Childbirth Education From the Comfort of Your Own Home!

Dreading prenatal class in the dark days of winter? We have an online workshop that is the perfect solution to those who would rather stay cozied up at home in their pajamas, yet still want to learn about all of the incredible options that they have for their birth!

birthPrep takes you through everything from positions for labour and birth, comfort measures, what to expect in the first 24 hours following birth and some simple strategies for your postpartum transition.

We've created a series of conversational videos, a PDF handbook, various worksheets and then open the floor for questions. Once you complete the online course, simply email us with your questions and one of our very capable doulas will be in touch with you to make sure you get all the answers and guidance that you seek!

To find out more about birthPrep or to register for the course, click here!

xoxo
Shannon

How to NOT Feel Like a Patient at Your Hospital Birth

One of the most common concerns that we hear is about how women feel like patients at the hospital,when thy are there for fetal monitoring, non-stress tests in late term pregnancy, or at their previous birth experience.

The hospital gown
Bright lights
Cold air
Sterile environment

Often hear that it hinders a peaceful and calm birth experience, so we thought we would compile a few tips to help you feel more of a person and less of a patient at the hospital during your birth.

Ditch the gown!

Wearing your own clothing (and something you don't mind getting ruined by bodily fluids) can give a great deal of comfort and control at the hospital. A sundress, sports bra, maxi skirt, pajamas. Anything that allows for intermittent fetal and maternal monitoring, that you can move freely in and you feel comfortable in.

Lower the lights

Bright lights instantly make a hospital room feel clinical. Turning off all unnecessary lighting is something that we have found to nurses are more than happy to accommodate, and it's an easy way to lower the intensity of the room.

Bring some music or you favourite movie

Load up your iPad with to playlists: one high energy list and one chill and relaxing list. Include music that you love to dance you, that makes you happy. You know the kind; those jams that get you dancing in your kitchen or singing in the car. To save on you data, download the playlists for offline use.

If you need a movie break or a visual distraction from labour, make your smartphone a mobile hotspot and access Netflix on you iPad or tablet. Pick an old favourite, something that gets you laughing (or crying! Emotional releases bring out the oxytocin, which gets labour moving!) or just something with a really great storyline that makes you focus on the details. I personally recommend Sex and The City; it was amazing to laugh to through the late stage transitions with my doula Jena and nurse Ney!

Ultimately, there is noting about having a baby that makes you a patient. You are still a human, and you can absolutely have a more peaceful and calm experience at the hospital by taking a bit of control and honouring yourself during your birth.

xoxo
Shannon

5 Minutes with Megan

Welcome back to our 5 Minutes With segment, where we spend a bit of time getting to know the individuals of this incredible doula team!

This month, you get to meet Megan. She is one of our doulas in Toronto, and she has a huge passion for evidence based birthing information, and supporting women throughout their journey to motherhood.

So tell us about the woman behind the doula - what do you like to do on your days off? 

On my days off from doula work, I love to explore Toronto with my toddler. Some of our favourite places include the zoo, Riverdale Farm and the Science Centre. I also enjoy doing theatre in my spare time, just for fun. It's something I have been doing since I was a kid, and I recently reignited my passion for theatre as an adult.
 
What is your favourite birth support and why? 

My favourite birth support is the rebozo, not only for it's practical use but also for it's rich and meaningful history. It can be used to support birthing people in so many ways, both physically and emotionally that I find it to be an indispensable extension of both my hands and my heart. 

 Why did you want to go into doula work? 
 
I wanted to get into doula work to help families know that they are the decision makers in their birth experience, and to provide any support that they might need to feel empowered and positive during their birth. 

What other areas of parenting and birth are you passionate about? Do they influence your work as a doula? 

 I am also passionate about babywearing. I found that wearing my son made my life as a new parent so much easier and helped me bond with him. I bring that passion into my doula w by being able to help clients sort through all of the (many!) babywearing options to find what might work best for them and providing information about our local babywearing groups' meetings, if babywearing is something that interests them. 

