A Beautiful Birth Doula Service

07/03/2022

I think this can be confusing sometimes because formula guidelines are different. But those that feed breast milk, you are doing just fine with what you are making!

05/30/2022

Learn from me! I had to throw out 500 oz (yup you read that right) because my baby would not drink my high lipase milk from the bottle (but nurses just fine). I had to start over and scald my milk before freezing. Test first before building a stash.

05/29/2022

Yes! So important to remember if you decide to bottle feed.

05/15/2022

Some hard truth right here.

I recently went to visit a new mama with a two-week-old baby. This mama wasn't a client of mine but rather the daughter of a friend whom I offered to look in on. When I arrived with a pot of soup and some lactation slice in my bag, I found her trying to make a snack for her boisterous three-year-old whilst juggling a fussy newborn in her arms. Her husband was at work and would be till late, there was washing piled up waiting to be folded, she hadn't eaten breakfast or had a shower even though it was nearly midday.

As I took over the snack making duties and put the soup on to warm, I asked how she was getting on even though I had a fair idea just by the look in her eyes. She forced a smile as she spoke about how she was 'ok' and 'a bit tired' but I could see the tears gathering in the corner of her eyes and it broke my heart to see her try to put on a brave face, trying to cover up a situation that was far from ideal. This was a new mother who was alone, isolated, lonely, exhausted and overwhelmed and despite all of this, was still trying to pretend as though she was coping and even enjoying this time.

I also noticed that the house was full of cards and bunches of flowers ...... dead ones ......

When I mentioned all of the gifts, cards and bouquets she said 'yes, people have been so kind'.

Hmmmmmm I thought. They might have been kind, but they've also been completely thoughtless.

This new mother didn't need cards and bunches of flowers to slowly wilt and die on the mantelpiece. She needed support, she needed love, she needed another pair of hands to take the weight off her shoulders. She needed healthy food, she needed a caring touch, she needed a listening ear and she needed practical help.

I'm sorry but dead flowers don't cut it ....

The care of new mothers and parents is so woefully underappreciated and overlooked that cards and flowers rather than support and practical help have become the norm in our culture. However, as I explained to this new mama as I folded her washing and cuddled her baby so she could eat her lunch, if she had lived in India or China it would have been totally different. Historically in these cultures (and in most other indigenous cultures worldwide), there would be no snack making for the toddler or washing to fold. Instead, she would be snuggled in bed resting with her baby as others took care of her every need. She would be having a daily massage and have her belly bound for comfort. There would be delicious and nutritious meals served to her and her toddler would be amused and cared for by others giving her time to rest and recover from her birth and to fall in love and breastfeed her newborn.

The difficult truth is that the leading cause of death for new mothers after birth in most Western countries is now su***de. Let that sink in for a moment.

It is my opinion that this devastating statistic is a direct correlation to our 'bounce back' culture that doesn't honour a 'slow postpartum' but instead insists new mothers rush back into their old lives, their old jobs, their old jeans. Insta perfect. But to what cost?

How have we got it so wrong? And what can we do to reverse this damaging trajectory?

I believe that education is the key. Education about the importance of the postpartum weeks. Education about the fact that a newborn baby cannot be optimally nourished and nurtured by a mother or parent who is exhausted and depleted and whose cup is empty. Education about the value we should place on the care of new mothers and parents so that they thrive rather than just survive the weeks following birth, setting them up for a positive start to their parenting journey.

I'm determined to make this happen. I would love for you to join my Slow Postpartum revolution. Let's make the world a better place, one mother, baby and family at a time ...

With love Jojo ###

PS: You can find out how to join my Slow Postpartum movement in the comments

04/17/2022

This is the truth, giving birth is full of unknowns and that can be scary, but focusing on the important known (your baby) helps to have courage in the face of fear.

You do not have to be fearless in birth to be courageous. My hope for every birthing person is that through their birth journey however it unfolds, they discover (or are reminded) how courageous they truly are!

04/10/2022

While it may be shocking, this is really good information to know. The more you know…

Yes, those are what you think they are! 😳⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁠
(Playdoh bu****les) 🤭⁣⁣⁣ !⁠ Thanks for creating this educational post for us to reshare to our followers .labornurse 💕 "Okay...let’s talk a little bit about perineal tearing....⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁠
There’s a fair chance you may have some sort of tear during your va**nal delivery. Some women do, some women don’t! It’s dependent on many different factors, and sometimes there is not a whole lot you can do to prevent a tear. ⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁠
There is a little thing called perineal massage that can be done to “prep” your va**na in hopes that it doesn’t tear....and giving birth on your hands and knees MAY reduce the likelihood of a tear. Additionally, a warm compress on your perineum while you are pushing may help prevent tearing. However, many women do tear regardless, so let’s go over each degree!⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁠
Let’s get the scary images out of the way...⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁠
So, the 3rd and 4th degree tears are MUCH less common that a 1st or 2nd....being around 2-6%. This means if you tear, you have about a 94-98% chance that you won’t tear your bu****le. ⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁠
✴️ 1st degree tear: least severe, involving only the perineal skin — the skin between the va**nal opening and the re**um and the tissue directly beneath the skin. You might experience some mild pain or stinging during urination. These tears might or might not require stitches and typically heal within a few weeks⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁣⁣⁣⁠
✴️ 2nd degree tear: go deeper, into the perineal muscles underneath. These tears need to be stitched closed, layer by layer. They'll cause you some discomfort and usually take a few weeks to heal.⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁣⁣⁣⁠
✴️ 3rd degree tear: a tear in the perineal muscles that extends into the a**l sphincter (the muscle that surrounds your bu****le)⁣⁣⁣⁠
⁣⁣⁣⁠
✴️ 4th degree tear: a tear that extends completely through the to the a**l ca**l or re**um. ⁣⁣⁣⁠"

03/02/2022

Yes! Wait for the cord to turn white!

