Cincinnati Birth Doula Blog - CINCINNATI DOULA AND CHILDBIRTH EDUCATOR

A toilet birth is kind of like a water birth, right?

11/21/2016

NST - Cincinnati Doula

I should start this entry with the knowing that I was 41 weeks plus 5 days when I finally went into labor with Thomas.
With my previous 2 births and babies I hadn't gone more than a couple days past my due date. As a doula, I knew it was normal to go to 41 or even 42 weeks but I never imagined it would happen to me... and I was absolutely miserable in those last couple weeks! I was ready to have my baby, physically and emotionally!

I had my membranes stripped at 41+4 weeks to avoid a chemical/pitocin induction at 42 weeks. Some practices will allow you to go past 42 weeks. My midwives group was not one of them... and I was okay with that.

What to Pack in Your Hospital Bags

9/24/2016

What to Pack in your Hospital Bags

So you're into your 2nd or 3rd trimester and starting to think about what to pack in your hospitals bags.
You're in luck! I've been a birth doula for 4 years and have given birth in the hospital with all 3 of my children.
I've experienced what parents use the most of and what goes completely ignored and unpacked... only to be carried in and back out again. Here's my list of essentials for your hospital bags!

How much does a Cincinnati Birth Doula cost?

9/22/2016

So you've decided to add a birth doula to your team, but how much does a birth doula in Cincinnati cost anyway?

When I first started looking for a doula, pregnant with my second child and wanting a more natural birth experience than my first birth, which you can read about here, the first thing I thought was,
''Will I even be able to afford a doula?''

I scoured the Cincinnati Area Doula Society looking for the most affordable but still warm and approachable looking doula. Thankfully, I lucked out and found an incredibly warm, compassionate and enthusiastic doula named Peg. She was just starting doula work and charging a *really low* fee!
I was so thrilled!
I hired Peg after our first meeting and she was a great asset to my pregnancy and birth. You can read that birth story here.

Unfortunately, Peg is no longer doing this work and I have to wonder if part of it was that she wasn't making a fair living wage for all the work she was doing.
I know for my birth, she made pennies on the hour, after it was all said and done.

So, let's dive in...How much does a Cincinnati Doula cost? 

cincinnati doula cost

My Initiation Into Motherhood

9/19/2016

The story of my first pregnancy, birth and postpartum

Pregnancy, Birth, Doula

My daughter turns 7 this month.
I find myself reflecting more this year than ever before.

Annabelle is going through so many changes right now, physically and emotionally. I'm starting to see glimpses of what it will be like when she's a *TEENAGER!!*
*Insert gasp and look of horror here!!

After sharing my journey with postpartum depression after my most recent baby, I thought I'd take you back to my first pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

Our first birth inevitably takes us to places we've never been before. We come out different than when we went in...
This, I believe, is our initiation into motherhood.

My Journey Through Postpartum Depression

9/15/2016

And where you can find support if you're struggling too.

Postpartum Depression, Cincinnati Doula

This is my son Thomas and I in early 2016. I remember taking this photo to send to his Dad who was at work as a cry for help, ''Please. I can't do this. I'm drowning. I need you to come home.''

''I'm drowning.''

Now, I know that sounds dramatic, but it's exactly how I felt. That phrase repeated in my head over and over, day in and day out.

And I was drowning...in tears and responsibilities.

Affirmations for Any Birth from a Cincinnati Doula and Birthing From Within Mentor

9/14/2016

+ a free printable affirmations cards

As your Cincinnati doula, at the birth, I'm there for you... reminding you to slow your breathing, to affirm that you're doing a great job (no matter what is going on), and to let you know that you will get through this...one breath at a time.

''Nice, deep breaths, all the way down to your baby...''

When in doubt, use your B.R.A.I.N

9/11/2016

Making Decisions in Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond

As a Birthing From Within Mentor and a Cincinnati and N. Kentucky Doula, something I spend a lot of time doing is talking with parents about informed consent and decision making.

No matter the time or what's in question, if you're feeling unsure about something, it's a good idea to slow down and use the B.R.A.I.N acronym.

B.R.A.I.N acronym labor

In pregnancy, birth and beyond Use your B.R.A.I.N

The Birthing From Within Difference

9/10/2016

With so many choices, how do you decide which childbirth class is right for your family?

First of all, congratulations on your pregnancy and interest in deepening your understanding of birth.

As a mother myself, I know that childbirth can seem a bit mysterious, even if you've read up on all the details and even if you've gone through birth before. Each birth is different and birth is inevitably and always two things...intense and unpredictable.

So, how do you prepare for the unpredictable?

There are so many childbirth class options in Cincinnati such as hospital classes taught by nurses or hospital staff, in-hospital childbirth classes taught by out-of-hospital instructors and a wide array of out of hospital childbirth classes with varied philosophies, techniques and suggestions.

Molly laboring with her 2nd child. Photo by Sonja B. Photography

Molly laboring with her 2nd child. Photo by Sonja B. Photography

So, what makes Birthing From Within Different?

Simply put, Birthing From Within is a holistic childbirth and parenting preparation. 
Birthing From Within Childbirth Classes offer mindfulness techniques, breathing exercises, birth art, personal growth, practical information such as the hormones & stages of labor, preparing for any birth, bringing individuals closer to themselves and their partner.

No-Limit Birth Support

8/19/2016

Birth is unpredictable. Time restraints have no place in the labor room, especially coming from your doula.

Birth is unpredictable. Time restraints have no place in the labor room, especially from your doula.

No-Limit Birth Support

Doula Support in a Cesarean Birth

8/17/2016

Doula Support through a Cesarean Birth

When Birthing By Cesarean Becomes The Next Best Thing...

Giving birth by cesarean is rarely the outcome that my birth doula clients are hoping to achieve when they first hire me. It's rarely the outcome women are hoping for when they plan their birth.
Even still, pregnancy and birth happen and unfolds differently for everyone.
Some women have weeks to prepare that a cesarean may become the next best thing for themselves or their baby... in some instances, a cesarean is emergent.
As your Cincinnati doula and childbirth mentor, I see the importance in preparing for a cesarean, no matter what, even if you're planning a home birth or a natural vaginal birth.