Parenthood in Bloom

04/26/2026

Fun fact: cervical dilation doesn't always tell you exactly what's happening in labor. In fact, many people labor without any exams.

While exams can have a place, especially in births requiring medical intervention, exact dilation is such a small part of the overall puzzle.

Birth workers, what signs of progress do you notice in labor?

04/24/2026

If you’re my client (or have otherwise listened to my rants on this) you’ve heard me saying this for years now. Glad to see studied coming out supporting it. All the more reason to labor down when it’s safe to do so!

Active second-stage duration under 15 minutes in spontaneous vaginal deliveries with delayed pushing - Distribution of the duration of expulsive efforts in the study population (n=10,565) https://ow.ly/saCH50YOVbB

04/23/2026

04/22/2026

✨Do your research prior to delivery about what signs and symptoms and diagnoses REQUIRE a C-section vs. when a provider prefers to perform a C-section.

✨Having a pelvic floor therapist who is versed in labor and delivery prep can help prepare you for a vaginal birth to avoid a C-section if not medically warranted.

✨A doula can also help to advocate for you during the labor and delivery process.

To schedule with Dr. Riana Taktikos for labor and delivery prep, call 234-806-3248!

04/20/2026

A 2025 study published in AJOG adds powerful, up-to-date data showing associations between doula care and improved maternal and newborn outcomes.

Key Maternal Outcomes:

More vaginal births after cesarean (VBAC): For every 100 patients who received doula care, there were 15 to 34 additional VBACs compared with those without doula care.

Higher postpartum follow-up attendance: 5 to 6 more per 100 received postpartum office visits.

Key Neonatal / Infant Outcomes

Increased exclusive breastfeeding rates: Babies whose families had doula support were more likely to breastfeed exclusively.

Fewer preterm births (and early preterm births): Doula-supported births showed a reduction in preterm birth rates.

In short, the study links doula care with improvements in birth outcomes — across birth mode (more VBACs), infant health (less prematurity), and early infant care (breastfeeding, postpartum follow-up).

Read more: https://internationaldoulainstitute.com/2025/11/evidence-for-doulas-new-ajog-study-finds-doulas-improve-outcomes/

04/18/2026

✨ POEM Support Groups ✨

Pregnancy, postpartum, parenting—you’re not alone. 💛 Join POEM’s weekly peer support groups to connect, share, and heal with people who understand.

📅 Tap the link in bio to view the full schedule & register
💬 Free, confidential, and led by trained peer facilitators
🧡 Step into support—your mental health matters

04/17/2026

Cradled in care. Rooted in community. 💛

Join Cleveland Clinic and Black Child Development Institute Ohio for Cradled in Community, a welcoming baby shower designed to support expectant parents in East Cleveland.

✨ Health education
🍼 Essential baby items
🤝🏾 Community resources

Showing up for families and helping every baby begin with care.

📍 East Cleveland Public Library
🗓️ Saturday, May 9 | 11 AM – 2 PM

Registration required: bcdiohio.org/events

04/10/2026

04/10/2026

*SPOTS ARE FULL*

You’re Invited: A Mother’s Day Afternoon of Appreciation 💜🍋

We’re so excited to share that Mediate Financial is hosting a beautiful afternoon, created especially for the wonderful single moms in our community. 💐 Come enjoy a time set aside for you to feel celebrated, refreshed and cared for.

Here’s what they have planned:
• Mini makeup sessions with SEINT Beauty by Barbi, including foundation color matching and other pampering stations
• Light bites and refreshments from Gigi Q’s Table
• A build-your-own bouquet flower bar
• On-site child care and activities so you can fully enjoy the moment

The Details:
Date & Time: Tuesday, May 12, 2026 |
11:00 - 1:00 PM
Location: Mediate Financial | 6674 Tippecanoe Rd., Event Room Suite 2

This is an intimate gathering with only 15 spots available. We’ll reach out to confirm your spot once you fill out the form. *Must be a single mother in our community to participate.
…

04/10/2026

Hands-On-Listening (Intermittent Auscultation)
Another fetal monitoring option is intermittent auscultation, which we callhands-on listening. With hands-on listening, the care provider listens to the fetal heart rate for short periods of time at regular intervals. They document the fetal heart rate, rhythm (regular or irregular), any fetal heart rate accelerations, and the depth, timing, and duration of any decelerations (Smith et al. 2016). While listening, the care provider also feels the mother’s contractions by placing a hand on the abdomen, and documents the frequency, duration, and intensity of the contractions.
Hands-on listening alone is used with about 11% of mothers giving birth in U.S. hospitals (Declercq et al. 2014), and is the primary method of checking fetal well-being at planned home births and freestanding birth centers. Most guidelines state that hands-on listening should be done for at least 60 seconds at a time, at least every 15-30 minutes during the active phase of the first stage of labor and at least 5-15 minutes during the pushing phase of the second stage of labor (ACNM 2015). The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada proposes that hands-on listening be done at first assessment and about every one hour during early labor (Liston et al. 2007). See the list of resources at the end of this article for links to several professional guidelines for hands-on listening protocols.
There are several different devices that can be used for hands-on listening during labor (Lewis et al. 2015); (Cascade 2018). The most popular option in the U.S. is probably the handheld fetal Doppler ultrasound device. The fetal Doppler detects the fetal heart motion and converts it to sound, which can be heard out loud. Dopplers can be audio-only or come with a digital display of the baby’s heartbeat. The features of the fetal Doppler include:
*Comfortable for the mother
*Everyone in the room can hear the fetal heart beat
*Can be used in many different laboring positions
*Can be used underwater
*Allows for more personal space
*Does not require wearing uncomfortable belts
*May calculate and display fetal heart rate values

Evidence Based Birth ©️2018