Perinatal loss… the loss of a child through stillbirth, miscarriage or shortly after the birth of the child, is a devastating and poignant part of many families’ stories.
What About Love: feeling safe (or not) in birth
The Doula Difference: increased confidence
“The feeling of strength and empowerment that comes from a birth where the birthing person says ‘I did it’ is unlike any other.”
In my last blog post, I talked about the beauty of a birth where the birthing person feels strong and empowered. This can happen in any circumstance, with any type of birth. It can (and does) even happen when the birth plan goes out the window and the unexpected happens. How can this be?
The Doula Difference: more satisfied outcomes
When I read this quote (below) from Tao Te Ching, written hundreds of years ago, I can’t help but think of how well it describes doula work as well:
You are a midwife assisting at someone else’s birth. Do good without show or fuss. Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening … When the baby is born the mother will rightly say, “We did it ourselves!”
The Doula Difference: less postpartum depression
The baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety… these are all part of the range of postpartum mood disorders that affect more than one in five birthing people in Canada. Changing hormones, lack of sleep, adjusting to life with baby and underlying predispositions to depression or other mood disorders can all contribute to this statistic.
The Doula Difference: better apgar scores
As we head into winter, we are continuing to navigate the ups and downs of life during the pandemic, including where doulas can and can’t support clients in-person in hospitals. However, the one-on-one care through pregnancy and labour that are part of the doula difference are always still available to clients. Whether it’s through online meetings or virtual labour support, doulas continue to have their clients’ best interests at heart.
The Doula Difference: fewer c-sections
Sunshine, rain and flowers make the perfect June days! I hope you have been taking time to breathe, rest and get outside. Sometimes we feel defeated if we don’t meet our self-care goals every day, but being imperfect only makes us human! So, we move forward and try again – and hopefully we have some help and encouragement along the way. Encouragement and help are two keys for labour, too.
The Doula Difference: less pain medication
Hello again! Snowflakes are drifting slowly past the window as I write this, but so far March seems to be promising us an early spring. I’m not sure if I’m quite ready yet – it’s been a lovely winter. But I guess I don’t have much say over the weather. Today, however, I’m sipping a cup of rooibos tea while I sit down to talk about something we (usually) do have a say in… our labour and birth experiences!
The Doula Difference: shorter labours
Welcome to 2021. A new year has begun, but we are still grappling with the pandemic… and the disruption to much that we consider ‘normal’ in our lives. While doula work here in Ontario continues to be affected by the restrictions, the benefits of having a doula are still very real. In this post we’ll take another look at just how working with a doula can make a difference for you and your loved ones.
The Doula Difference: breastfeeding
In these late days of fall, where we know that winter is just around the corner, a cup of apple spice tea is the perfect way to unwind for a few moments! And if you’re like most of us, you can use some time to relax – maybe even more than usual – because of added stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Doula work has gotten harder all over the province, too…
The Doula Difference: support people
It’s officially fall… and the perfect time to sit down with a cup of pumpkin spice tea and chat a little about the difference a doula makes for partners and other support people.
Did you know, a doula’s goal is to support not just her client, but the other members of her client’s labour support team as well? Whether this is a partner, friend, or family member…
Pauses
A well-kept labour secret is that it is normal to experience pauses. These breaks can signal a shift that’s about to take place (maybe you’re moving from active labour to transition), they can happen because our situation changes (maybe you’ve left the familiar space of home and have arrived at the hospital), and they can either end on their own (just give it a little time)… or need us to take steps to help make that happen.
The Doula Difference!
Welcome back! I hope you have time to sit down, pour yourself a cup of tea, and enjoy some more of The Gentle Journey with me. Last time we talked a little about what a doula is, and today we are going to look at why you might want to hire a labour and birth doula for yourself (or for someone you love).
Doulas make a difference!
So... what's a doula?
Welcome to ‘The Gentle Journey’. I hope you will pour yourself a cup of tea, sit down and join me as I share thoughts, inspiration and more from my work as ‘The Gentle Doula’.
“So,” you may ask, “what exactly is a doula?” That’s a good question! So many words come immediately to mind: companion, helper, friend, guide, listener, assistant, cheerleader…