My Birth Friend - Doula Rizz

11/15/2025

Birth is a complex hormonal process. The environment we give birth in and the people present can influence how our body releases hormones. This can then impact how our labor progresses.

Be intentional about where you give birth and who you have on your birth team.

11/14/2025

After birth your hormones drop faster than at any other time in your entire life and you feel it.

One moment you’re staring at your baby in awe, the next you’re crying for no reason at all.

It’s not because you’re weak.

It’s because your body just did something life-changing… and now it’s healing, adjusting, and learning to exist in this new version of you.

You’re not “too emotional.”

You’re postpartum.
And you’re doing amazing, even on the days it doesn’t feel like it. 💗

11/05/2025

Let's talk about eating and drinking during labor! I think it can be very important to hydrate and nourish during labor.

Offering liquids can be a great way to give dad something to do to feel useful during this time.

Here's a link to a homemade electrolyte for labor

https://www.ohbabynutrition.com/blog/labor-aid-an-energizing-electrolyte-drink

10/15/2025

Today is October 15th. Today is International Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Day. 💙💗

Please join us as we participate in the International Wave of Light. All over the world, families and friends will light a candle to honor and remember all of the precious babies gone to soon.

Tonight, wherever you are, please light a candle at 7pm (in local timezone).
Let the candle burn for at least one hour.

Together...We Still Remember.

💗👼🏼💙👼🏼💗👼🏼💙👼🏼💗

09/23/2025

This crazy-looking position is called Walcher’s and dates all the way back to 19th-century Germany and was first described by Gustav Adolf Walcher, a German obstetrician, in 1889.

The goal was to physiologically (naturally with no medicine) increase the anteroposterior (front-to-back and also medically known as the true conjugate) diameter of the pelvic inlet (top of the pelvis), potentially allowing the baby to descend and get into the pelvis. It can increase the pelvic inlet size by 1-2 cm!

This position is meant to be used if the baby is high in the pelvis, and you’ve tried everything else to help it get in (lower), especially if the pregnant person is very dilated but the baby is still high.

Nurses, you know those cervixes that are super dilated and stretchy and all that needs to happen is the baby drop and you’ve tried everything… consider Walcher’s!

Thank you for this incredible birth photo! Be sure to follow them!

Some Walcher’s tips to remember:

- You (nurse) needs to be there and make sure the sacrum is anchored on the top part of the bed.
- Lower the lower end of the bed first before you fully disconnect the bottom of the bed (you can see this here, the bed is broken in 2 pieces, so that you can assure that you or your patient doesn’t fall off!
- Do this for 3 contractions only. If you feel light-headed, let your nurse know and then readjust so they don’t pass out due to aortic compression.
- Be prepared that if it works and this was the reason baby wasn’t coming down, you may have an immenent birth!
- Expect the FHR (fetal heart rate) tracing to potentially have decels. It’s 3 contractions, ideally the reason is for rapid descent.
- This is NOT to be used as a routine position, but rather one as a back-pocket trick.

Have you tried this and seen it work?

Share your stories below for both families & nurses!

08/31/2025

✨ Choosing Pain Relief in Labor ✨

Every birthing journey is unique—and so are the options for managing pain. Here are three common choices, each with their own pros and cons:

💉 Epidural – Provides the most effective and long-lasting relief, allowing many to rest. It does limit movement and may have side effects, so it’s usually best for those planning to labor mostly in bed.
💉 Epidural – Possible Side Effects
•Drop in blood pressure (can cause dizziness or affect baby’s heart rate if not managed)
•Difficulty moving legs / loss of mobility while it’s in place
•Prolonged pushing stage or increased chance of assisted delivery (forceps/vacuum)
•Headache (rare “spinal headache” if spinal fluid is punctured)
•Temporary back soreness at the site

💧 IV Medications – Quick-acting and can be repeated if needed. They help take the edge off but may make you feel drowsy and can cross the placenta to baby.
💧 IV Medications (opioids like fentanyl, morphine, Stadol, etc.) – Possible Side Effects
•Drowsiness, nausea, or dizziness for the birthing person
•Less awareness or feeling “out of it”
•Itchy skin (common with opioids)
• Can cross the placenta → may cause baby to be sleepy, have slower breathing, or need extra monitoring if given too close to birth
• Pain relief is often partial (takes the “edge off” rather than full relief)

😮‍💨 Nitrous Oxide (“Laughing Gas”) – Self-administered, safe for baby, and wears off quickly. It’s less intense pain relief but can help you stay calm and focused through contractions.

