The Paraclete Doula

09/30/2017

http://www.modernalternativepregnancy.com/2016/03/04/5-ways-to-use-a-rebozo-during-labor/

A rebozo is a wonderful tool to have in your bag for labor and delivery. Come and read about 5 ways to use a rebozo during labor.

06/02/2017

A doula provides emotional and relational support, helping you through labor. Here are 100 things she will do to make birth easier for you and your family.

05/24/2017

I have not yet had a client who was told that baby's birth weight would be less than it was in reality. It would seem that birth weights tend to be estimated up, not down, in general. If you are told your baby is likely to be on the large side, ask your doctor or midwife what you can do during your birth to facilitate your baby's delivery regardless of size. You may not be able to avoid a cesarean section, but you can plan to have the birth you dream of and if things do not go the way you hoped, you will have a plan in place that will help you accept the changes to that plan as they come along. Talk with your doctor and/or midwife and, of course, your doula. Know your options.

Research showed that mothers who believed they were having large babies were nearly five times more likely to ask for a scheduled C-section.

05/19/2017

So ladies, you've had an episiotomy and/or tearing (or not, let's face it, things are a bit tender 'down there' regardless) and now you need to take care of that tenderness and those stitches...my clients have been very grateful for preprepared padsicles that were waiting in the freezer. Here's how you make them:

Generously apply Aloe Vera gel (not liquids concentrate) to a new pad, overnight/heavy flow variety, leave it on its wrapper.

Pour about a teaspoon of alcohol free witch hazel over the Aloe Vera.

Optional: Sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil over the pad (only if you know you will not have a reaction to the lavender oil).

Re wrap the pad and put it in a ziploc bag or wrap it in tinfoil and then put it in the freezer until needed.

05/18/2017

La Leche League has always said that we’re here to support you whether you give your baby human milk for 4 days, 4 weeks, four months, or four years!. No matter how long you breastfeed, you are giving your child the benefits of your stronger immune system! For more information visit - https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/breastfeeding/Pages/Breastfeeding-Benefits-Your-Babys-Immune-System.aspx

[Image description: Illustration of a truck with a medical "+" symbol. The title along the top reads, "Benefits of Breastfeeding." Text: Infants under the age of one who breastfed for at least four months were less likely to be hospitalized for a lower respiratory tract infection, such as croup, bronchiolitis, or pneumonia. Source: Breastfeeding Benefits Your Baby's Immune System. American Academy of Pediatrics. Healthychildren.org]

05/12/2017

For decades, doctors delivered breech babies vaginally. What happened?

05/11/2017

Always the question, how far along am I? There are a host of ways to mark the passage of your birth. Each person will progress in their own way and at their own pace. This article describes some things to be aware of as indicators that your birth is moving forward that don't require an internal exam.

a blog about pregnancy, birth, and parenting options. Evidence based care and a bias toward low intervention and natural options.

05/11/2017

Studies prove that having a Doula present at your birth results in the following statistics:

50% reduction in cesarean rate
60% reduction in epidural requests
40% reduction in the use of Pitocin
25% shorter labour
30% reduction in use of analgesia
40% reduction in forceps use

source: Gentle Birth Choices by: Barbara Harper, R.N. (pg. 96)

05/10/2017

Just doing a little information gathering and thought I would share this, kind of an ABC for the basics of breastfeeding. ***If you experience pain/discomfort for more than a minute or so at the beginning of your breastfeeding session, FIND OUT WHY***Please take my word on this. It should not be painful all the time. See a lactation specialist. Those of us lucky enough to be in the GTA, see Jack Newman, use the resources we have available to us. Ask me for help finding someone near you. Set yourself up for success so you can embrace the journey.

Learning the facts about newborns and being a new mom is important. Understanding how your body and your newborn baby work together is useful in two ways. First, before you have your baby, these facts might help you make the decision to breastfeed. Then, during those first few days and weeks when yo...

04/18/2017

It is so important for you to understand Informed Consent. Ask questions. Ask for clarification. Ask for time to think about the information you have been given. Ask about your options. Ask, ask, ask.

