Life Song Doula Care

11/12/2024

11/11/2024

It’s no surprise that many of us expect labor to start in a certain, checklist-able way — it’s how it’s often shown and taught (and hey, we’re not judging that — we love a good list!). But the truth is, labor rarely follows a neat, linear path.

If you’re in that “waiting for labor” stage, know this: there’s a wide range of what a normal start to labor can look like. No need to throw the list out but focus more on taking care of and listening to your body — and lean on your care team to help you interpret what it’s telling you.

11/09/2024

As the future of reproductive health care continues to get scarier, I have been and continue to be committed to supporting and advocating for all on this journey. I will fight for the rights of all birthing people and walk with anyone who sees my support. Know that I can work with you on pricing for my services if you are not able to pay full price. I already have a discount in place for BIPOC and q***r folks and can reduce more if need be. And, of course, if you are able to pay full price or more, please do so that I can continue to offer this to those who are not able.
We will get through this time together. I still hold out hope that things will get better.

10/31/2024

10/23/2024

Clarity is key. 🔑 There’s no universal right or wrong when it comes to cervical exams — depending on how they’re handled they can be a helpful tool or they can be a hindrance — each situation is personal and depends on individual needs and preferences.

10/01/2024

Black lives matter in every delivery room, and we refuse to stay silent while systemic racism continues to steal parents’ lives. ✊🏾

Black women in the U.S. are 3-4 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white birthing folks. This is not a coincidence…this is a crisis.

Implicit bias and institutional racism are at the root of this healthcare failure. Studies show that Black women’s pain is more likely to be dismissed or ignored by medical providers, and Black mothers are twice as likely to receive late or no prenatal care compared to white mothers.

Note: the research was done on women so we have kept the gendered language around these stats, and care has a whole other helping of s**t when birthing folks are gender expansive…

It’s time to confront the harsh reality that racism is killing Black mothers.

We demand better.

We demand accountability.

We demand change.

Our clients deserve to feel safe and heard in every space—including the labor and delivery room.

Let’s fight for justice.

Doulas, tag a doula who’s in this fight protecting birthers of color… also, feel free to tag yourself!

Want to be in these spaces keeping parents and babies safe?! Comment BIRTH and we will send over how to become a doula… we need more practitioners! ✌🏾

👉🏽 Follow for more! 👈🏽

09/10/2024

It's okay to not be okay!
This is why I offer postpartum support. I sit with you in the hard. Pregnant and want to be prepared? Let's schedule! Already had your baby(ies) and need help? Let's schedule!

09/08/2024

Yes!

You may have seen the news that the Surgeon General declared the level of stress parents in this country experience a public health crisis.

My heart aches for mamas! It’s so hard to keep it all going - and there are so many new stressors parents face - school safety, social media, economics. With lack of support, and lack of maternity leave on top.

Many of us parent intensively, but this was meant to happen in a village - and we do not live in village! No shared meals. No extra childcare. No older cousins looking over littles.

And zero govt support to subsidize how much it costs to raise a child alone.

While I loved attachment parenting - it was A LOT of work. I was overextended, overstimulated, and under supported.

But I convinced myself it was the perfect way, so I pushed thru.

Deep learning: There is no recipe for perfect parenting, perfectly happy children, or perfectly healthy adults. Parenting is more complex than that and our kids are more than what we do.

In the process of trying to create the impossible, we burn ourselves out and I see that burn out in so many of the mamas I take care of.

We aren’t meant to do it all, and when we try, it’s a recipe for feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and inadequate. You’re not doing anything wrong, it’s a failure, as a country, to isolate families and a reflection of our deprioritization of the bond between babies and mamas in our culture.

What do we do?

On a societal level:
🔺Paid family and medical leave for both parents - and for caregiver grandparents! Sweden does it!
🔺 Affordable childcare
🔺 Affordable healthcare
🔺 Other govt subsidies that provide families with a safety net!

On a personal level:
💕Release perfect and reset your expectations for yourself
💕Listen to what YOU and YOUR baby need, not what influencers or others preach
💕Practice healthy boundaries for your self care, so they’re non- negotiables
💕Parent adaptively - let go of practices that don’t serve you. No ‘shoulding’ on yourself.
💕Know it‘s exhausting. Be gentle with yourself.

Please share your biggest parenting pain points and say YES or 🙌 if you’d like to talk about mom burnout in an IG live together!

