I cannot emphasize enough how critical it is to know your options in birth. It is important to know you DO have the right to ask questions, to get a second opinion, to voice your concerns and to be a strong advocate for yourself or your baby. Otherwise, you could quickly find yourself doing things … Continue reading ““That’s actually illegal”… Or is it?”
Category: Labor & Birth
Ten Tips for a Better Birth
It’s important to remember that there are no guarantees when it comes to birth – after all, your baby is an active participant in labor and has not done the same preparation you have! – but you can certainly do a lot to stack the odds in your favor and maximize your chances for a … Continue reading “Ten Tips for a Better Birth”
How to Say No To Your Care Provider
During any health journey, but especially when you’re pregnant, you need to be an active participant in and a vocal advocate for your care. You choose the care provider most aligned with your own health care philosophy (to the greatest extent possible within the health care system we have) and ideally, of course, there should be a … Continue reading “How to Say No To Your Care Provider”
The Induction Talk
You’re perhaps 39 or even 40 weeks pregnant and planning a natural birth. Then, your doctor wants to have The Induction Talk. If this wasn’t part of your plan and you feel uneasy about this option at this time, here are a few ideas to consider as you prepare for this discussion. When your care … Continue reading “The Induction Talk”
Pain, Suffering and Comfort in Labor
Many women, especially those about to face their first labor and birth experience, have some concerns about what it’s all going to feel like… specifically: How much is it going to hurt? Will I be able to tolerate the pains of labor? And what can I do to make it easier?? Answers to the first … Continue reading “Pain, Suffering and Comfort in Labor”
Birth Preparation Checklist
No question about it: there is a lot to think about when you are pregnant. It’s an exciting and wonderful time, but it can also be a little daunting. Here I offer a Birth Preparation Checklist for those list-makers out there (like me) who like to see at a glance all they want to (or … Continue reading “Birth Preparation Checklist”
Ways to Turn a Breech Baby
Sometimes you get the news that baby is not yet in a head-down (vertex) position but rather that baby is breech. For many, this news makes them fear that baby cannot be born outside of a hospital or that baby’s presentation is an automatic reason for a cesarean. It doesn’t need to be this way. … Continue reading “Ways to Turn a Breech Baby”
Birth Fears: What If My Luck Runs Out?
It wasn’t until my pregnancy with my fourth baby that I had a nagging worry that my luck having successful, healthy, vaginal births might run out. It was pretty unnerving. My first three births were what I considered to be safe, healthy, amazing homebirths. Sure, we had to make a few compromises along the way – … Continue reading “Birth Fears: What If My Luck Runs Out?”
Lending Library
”Natural childbirth isn’t when you do nothing to prepare for the birth; on the contrary, it only happens when you do many things to prepare.” ~ Dawn Freeman “I usually claim that pregnant women should not read books about pregnancy and birth. Their time is too precious. They should, rather, watch the moon and sing to their … Continue reading “Lending Library”
Postpartum Doulas
So you’re daydreaming about that special day when you’re finally going to meet your baby. Then it dawns on you: what are you going to do once you’ve birthed your baby? Then what?! If you’re anything like I was, there will be many questions swirling through your brain about your new baby, your own recovery and probably … Continue reading “Postpartum Doulas”
Birth Doulas
What is a doula? A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to the mother and her partner before, during and after birth; A postpartum doula provides emotional, educational and practical support after birth, during the postpartum period. Time and again, studies have shown that when doulas … Continue reading “Birth Doulas”
Interviewing a Birth Doula
As you approach the end of your pregnancy, you may be considering hiring a birth doula. Great idea! But how do you go about choosing one? This is, after all, someone who you are inviting to a very personal, intimate event in your life. It is an honor for her to be there. There are a … Continue reading “Interviewing a Birth Doula”
The Pregnant Patient’s Bill of Rights
Prepared by Doris Haire ©2000 American Foundation for Maternal and Child Health Many pregnant women are not fully aware of their right of informed consent or of the obstetricians’ legal obligation to obtain their patient’s informed consent prior to treatment. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) first publicly acknowledged the physician’s legal obligation to … Continue reading “The Pregnant Patient’s Bill of Rights”
Use your BRAIN!
Have you ever remembered a question you had wanted to ask… about five minutes AFTER you left a care provider’s office? Have you ever agreed to have something done to yourself or your child and later wanted to kick yourself for allowing that? It can be very difficult for most people to think of all … Continue reading “Use your BRAIN!”
You’re Giving Birth WHERE?
So you’ve decided on a birth team and birth place and you’ve started to share your decisions with family, friends and colleagues. Their response? “You’re giving birth where??” Or maybe you get the wide-eyed stare. Or the laughter! Or the jaw drop. Or even the very concerned brow furrow. Immediately you feel as though you … Continue reading “You’re Giving Birth WHERE?”
Ten Holistic Ways to Prepare for the Intensity of Birth
By Virginia Bobro, Certified Childbirth Mentor, Doula, Lactation Consultant and Managing Director of Birthing From Within There are many ways to prepare for childbirth. We fill our brains with information, facts and research about it. We hear others’ experiences and opinions, which can often be overwhelming to a pregnant woman! We prepare our body for birth by … Continue reading “Ten Holistic Ways to Prepare for the Intensity of Birth”