s transition at birth
• Breastfeeding and bonding after birth

01/29/2026

One of the most common questions I get in late pregnancy is:
“How will I know when it’s time to head to the hospital or call my midwife?”

That’s where the 4-1-1 Rule can be helpful.

✨ What is the 4-1-1 Rule?
It means your contractions are:
• 4 minutes apart
• Lasting 1 minute
• For at least 1 hour

When contractions follow this pattern consistently, labor is likely active, and it’s usually time to check in with your care provider or head to your birth place!

A few things to note:
• This is a general guideline, not a strict rule
• Every labor looks different, especially for second (or third!) babies
• If contractions are getting stronger, closer, and harder to talk through, trust what you’re feeling
• Always follow your provider’s specific instructions

✨ The 4-1-1 rule isn’t about rushing, it’s about helping you arrive supported, prepared, and in the right phase of labor.

If you’re unsure, it’s always okay to call and ask. You’re never a bother for listening to your body.

Education brings confidence, and confidence changes birth!

01/27/2026

Preferences leave room for flexibility.
Support helps you feel grounded no matter how birth unfolds.

01/26/2026

This!

RED FLAG!

01/26/2026

Doulas work for the client, the expecting mama, not for the system. Our role is to support a client’s preferences, autonomy, and informed decision-making, especially when hospital policies don’t fully align with what that client wants or needs.

Doulas are not medical providers. Our power comes from being independent, neutral, and non-clinical support. We don’t diagnose, direct, or manage care, we support families as they navigate it.

If hospitals employ doulas, those doulas may feel pressure to uphold hospital policy over client preference, to stay within the system rather than alongside the client. That creates a conflict with one of the core reasons doulas exist in the first place: to protect informed consent.

Informed consent requires space to ask questions, explore options, and make decisions without coercion or fear of being “non-compliant.” That advocacy is strongest when the doula is accountable only to the client.

To be clear: hospitals play a crucial and necessary role in birth. Medical care saves lives. But doula care works best when it remains client-centered and independent, supporting families within the system without being owned by it.

Doulas don’t replace hospitals.
We balance them.

And that balance matters. ❤️

01/26/2026

Birth is full of moments where choices are offered, and you deserve the time, space, and information to decide what’s right for you and your baby! One simple tool to help guide those conversations is B.R.A.I.N.

✨ B — Benefits
What are the benefits of this option? How could it help me or my baby?

✨ R — Risks
What are the possible risks or side effects—for me or for my baby?

✨ A — Alternatives
Are there other options available? Including waiting or doing nothing for now?

✨ I — Intuition
What is my gut telling me? How does this option feel in my body and spirit?

✨ N — Nothing
What happens if we choose to do nothing or wait? Is this urgent, or do we have time?

🤍 B.R.A.I.N empowers you to pause, ask questions, and stay actively involved in your care, without pressure or fear.

You are allowed to ask for clarity.
You are allowed to take a moment.
You are allowed to say yes or no.

You are more than allowed, you have rights!!

Informed consent isn’t about being difficult, it’s about being respected.

As a doula, one of my greatest joys is helping families feel confident using tools like B.R.A.I.N so decisions are made with them, not for them.

01/24/2026

This!! 👏🏼🙌🏼

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DR0OJa9EhAk/?igsh=MW1kdjJoc2VhZXMyeA==

01/23/2026

Birth isn’t just about getting the baby out. It’s about how you’re supported along the way.
A doula provides continuous, emotional, physical, and informational support so you don’t have to navigate your pregnancy, labor, and birth alone!
You deserve to feel heard, respected, and confident in your choices 🤍

01/22/2026

Labor isn’t one single moment, it’s a journey that unfolds in four distinct stages, each with its own purpose and rhythm. Knowing what’s happening in your body can bring so much confidence and peace as birth approaches!

🤍 Stage 1: Early & Active Labor
This stage begins when contractions start and your cervix begins to thin and open. Early labor can feel mild and manageable, think cramps, backache, or pressure. As labor becomes active, contractions grow stronger, longer, and closer together. This is the longest stage of labor, and your job is to rest, breathe, move, and surrender into the work your body is doing.

🤍 Stage 2: Pushing & Birth
Once you’re fully dilated, your body shifts gears. This is when you’ll push (or breathe) your baby down and out. This stage can be intense, but it’s also powerful and purposeful. With each surge, you’re meeting your baby closer and closer.

🤍 Stage 3: Birth of the Placenta
After your baby is born, your body still has one more job, delivering the placenta. This usually happens within minutes and is often gentle compared to the work you’ve already done. Many parents barely notice this stage as they soak in those first moments with their newborn.

🤍 Stage 4: The Golden Hour
Often overlooked, this stage is all about rest, bonding, and recovery. Your body stabilizes, hormones flood in, and you meet your baby skin-to-skin. This is a sacred window for bonding, breastfeeding, and soaking in the miracle you just experienced.

✨Understanding the stages of labor doesn’t mean controlling birth, it means walking into it informed, confident, and supported.

If you’re preparing for birth and want guidance through each stage, I’d be honored to support you 🤍