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Lara Copeland, Birth Services

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Topeka, KS
Lara Copeland, Birth Services

Helping women and families feel free, ecstatic, and loved as they prepare to grow their families. I'm a life-long learner. In much of my life, I dig deep.

In a way, I've been training for my dream job since I became a mother 17 years ago when I was instantly changed by the immense sense of power I felt giving birth. I have added to my family seven more times since then, and my family is the reason I do what I do. I first began to focus on doula work 3.5 years ago after experiencing my first homebirth. Since then I have continued training through multiple organizations and through experience (each family I serve teaches me something I needed to learn). When I first considered making my passion my profession, I struggled with the idea of how a doula traditionally serves. She meets with her clients once or twice, and then she shows up at your birth -- a moment of complete surrender, absolute power, and tremendous vulnerability. One thing about me that has never changed and never will: I'm NOT a superficial person. I questions everything. I want to learn constantly. Reflect constantly. Improve constantly. And I just didn't see how I could fit this standard approach to serving women. That is... until I met the lovely Janine Heincker (the amazing woman behind FIAT Midwifery) who felt the exact same way. So we set forth to change the way women and families are served. We focus on the whole person. We take time to get to know our clients so they are more like family. We know that connection is the foundation for all the good in our relationships, so we make it a priority to stay connected with you and to help you stay connected to the things and people who matter. This is what fuels mama's ability to completely surrender to the journey of pregnancy and the power of birth. We also know this foundation is what will set the new family up for peaceful, connected parenting. This is how we strive to change the world. We know that PEACE ON EARTH BEGINS AT BIRTH! I started working with FIAT Midwifery in 2020, serving as a doula and assistant midwife, and apprenticing in Raindrop Massage for our clients. In addition to serving with FIAT, I also work with clients on my own, offering a variety of services: birth doula support; education in childbirth, baby care, decision-making in childbirth and beyond, comfort measures, labor positions, and much more. I also can provide postpartum care, birth plan templates, postpartum plan templates, and much more. I offer private classes, group classes, and I will soon be adding virtual classes. As I begin to expand my business offerings, I look forward to serving even more families and honoring them through what can be the most powerful, beautiful experience of their lives.

02/23/2023

If you have a history of Pre-E or would like to avoid it all together, take a look! Thank you, Ashly, for sharing this info!

11/07/2022

“What does a birth keeper do anyway?” I get this a lot and I understand why. It’s a newer term and certainly not very specific, especially to those who don’t work in birth.

I think a lot of people know I hold some hands and squeeze some hips and say, “you’ve got this,” or “you can do it!” But my calling is so much deeper, life-altering and sacred than what the eyes see.

I am honored that I have been called to serve women by holding space, listening to fears and joys and life.

I nourish their bodies with rich fats and protein.

I gift my talents and wisdom and love to others while they wait to be transformed by the most profound event in their lives.

I stand witness as the veil between heaven and earth begins to thin.

I stand in awe of the mamababy dance keeping rhythm and weaving a cocoon—a cocoon that embodies and protects us from any reality existing outside of this space and this moment.

I know I have been given something so beautiful when women and families trust me and invite me into one of the biggest days of their lives. I do not take that gift for granted. It stirs me to strive to do better. To be better. To see fewer faults. To seek more truth. To gain more wisdom. To love harder. And as this gift is poured into me, it also flows from me and into my family.

I suppose that’s why we say: “Peace on earth begins at birth.” —Jeannine Parvati Baker

11/03/2022

Just a few seconds after walking into my home from a recent postpartum visit, I am greeted with bouncing toddlers ready to squeeze my body wherever their little arms can reach. I scoop them up and soak in their innocence and joy.

One of my teens comes out of her room and goes in for a hug. I happily receive it as she asks: “How was your client, mom?”

I smile big, “they’re all doing amazing,” I answer.

In my room I see my sweet son scrubbing my bathtub. He knows I really enjoy baths, especially after attending births, and that I also share this tub with two toddlers who have a penchant for dirt between their toes and sticky substances on their hands.