When I was first attending births in 1984, the obstetric model was to cut the umbilical cord immediately after birth and take the baby away for evaluation and a first bath. This was based on the belief that placental blood flow would increase birth complications for babies.

Even back then, we midwives knew to do it differently - we waited until the placenta stopped pulsating - 10 or more minutes -- before clamping and cutting the cord. Baby’s did great, placentas came out readily, and all was good - even if our methods were considered silly by doctors.

Times change, science has caught up. The midwives were right. We now know that immediate cord cutting, unless there’s a medical emergency that requires it, is not recommended. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends a delay in umbilical cord clamping for at least 30–60 seconds, and the WHO recommends 2-3 minutes.

The benefits of waiting include:
❣️ Transfer to baby immunoglobulins and stem cells, essential for tissue and organ repair
❣️ Extra iron, which has been shown to prevent iron deficiency in the first year of life
❣️ Possibly reduced risk of hemorrhage and easier placental delivery for mom

While jaundice can develop from delayed cord cutting due to this influx of blood, this type of jaundice is not usually a medical problem. Baby will naturally clear this excess iron with pooping. Your midwife or pediatrician will keep an eye on baby over the first few days to make sure it’s clearing. However, the benefits of delayed cord cutting are more beneficial for baby than the risk of this jaundice.

Unfortunately, immediate cord clamping/cutting are still common practice in hospitals. You have to let your midwife or doctor know that you want to wait, with baby tummy to tummy on you, while you do. I recommend bringing this up with your care provider in advance to ensure that they are on board to do ‘delayed cord clamping and cutting’. Get specific with exactly how long you want baby to be connected to the placenta. Unsure how to advocate for yourself? Want guidance on pregnancy, birth, and newborn care? Join the Mama Pathway for all the support you need to be in the know. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ideservebirthsupport/

📷 on Instagram

02/21/2022

It’s a beautiful crisp morning to have a baby! VHC is one of my favorite hospitals to doula at.

02/19/2022

This is a beautiful reminder. Give yourself so much grace. And call your doula if you find yourself stuck or needing help!

Fourth Trimester

There is so much that happens in the first few weeks and months after birth. It is a time of shifting and adjusting, physically and as well as metaphorically. Some refer to the first 3 months after birth as the "fourth trimester." For both parent and child, it is a fragile, tender, beautiful time. Our culture, frankly, does a terrible job surrounding and supporting those who recently brought brand new life into the world.

To those who are in it: allow yourself time. Time to rest, recover, snuggle, struggle, love, and feel loved. This time goes by so fast and is so unique. Be in the moment as much as you can.

To those are are in supportive roles- seek out how to help. It may be to allow the parent more sleep, or taking some chores off their list. It may be words of encouragement or connecting resources. It may be just a listening ear. (It is not pushing your desires or priorities.)

02/07/2022

Knowing when you are in labor can be tricky. And the more pregnancies you go through can actually make it more confusing! Investing in childbirth education is well worth it to be prepared.

It can be tempting to try to decode every little sensation you feel as your due date draws near. But the truth is, your uterus was made to contract. Remember those cramps you felt in your monthly cycle all those months ago, those are contractions. Your uterus may (and sometimes won't) have bouts of contractions warming up for the big day. And it contracts for many reasons: dehydration, baby's position, or simply laying the groundwork for labor yet to come. There are a myriad of "signs" that MIGHT indicate labor but in the end it comes down to the basics: cervical change and intensifying contractions. And even then, you'll hear from people whose labors didn't fall into those parameters.

Still confused? Childbirth education is an important component of your birth preparation. Whether you take an in-person class or online, as a first-timer and even a second, third, or more-timer, the information is invaluable. Plus it can remind you what NOT to pay attention to as labor. Conserving your energy, physical and mental, is important, or you'll be done with your labor before it's really begun.

Can you recall when you thought you were in labor but weren't? When it finally happened, how did you recognize you were in active labor?

02/06/2022

This is great information. So many of us want to breastfeed but it may not come easy or naturally. Know that it’s ok to be frustrated and need help! Many doulas (including myself) can help with some basic nursing issues and can recommend an IBCLC if not.

01/27/2022

This is a GREAT visual to get a good latch. In the beginning it is always one hand for baby and one hand for your breast. Also the last two pictures is almost like flipping your ni**le into baby’s mouth, it happens very quick.