08/19/2024

"The lower levels of intervention and higher levels of positive outcomes associated with midwifery mean that study after study has pointed to the fact that midwives are the key to improving maternal and infant health outcomes. Midwives might be rare in the United States, but they're commonplace in almost every other affluent nation, with European countries leading the pack.
Not to mention that midwifery is more cost efficient - not just for patients, but for providers...
For these reasons, pregnant people may seek out midwifery care instead of going the hospital route. Ultimately, it's a matter of choice, but that choice is being chipped away. It's yet another way of denying people bodily autonomy.
'Your're seeing more and more people, especially women of color, say I want something different. I want someone to explain to me what's happening. I don't want to feel rushed. I don't want a factory birth,' says Skanes. 'It all ties into the fact that people don't believe women deserve choices. If it were about being pro-life or being [pro-birth], then you would be open to women having access to more places to give birth.'"

08/07/2024

We talk about all of this and more in our initial intake form.

07/30/2024

Braxton Hicks are normal in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Magnesium and eating some good protein can also help settle them down. 🌸

07/15/2024

Did you know??

07/07/2024

It's summer! Take care of yourself!

☀️ Being pregnant during the summer can be uncomfortable, plus pregnancy can make you feel warmer than you usually would, making the summer months a bit of a slog.

Stay cool and comfortable with these tips:

⛱️ Stay hydrated: Keep a water bottle with you and drink plenty of water. A good rule of thumb? Your p*e should be pale yellow. Anything darker could mean you need more fluids.

⛱️ Wear light clothing: Lightweight and light-colored clothing in natural breathable materials such as cotton, linen, silk and merino wool (yes, wool!!) can keep you cool.

⛱️ Don’t overdo it: Whether you’re exercising or just running errands, take regular breaks and ensure to not exercise to the stage of overheating or feeling lightheaded.

⛱️ Avoid the sun: If you’re going to be outside for a long period, leave the house prepared. Take a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses(and remember the water!!).

⛱️ Put your feet up: Pregnancy and heat can make your feet swell. Try taking it easy for at least an hour a day with your feet resting higher than your heart (remembering to follow the sitting tips from our Daily Essentials or on our website).

https://www.spinningbabies.com/product/daily-essentials-video-digital-download/

What are some ways you beat the heat while pregnant?

06/30/2024

This. This is how I endeavor to serve you.

Your care — from providers to birth spaces to support people and beyond — should be prepared and able to see you, know you, and support and care for you in the fullness of who you are, with your unique experience in mind ❤️

06/27/2024

You are not doomed. Often we get messages that sound like "what are the odds of XYZ situation happening again in my next birth?!". Two things come to mind when we get these questions.

1. Sometimes research is limited on the recurrence of certain things. Like the odds of the baby being in the same (not ideal) position again. Sometimes we don't have a great data-backed answer to give you.

2. No matter what... you are not doomed to have history repeat itself. This birth WILL be different from your last birth. Maybe not in every way but this is a different baby, your body has grown and changed, and this is a different birth.

It's easy to get in our heads and start to feel that sense of dread. The sense of feeling out of control because we simply cannot control every aspect of birth. It's easy to fight surrendering to our story. But we encourage you to lean into that surrender. To lean into trusting that you are strong and capable of handling whatever birth throws your way. And to believe the TRUTH which is that this is a different pregnancy, a different baby, and it will be a different birth.

05/20/2024

My very first doula baby is 11 today! Happy birthday!

04/12/2024

In light of the steadily alarming rise of maternal mortality in the U.S., which recent data shows has been exacerbated by the pandemic; and amidst growing cases of neglect in care in hospital systems immediately after labor and delivery, Black Mamas Matter Alliance continues to highlight and center culturally-congruent practices with a focus on Black Midwifery care and full-spectrum Black-led Doula care as sound, evidence-based solutions. Most importantly, these are practices and solutions that incorporate the true needs, wants and desires of Black women and birthing people.

Held annually 11 – 17 April, Black Maternal Health Week is a campaign founded and led by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance​ to build awareness, activism, and community-building​ to amplify ​the voices, perspectives and lived experiences of Black Mamas and birthing people.

To support BMMA and its partners, visit:
https://blackmamasmatter.org/our-partners

04/07/2024

"When we ground and sustain our community care within a reproductive justice framework, we can begin to unlearn individualism and ego. While we still must operate under capitalism, navigating all of the wealth-hoarding, fame-and-glory-seeking, personal-achievement-obsessed traps it has set for us - and while we are all still human, with our lifelong need to be seen, heard, and understood for who we are as individuals - viewing abortion care or any other work through an RJ lens can show us, over and over again, that intersectionality means interdependence."
- You or Someone You Love by Hannah Matthews