I feel blessed to come home to my people. I love how they love when I’m out doing what I’m called to do.

08/22/2022

Top 5 things I tell clients to remember as they head into the last days, hours, and minutes of pregnancy.
1) Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Proper hydration is essential for labor. Your body works extremely hard in labor, and tired muscles (your uterus is a muscle) are made even weaker if fluids and electrolytes are not replenished. For labor, you’ll want to keep these handy.
2)Nourish! Runners carb load before a big race. I don’t necessarily think you need to carb load, but you will want to nourish your body with whole foods, good fats, and plenty of protein. As your labor progresses, you likely won’t feel like eating. So nourish before and nourish after.
3) Rest is another essential for labor. In early labor, this is often hard to do (because you’re excited), but try to sleep if it’s night or you’re tired and you can. When your body is literally squeezing an entire human out, you’ll be working quite hard and any sleep at this point will last only minutes. Take what you can get.
4) Move your body! Dance, shake, walk, climb stairs, curb walk…just do something. It doesn’t have to be constant, but try to change positions as your body needs or about every half hour.
5) Let go of your worries, fears, and bad birth stories everyone told you. This is your birth. Preparing for a healthy delivery means preparing your heart, mind, spirit and body. Discuss fears with your provider or spouse or even with yourself. The body holds onto trauma, so be aware if you’ve experienced any—especially sexual or birth trauma. The more “letting go” you can do during pregnancy, the better.

What is one thing you did to prepare for birth?

07/26/2022

Are you surprised to know that the people who invented this were childless? They posthumously won an Ig Nobel Prize for their ingenuity, and they were honored with a mini-opera about the patent.

06/07/2022

I want to do a little series to help out dads. Dads are so important, and they are sometimes an afterthought when all the focus in on baby and mom.

When dad is empowered in his role as provider and protector, baby and mom will flourish with his support. A well-informed, partner/father is one of the best “tools” a growing family can have.

The first thing I want to discuss is how dad can help mom in labor. There are many things he can do, but he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. Follow me?

The first tip for dad in helping mom in labor is going to involve his ears. Listen to her sounds.

First, remember this:
High sounds = bad. Low sounds = good.

Now for the inner science nerd in all of us, here is why high is bad and low is good!

Our bodies are one big mass of connected nerves and tissue (among many other things). For example, the vagus nerve is the largest nerve in our body, and it “wanders” (vagus means “wanderer” in Latin) throughout the body from the brain down to our many organs, including the reproductive organs in women.

Unlike the sympathetic system which is responsible for exciting us, the parasympathetic system calms us. And the key to the parasympathetic system is the vagus nerve! For a laboring woman, tapping into this system can significantly and positively impact her labor — keeping her calm and relaxed.

While we are not in direct control of our parasympathetic system, we can “hack” into it and make it work for us, even during labor. So I’m going to teach you, dad, how to help her reach her calming system and stimulate the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is connected to vocal cords as well as the pelvis. So if a laboring mama can tap into the calming system in her body by making low sounds like humming and moaning, she creates vibrations of the vocal cords and stimulates the vagus nerve. This, in turn, calms mom. Relaxes mom. And makes it easier for her to bring forth life. And the lower the tone, the more effective the stimulation is on the vagus nerve.

So dads, help your partner stay low. Help her create low tones, so she taps into her parasympathetic system and reaches her vagus nerve, in turn bringing her more peace, more calm, and more relaxation. And ultimately, a more ecstatic birth.

And don’t forget this birth skill is also a life skill. Parenting inevitably comes with stress. So when you find yourself stressed with baby crying, bills due, or overwhelm of any kind, try making low sounds. Maybe you recall the meditative sound “Om.” Parenthood is a great time to utilize this tool!

Interesting factoid: did you know that singers work on their pelvic floor to fine tune their singing. It’s an industry secret (or at least that’s my perception as a non-talented, giver of free concerts while on road trips). So shouldn’t birthing women focus on their “singing” (I’ve heard women sing in labor and it always gives me the warmest feeling knowing mama is composing as she sings her baby’s birth song) or noises?

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