Two clarifications: First, I have always been at an advantage in that my labor doula clients were my Supported Birth or Lamaze students. They had taken my class, I had provided their knowledge and preparation, and I knew them as a couple. Most doulas meet a wide range of people, get interviewed, and are hired […]
REFLECTIONS ON 27 YEARS OF DOULA-ING Read Post »
Nancy Wainer, author of Silent Knife, and Open Season, writes about her years as a birth advocate and midwife and the thousands of women she has helped to process their birth experiences, either in the wake of postpartum depression (PPD) or not. She also draws from her own 3 birth and postpartum experiences – an
Postpartum Depression and the Birth Experience Read Post »
In the United States, failure to progress is the top reason for unplanned primary cesarean (first c-s delivery). Failure to progress is a subjective diagnosis, pronounced when a healthcare provider thinks labor is taking longer than it should. It really depends on what the care provider views as normal and abnormal. The couple may or
UNPLANNED CESAREAN FOR FAILURE TO PROGRESS Read Post »
The profoundly wise and groundbreaking contributions of these pioneers in the field of childbirth have given women in the 20th and 21st century immeasurable wisdom about the challenges, realities, and deep truths of this experience. Their core concepts have informed my own teaching, as well as all professionals in the field of childbirth education, labor
HOMAGE TO BIRTH LUMINARIES Read Post »
This list was compiled by new Supported Birth moms who experienced special challenges or had advice to give, and their concerns were addressed by Certified Lactation Consultant Jane Mycroft, former Supported Birth Doula. THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE IS TO CONSULT WITH A LACTATION CONSULTANT BEFORE BIRTH AS WELL AS AFTERWARDS IMMEDIATELY UPON ANY PROBLEMS. REMEMBER,
ADDRESSING BREASTFEEDING DIFFICULTIES Read Post »
Someday I will write a book “Confessions of a Childbirth Educator.” I plan for it to be well-organized and based in accurate research combined with personal emotion. In this blog, however, I give myself permission to describe random thoughts and observations of late. Induction. Again. The past few years have really been bad (not mentioned
28th Year of Teaching Thoughts Read Post »
This article describes many helpful ways to utilize positions while laboring with an epidural. We usually think that if you have an epidural, you can’t move. The optimal physiology for birth is when women are up and moving about, following their bodies’ signals, and helping their babies navigate their way through the pelvis. When women
OPTIMIZING LABOR POSITIONS WITH AN EPIDURAL Read Post »
Edited from June 2021 Interview of CNM Stephanie Tillman https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ Founder Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN and Henci Goer, Researcher, Childbirth U. Since the 2018 ARRIVE study, many care providers and the media are telling women that 39-40 week induction is better than waiting for labor to begin on its own, that it improves outcomes and
LABOR INDUCTION TREND Read Post »
Searching “Birthing Classes Los Angeles”? You are presented with dozens of options, similar-sounding descriptions, different tones, and promises. There are no homogeneous “Lamaze” classes anymore, but the term is often still used for any childbirth preparation class. I get calls from women who are confused and unsure what “type” of childbirth education class they should take or want
Searching for Birthing Classes in Los Angeles? Find Supported Birth Read Post »
Due Date Estimation Fallacies The following is a list of recent students’ baby’s birth weights alongside their arrival pre- or post- the EDD (“estimated due date”). These numbers validate the 2 week margin of error with the “due date” women are given. The weight tells us more about the readiness of the baby. Look at