🌿 Remember: there’s no one “right” choice. What matters is that you feel supported, informed, and empowered in your decisions.

🤍 Would you lean toward medication-free, light relief, or the most powerful option? Drop a 🌸, 💧, or 💉 below!

08/30/2025

✨ Birth Story 8.27 ✨

At 8pm on 8/26, mama checked in for her induction already at 4cm. She received one dose of miso—a small prostaglandin pill that helps ripen the cervix and encourage contractions. I suggested she try pumping while waiting (ni**le stimulation helps release oxytocin, which can bring on contractions naturally).

By the time I arrived, her contractions had picked up. She was in the tub with her partner by her side, swaying and rocking through waves. We rotated between the birth ball, forward leaning, and hands-and-knees to help baby find the perfect position. We used comfort measures like massage, essential oils, affirmations, and visualization to keep momma motivated, focused and feeling nurtured and supported.

After hours of beautiful, natural progress, mama’s body needed a rest. She chose an epidural (a reminder: if your doula doesn’t support your choices—whether it’s induction, epidural, or hospital birth—it’s time to find a new doula ✨). She was able to fully relax, and even while she slept peacefully, her body kept working—bringing baby down with each wave. Dad grabbed a little rest too.

A few hours later, baby let us know it was time! We flipped mama to hands-and-knees (yes, you can move with an epidural when you have a supportive team!) and immediately her water broke! A quick check showed she was complete and ready to push.

(This is usually when I can step back and let dad run the show while I capture some photos.) With dad at her side, mama pushed while laughing, smiling, and chatting—making birth look effortless. In just about 20 minutes, at 7:02am, a beautiful baby girl entered the world weighing 8lbs 7oz. 💕

This day was such a testament to the power of balance: movement + rest, strength + surrender, support + trust. Forever grateful to witness it. 🫶🏽

Thankful for the labor and delivery team at WVU Medicine Children's, Ruby. I was blown away by their dedication and enthusiasm to support this momma in her choice to labor naturally as long as her mind and body allowed. And when momma vocalized that she would prefer to deliver in the hands and knees position, they didn’t hesitate to make sure that request was met. They all deserve an award 🥇

08/30/2025

✨ Why Birth Positions Matter ✨

Did you know that changing positions during labor isn’t just about comfort—it can actually help labor progress? 🌸

🌿 Upright positions use gravity to encourage baby’s descent.
🌿 Movement and swaying can help baby rotate into an optimal position.
🌿 Resting positions, like side-lying, give the birthing person moments of recovery while still keeping pelvis open.
🌿 Supported positions (using a partner, ball, or pillows) can ease pressure and make contractions more manageable.

Every birth is unique, and there’s no “one right way” to labor. The key is freedom to move, try different positions, and listen to your body. 🤍

As a doula, I help guide families through these options—reminding them that birth isn’t about lying still, but about finding what feels right in the moment. 🤗

08/19/2025

08/12/2025

Everyone's water breaks at the grocery store in a giant puddle with all the drama, right?

Unless you're on the set of a movie, there's a 90% chance your water will not break until you're in active labor already having some really strong contractions.

Still worried about your water suddenly breaking? Toss some chux pads in your car for the ride to your birthing facility just in case. You can also put a mattress protector on your bed, or even just tape a shower curtain to your mattress to protect it.

Fun fact: Your water could even stay fully intact until AFTER baby is born! That's right, a special few babies are born "en caul" or still inside the sac.

08/10/2025

Choosing to keep and honor your placenta is a deeply personal choice—one rich with spiritual, cultural, and even medicinal meaning. 🌿✨

From keepsakes to wellness traditions, there are so many ways to cherish this incredible organ that sustained your baby’s life.

Here’s a guide to meaningful things you can do with your placenta if you decide to bring it home. 💗

08/07/2025

For most birth facilities, the Friedman Curve is out. However, the pressure to progress within a certain timeframe often remains.

Too often, "failure to progress" simply means failure to wait. A longer labor does not mean inherently unsafe, abnormal, or something which needs to be rushed.

More often than not, the only thing we need for longer labors is patience. Carefully monitoring mom and baby's health, allowing for autonomy and movement, and creating a space mom feels safe to labor in is often the only intervention needed. Through patience and careful monitoring, providers know when there is an actual need to step in versus simply needing to wait.