4 Questions to Ask Before Hiring Your Doula

Finding the right doula can sometimes seem like a big job. This is a person that you will trust to share accurate and helpful information with you as you prepare for birth, support you during your labor, and help set the tone for your entire birth experience. Most doulas offer a complimentary interview in order…

How Can Birth Partners Prepare for Labor?

When I first became pregnant at a very wise (ha!) 22 years old, I had a major pet peeve. I absolutely could not stand hearing a father or other non-pregnant partner say, "We're pregnant." Whenever someone said to me and my husband, "Oh, you guys are pregnant?" I would jump in with a very adamant,…

A Short To-Do List For the First Trimester

As a first-time Mom, there will be no end to the lists that you'll come across. Many of them are focused on tests you need to have done or the things you aren't supposed to be doing, eating, or drinking. With my clients, I love to focus on the things that they do want from their pregnancy and…

Staying Positive When Google is Scary

How many times have you Googled, "Is (insert weird thing happening to your body) a pregnancy symptom?" only to be directed to a Mommy Board full of women telling each other everything from, "That's totally normal" to "I had that and almost died!" I know with my first baby especially, I spent hours on Google and…

One Doula’s Favorite Pregnancy Books

I love reading. Put me in a big bookstore with a good cup of coffee in my hand and I'll be happy forever. Even if you aren't a huge reader, pregnancy is an important time to learn all you can! Whether it be podcasts, conversations with your doula, audio books, or paper books, learn all…

5 Birth Affirmations for Your VBAC

If you've hung around my blog at all, you know I love birth affirmations. I love how changing your language can literally change your brain and shift your experiences. This is especially true for one of my favorite categories of people: moms pursuing a vaginal birth after a cesarean. After having my own experience with…

Choosing a Provider for Your Pregnancy

Often, when I ask women how they chose their care provider for their pregnancy, I am met with a bit of confusion. "I'm just seeing the OB that I've seen for years" is a pretty common response. If they didn't already have an OB, they maybe just called up the office that their insurance covered,…

Why Delay? Cord Clamping, That Is

It has been pretty well known for several years that delayed cord clamping has many benefits for a newborn baby. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, World Health Organization, and The American College of Nurse-Midwives all agree that delaying clamping by at least 1-2 minutes after birth raises neonatal iron levels, which can provide cognitive…

Embrace Your Power in Birth: How to Believe in Your Body

When I talk to women about their feelings regarding birth, they initially fall into one of two camps. Either they will say something like, "It would be too hard for me to do without drugs," or if they have decided to pursue a drug-free labor, they may say things like, "I hope I am strong…

Here’s Why ACOG Recommends Doulas

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists frequently updates their committee opinions and recommendations as they gain new knowledge and listen to consumer (that's you!) demand. In the most recent update to the Committee Opinion titled, "Approaches to Limit Intervention During Labor and Birth," there are several recommendations that reflect the growing demand from birthing…