All of a sudden, I’m in my third trimester, and I realize I haven’t done a full pregnancy update in….at all? This is partly because it has honestly been a very uneventful pregnancy (as most are when you accept pregnancy and birth as a normal part of life), but also because I was working […]
A quick (ish) pregnancy update Read More »
I so often hear mamas say “there’s no point in making a birth plan….birth is unpredictable.” Yup! It is. Birth is wild, unpredictable, highly individualized, and different every single time. And that’s the point of a birth plan. Confused yet? Let’s talk about it. What is a birth plan? When most people hear “birth plan,”
Planning the unplannable: Birth plans and their purpose Read More »
“Birth where you’re comfortable” is a great notion, but how much have we really allowed women to explore that idea when the overarching theme of birth in today’s society is that it’s horrible, something to fear, and likely to kill you without the assistance of modern medicine? Going in with that conception of birth,
Choosing your Birth Location Read More »
A provider should view you, mama, as the authority and most important person in your birth space. Choosing a provider who disagrees with this philosophy, regardless of what title the provider has, will likely lead to a stressful and traumatic birth experience. One of the very first decisions pregnant mamas usually make is who
Choosing your Prenatal Provider Read More »
I’m going to start by saying I am a doula, and I have had a doula attend both of my births. Doulas can be wonderful assets for mamas in pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Study after study has shown the benefits of doulas. And honestly, having someone in your corner during such a transformative and powerful
To doula or not to doula? Read More »
We’ve all seen the pregnancy announcements with the grainy black-and-white first “picture” of baby held by excited parents-to-be. Most women are offered at minimum an ultrasound at 7 or 8 weeks pregnant for dating purposes, the 20-week anatomy scan, and a late pregnancy ultrasound to make sure “everything is going ok.” When I told my
What’s the deal with ultrasounds? Read More »
Last week, we talked about the Cascade of Interventions during labor. This week starts a series about interventions during pregnancy that I believe could easily be seen as part of the dominoes set up before labor that can assist or at least pave the way to the cascade in labor. Among the tests offered in
Pap Smears in Pregnancy: necessary or not? Read More »
One thing leads to another….and another, and another, and another. Nothing happens in a silo, everything is interconnected, and the domino effect is real! Birth is a natural process that, once disturbed, tends to spiral out of control with more disturbances. When we interfere with the delicate balance of hormones, poke and prod mama and
Nothing happens in a silo: the Cascade of Interventions Read More »
I’ve sat down many times to write this birth story, but every time I try, I’m filled with some sadness. I get anxious, my heart starts racing, and there are parts I just don’t want to replay in my mind. The frustrating thing is I had a great birth. It was powerful, intense, empowering, raw,
The Birth of Eloise Pearl Read More »
If you’ve been pregnant, you’ve likely had the distinct pleasure of chugging 50 grams of sugar in the form of the infamous glucola drink to test for gestational diabetes. What fun we get to have at the end of the second trimester…. In my first pregnancy, I did that. I chose the lemon lime flavor
Why I Refused glucola (and what I did instead) Read More »