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Category Archives: prepare your mind
March Special – $50 Off to YOU Creating Your Ideal Birth
My favorite part of being a childbirth professional is getting to know and working with so many unique and strong women – watching them transition into motherhood (whether for the first time or into a mom of “more”). Because of … Continue reading
Posted in doulas, prepare your mind
Tagged Birth doula, Birthing doula, Labor doula, online childbirth education, What is a doula
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Second Time’s a Charm
Several month ago, I had an interview with a mom who was seeking a doula . . . She described a very difficult experience with the birth and recovery of her first baby. Her primary concerns were: 1) not feeling … Continue reading
Posted in doulas, newborns, prepare your body, prepare your mind
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Nurturing Prenatal Yoga
I am pleased to share this guest post written by a Wichita local: Sheryl Haynes RYT, CIBY, CPP. She is a mother of four, Early Childhood Family Specialist, and Personal Yoga Trainer with previous experience as a doula and childbirth educator. She … Continue reading
Trust me . . . (Part 2)
How can I find a trustworthy provider? It starts with research. Talk to as many people as you can for recommendations. Ask specific questions about how they practice and what people did/did not like about them. Search online. Go to/call the … Continue reading
Posted in OB, birth in the usa, midwife, natural birth, prepare your mind
Tagged maternity care, midwife, OB, trust
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Trust me . . . (Part 1)
Lately, I’ve talked to a few mamas about their birth stories and was perplexed by some of the recommendations their providers gave them. While I don’t know ALL the details and there could have been more to the story than … Continue reading
Posted in OB, birth in the usa, induction, midwife, prepare your mind, vbac
Tagged birth, care provider, labor, maternity care, midwife, OB
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Birth Matters
I recently picked up a copy of the new book, Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta by Ina May Gaskin. Her practice was based on principles of prevention and wellness, as well as a focus on both the physical and emotional … Continue reading
Posted in OB, birth in the usa, cesarean, midwife, natural birth, prepare your mind
Tagged birth matters, cesarean, Ina May Gaskin, natural birth
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Aromatherapy for Birth
Many birth experts describe the relationship between the physical and emotional, and numerous birth stories testify to the negative impact stress can have on labor progress. This is why I encourage mamas to birth where they are most comfortable with … Continue reading
Posted in doulas, essential oils, prepare your mind
Tagged aromatherapy, birth, essential oils, labor
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whys vs. hows
Recently, I came across a study that linked breastfeeding to lower rates of ADD and considered whether to post it on Facebook. One of the questions that came to mind was, “is this going to help those who read my … Continue reading
What is a “natural birth”???
Originally posted August 2010 I was recently interviewed by a graduate student for a project in a women’s health class. She was very bright and asked a lot of great questions; some I answered quickly and some I am still … Continue reading
The Best Start for Your Birth Winner is . . .
Brandi Nabors!! Congratulations to Brandi, who is currently preparing herself for the birth of her second child. It was so fun to have Brandi on the call and get to tell her myself that she was the winner. In her entry … Continue reading
Posted in books, natural birth, prepare your body, prepare your mind
Tagged best start for your birth, birth, pregancy
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“Best Start for your Birth” Giveaway!!!
I am very excited to offer a special giveaway this month! I call it the “Best Start for your Birth Package“. It’s a new product that I have created and will soon make available. This product was born when I really … Continue reading
Posted in books, offers, prepare your mind
Tagged birth, giveaway, penny simkin, pregnancy
25 Comments
Would you rather . . .
I am pleased to present this guest post on tearing/episiotomy/protecting the perineum by Nicole from the blog Bellies and Babies. She is a doula, childbirth educator, and apprentice midwife in the Houston area. Thanks for this very thorough take on this important … Continue reading
Posted in episiotomy/tearing, prepare your body, prepare your mind
Tagged birth, episiotomy, perineum, pushing, tearing
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Move over “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” . . .
“What to expect when you’re expecting” is a great title . . . and the book has become a childbirth classic. I read it myself eight years ago. I’m just glad it’s not the only thing I read. I don’t … Continue reading
Breaking the silence
The following is a guest post from Birth Faith. She has a wonderful way of articulating the challenges of transitioning into parenthood. I think it complements my previous post on this topic very well. I’ve found it interesting, over the years, to … Continue reading
Posted in postpartum, prepare your mind
Tagged new mother support, postpartum depression
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A time of change
This week I had a phone conversation with a good friend who is getting ready to move her family of 6 over to a foreign country for a few years. She expressed some of her concerns about the details as her move … Continue reading
Posted in postpartum, prepare your mind
Tagged new mother support, postpartum depression
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Prepare your mind: Words for birth
Words and language are powerful. They can shape our perceptions, thoughts, and feelings. Take a moment to consider what words you associate with birth – just list off the first 8-10 words that come to mind. Are these words positive … Continue reading
Obstetric Myth – Your Care Provider is psychic!
I am very excited to present this guest post from Mama Birth, a fellow Childbirth Educator based in Northern California. She teaches in Ukiah and Santa Rosa and you can find class information and her blog here. I love this … Continue reading
Can you picture this? Images of labor
Images women have of labor and birth play a crucial role in their own birth preparation. When I was pregnant with my oldest son, I saw a video of a woman laboring calmly and quietly; she was breathing slowly and … Continue reading
Posted in natural birth, prepare your mind, videos
Tagged birth preparation, singing in labor, videos
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dare to dream
I just wrote a guest post for a blog called “Dare to Dream” about my work as a childbirth educator/doula. You can read it here. Whitney Johnson explains the philosophy of her blog with this statement, “When I took a sabbatical from Wall … Continue reading
Posted in prepare your mind
Tagged birth, childbirth education, doula, labor, pregnancy
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Did you hear?
Recently, I decided to partner with the website NurtureCenter.com by submitting 3 of my articles for their online resources section. They are now up on the site and I am excited to reach out to an even broader audience than I now … Continue reading