Being pregnant is an exciting time in a woman’s life. Whether it’s your first or third, it brings anticipation, joy, and sometimes fear. As a Doula and childbirth educator, I am constantly surrounded by pregnant women, many of their stories are the same, and some are quite different. What they all h...

04/15/2017

The placenta is a truly amazing organ.

Here are 9 amazing facts about placentas. You may not have taken a lot of time to think about placentas, let alone know what they look like. Not only are they fascinating organs, they can actually be beautiful.   In 1559, a man named Realdus Columbus called it placenta after the Latin word for “circ...

04/12/2017

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓:
"Your Breasts Are Able to Detect Even a One Degree Drop in Your Baby’s Temperature and Warm Up"

You are the best incubator/warmer there is.

Wrapping that baby up like a little burrito is only necessary if he/she will be away from you. But the best way to keep her warm in the early days is to cuddle with them skin-to-skin with a blanket over the two of you.

Your skin contact means that baby will have to expend fewer calories regulating her own temperature. ❤❤❤

𝐓𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 My Baby Experts Community 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠.𝐜𝐨𝐦

04/02/2017

Something magical does happen. My clients have all been so appreciative of my support during and around their births, but what I have trouble putting into words is what an honour and blessing it is to be included in such a transformative moment in their lives.

Birth is the most extraordinary experience many of us will ever witness. Women become warriors, men become fathers, couples become families.

03/25/2017

Plan to be as upright and/or forward leaning as you can and plan to move. Walk, sway, change positions, dance...these things will help with labour progression and with managing times of discomfort.

03/25/2017

03/25/2017

Optimal chord clamping is clamping and cutting later. Extenuating circumstances not withstanding, waiting for at least 90 seconds will only benefit your baby.

03/23/2017

This is just one of the many reasons you should sleep when baby sleeps, both of you need rest, get it when you can.

How has nursing at night helped your relationship?

[Image: Baby sleeping peacefully. Text: Did you know that your produce the most milk at night? It can be tempting to avoid night feeding or have someone else feed the baby so you can get sleep. It can help to remember that prolactin levels are higher at night and the hormonal response to baby suckling is even stronger than during the day. That's a winning combination for maximizing milk production]

03/23/2017

A Doula is....

care The word “doula” is derived from an ancient Greek word that is becoming increasingly more mainstream in today’s modern times. In ancient Greek the word means “female servant” and does...

03/08/2017

Happy International Women's day! 😊

03/07/2017

This natural candy is a proven birthing helper

03/04/2017

02/28/2017

This is an interesting article, I know from experience that reducing clutter refuses stress...food for thought.

Hi Beauties! Every month in The Balanced Life Sisterhood (my online Pilates membership program for busy women like you) we have a mission – a special focus on one area of life where we want to grow and improve in an effort to care for our mental and emotional health. This month’s mission is all abou...

02/27/2017

It was only some years after the birth of my son that I began to be really intrigued by the idea that there could've been someone in the room with me to speak when I could only growl. Don't get me wrong, my midwife Susie was amazing, but she was busy doing midwife-y things like checking blood pressu...

02/25/2017

I know most of you coming to this page are thinking about pregnancy, birth and babies, but those babies grow up, so fast. I have growing children in my life and this article struck a chord, I wanted to share it with all of you.

Friends, as most of you know, I get to spend an hour each week with a group of young people going through addiction recovery.  Yes.  Young people.  I’m talking teenagers who are locked away for at …

02/23/2017

Delayed chord clamping, optimal chord clamping, call it what you will, studies consistently show that it is better to wait.

A new study has discovered that delayed cord clamping has more far-reaching benefits than first thought, after following babies from a study 4 years prior.

02/22/2017

You could read the whole article, or you can skip to page 4 where the video can be found...short clip, super cool!

WOW ~ Have you EVER seen anything like this?!

02/20/2017

Self care during your recovery time after birth is so important! Be kind to yourself, take your time, heal, trust me, this phase will not last forever.

Birth is an amazing and natural process but is very demanding on the body.

02/14/2017

Often parents concerned about night waking or frequent nursing fall into the "forever trap," the idea that every day will be like today. It helps to remember that babies--especially in the early days--are highly changeable. Feeding and sleep patterns can change from day to day and week to week. If today was a tough day, it doesn't mean that tomorrow will be the same.