I have been so blessed to work with many amazing practitioners. I have also seen laboring mothers treated as though they were 2nd class citizens – stupid, and unable to think clearly or logically. When I’ve seen the entire birth team working together, the outcomes are beautiful. They might not always be ideal, and they might leave the mother with feelings of sadness or disappointment, but they don’t leave anyone feeling as though they were taken advantage of. They don’t leave questions behind. When the whole team works together – mother, father, doula, nurse, midwife and/or OB – the world READ MORE
Category: Birth
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
I get to teach! Birth and the First Three Months
Update! I am no longer teaching for Pregnancy Arts as Deb has retired from CBE and commenced her career as a Certified Nurse Midwife! It’s very exciting for her, and our area is very lucky to have her in that roll. Therefore, I will continue teaching at Ypsi-Arbor Childbirth Education, Ariana and my joint venture. Check us out! It’s happening! I get to teach childbirth education! This has been a dream for awhile, and while I have taught a few private classes here and there, I haven’t found a class model that I really wanted to teach in a group READ MORE
Doula as Luxury Commodity?!
There is a fallacy going around right now in the Doula community. It is being said that Doulas are not needed, or deserved. That Doulas are WANTED, and therefore are a luxury service. I would beg to differ! Women have been supporting women through childbirth for all time. Sure, there wasn’t always a trained, non-medical, non-judgmental support person hired by families to provide, “physical, emotional and logistical support through the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum time”. There have been the wise-women, other mothers (who had also gone through natural, and well supported birth), sisters, sister-wives, midwives, the shaman, and so on and READ MORE