Hello Sacred Roots family! It’s been awhile since I updated here, and I will share some about what has been going on with me lately in a near-future post! I promise! In the meantime, I wanted to introduce Alyssa Bialy! I am super excited to be given the opportunity to support Alyssa in becoming a great doula and asset to her community as a birth worker. I met Alyssa in my Childbirth Education classes through Ypsi-Arbor CBE in the fall of 2018. After the birth of her son, she reached out to ask about the process of becoming a doula READ MORE
Blog
Where does the evidence come from?
“All of the high level medical evidence is flawed because it only reflects what happens at institutions that are big enough to do research. I’d like to call this institutional bias or academic bias, but those titles are both taken by other concepts. For lack of a better term, let’s call it research hospital bias.” – Sarit Shatken-Stern While my personal anecdotal data is of course a very small sample, I find it so confusing, and sometimes frustrating when the newest research provides “evidence” against what I feel is true in my bones. For instance the recent study that says a READ MORE
Doula Katy #1
Doula Katy, pt 1 Hi y’all! My name is Katy Gladwin. This post is just a start, but I’m going to try to tell you who I am, and why I think the way I do. I grew up in Michigan from the age of 5 and have lived here my whole life (minus a year in Nashville, but that’s an entirely different post). I have 3 little sisters, all of whom are amazing, smart beautiful women who I love dearly. We are all close, and feel very lucky to have them in my life. I am married to a READ MORE
Our Doula Toolbox
It was recently World Doula Week, and the two of us took the opportunity to do some extra reflecting on our work as Doulas and the support we provide. One prompt for a World Doula Week photo challenge was “tool you use the most.” If you know me, you know I’ve never been able to pick just one thing, whether it be ice cream flavors, favorite colors, or patterns in an outfit. So instead of posting about a tool we use the most, we thought we would (playfully) share a handful of tools that we keep in our Doula toolbox. Our Doula Toolbox is READ MORE
Giving Thanks
We, Ariana and Katy, would like to show our gratitude to all of our family, friends and community for supporting us as we work to grow this business to support our families. Thank you to the mothers and families who have trusted us to come into the birth rooms to hold space and support. We never take that honor lightly. Thank you to all the clients who have become great friends! We thought we would list out a few things we are each grateful for this fall. I am grateful for my partner. I am grateful that my partner has READ MORE
Mother Interview: A Beautifully Healing Birth
Name (Age): Charity (34) City: Dexter Birth Location: St. Joseph Mercy – Menon, Miller & Midwives SRS: When did you decide to hire a doula? Was it always in your plan, or was there a moment when you decided? Charity: With my first I wanted and planned for an unmedicated birth but ended up having a c-section due to him being breech. So when I became pregnant with my second, just 5 short months after my first was born, I knew immediately I wanted an unmedicated vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC)! I knew hiring a doula would greatly increase my chances of READ MORE
What to Read When You Are Expecting: … (part I)
Why we need more than “What to Expect When You Are Expecting” When it comes to books about the childbearing year, twinkle-in-the-eye to postpartum time, there are a number of really great books out there for expectant parents. For myself (and the families we support) I want a book about birth and pregnancy that affirms and reinforces the things that I know about myself. That I am powerful, I am capable, and I am smart. I don’t want a to be condescended toward, and I don’t want to be worn down. This is part of the reason I became a doula (the READ MORE
Mother Interview: Really Drawn Out Change of Plans
We’re going to start doing small interviews with our past clients, not necessarily about birth, but about some of the little things surrounding birth. What was hard, what was the best advice you received, etc… We hope that in sharing these candid little parts of pregnancy and new motherhood, we can normalize this experience for everyone. We so often only see the most beautiful parts, or the hardest struggles, of this major life change. There is so much more! All titles for the interviews are chosen by the mothers themselves. This is MY interview! Nothing profound, just a casual chat. READ MORE
Creating Your Ideal Birth Plan
This is a starting point, use the method of writing your birth plan that suits you and your family. Dreaming is encouraged! Step out of reality a little bit and use your imagination. “The first step in writing a birth plan is to dream. Let go of all the ‘shoulds’ and pressing realities that circumscribe your choices. Let yourself visualize the perfect, ideal birth for you. Trust that later you can add in reality. Right now, let loose your feelings and your imagination. It’s OK to invoke magic in your dream birth. Think through all the stages of labor: early, READ MORE
So you married a doula (pt. 1)…
One of my favorite parts about being a doula is the opportunity to get to know the couples that we work with. It’s empowering to see how they work together as a team, and it’s incredible being able to support them as the shape of their family changes. So we thought we would give folks a chance to meet our families. This week yours truly (YT) sat down with my lovely husband (LH), to ask him about his experience as the partner of a doula. YT: All right. What is your name? LH: My name is David Arnold. YT: Where were you born? LH: READ MORE