What advice do you have for a new (or new again) mom as she nears birth?

The best advice that I have for a mom preparing for birth is to trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, ask questions, get second opinions, feel free to say no. You are the prime decision maker in your birth, trust your gut and do what feels right for you and your family.


To get in touch with Megan and schedule in your empowered birthing experience with our Toronto team, email megan@sweetstellas.com

xoxo
Shannon

5 Minutes With Lisa

A new feature that we are starting on the blog is a 5 Minutes With.... article to give you a bit of insight into the life behind the doula.

First up is Lisa!

So tell us about the woman behind the doula! What do you like to do on your off?

I'm an active mom of two boys, Ronan is 7 and Keegan is 5. When I'm not hanging out with them, I enjoy sewing (all crafting, really) and playing soccer.

What is your favourite birth support, and why?

I love the yoga ball or peanut ball. It's so versatile and can be used in a variety of ways, even if you've had an epidural.

Why did you want to go into birth work?

Ever since Ronan was born, I've been fascinated by birth. His birth was very quick and I wasn't really sure of what was happening at each stage. It would have been so helpful to have someone I could rely on to normalize the process for me.

What other areas of parenting and birth are you passionate about? Do they influence your work as a doula?

I'm passionate about breastfeeding and car seat safety, and I'm actually taking my certification as a Car Seat Safety Technician this month! I am also fascinated by the family dynamics and how they change when a new sibling is added to the family. I love helping people navigate this time and help ease the transition for the entire family.

What advice do you have for a new (or new again) mom as she nears birth?

Take time for yourself and don't be afraid to say no. Some people think they are entitled to know everything about your pregnancy (gender, name, choices, etc.) and you are absolutely allowed to say no. The same goes for people wanting to touch your belly or even medical decisions that you may be uncomfortable with.


To book your consultation with this fabulously knowledgeable doula, you can email Lisa or get in touch with her by phone!

xoxo
Shannon

5 Things You Should Know About Home Birth

Thinking of having a home birth for your baby? We've compiled a list of 5 simple things that you should know and consider if you're thinking that this way of birthing is right for you.

Having a home birth means being able to create your environment

While is same is true of hospital births, birthing at home means having even more control over your environment. You are in familiar surroundings, which instantly lowers stress and keeps adrenaline low, letting oxytocin flow. To prepare, think about what your ideal environment looks like, smells like and feels like for birth. This may be the smell of a freshly baked batch of cookies, the blanket that you love to curl up with on the couch during movie night, or photos from your favourite vacation spot.

Embrace all of what this environment will be for you. Set up those pictures, wrap yourself in something lovely and comforting, bake cookies (or have your doula bake you cookies!).

Home birth can be messy

Well not can be, it is! All birth is messy! Have a shower curtain (or a few) on hand to protect your home and surfaces the best that you can and don't worry...everything can be cleaned!

Visitors may want to come earlier since you're already at home

This is definitely something we see with our home birth clients, and we encourage you to consider it carefully. At the hospital, if you've given birth in the middle of the night or the wee hours of the morning, chances are you won't be sharing the good news and visitors won't be knocking on your door much before noon. With a home birth, visitors seem to think that because you're already at home, you're free game for visitors. If you want space following the birth of your baby, you're perfectly within your rights as a new (or new again) parent to not share your news until you're ready, or post a sign on the door indicating when you will be accepting visitors.

Home birth isn't for everyone

If you are having a particularly difficult or strenuous pregnancy, are considered high risk or simply do not want a home birth, that's perfectly fine. There are loads of different conditions such as elevated blood pressure, prior cesarean birth, and prior significant postpartum hemorrhage, that make home birth a less than ideal option for some women. If you're still wanting a low intervention birth and to control your environment, discuss what your options are with your medical team and make a plan that includes as much of your home birth ideals as possible.

Only midwives attend home births

If you're considering a home birth and are under the care of an obstetrician or family physician with maternity specialty, chat with them about your options as only midwives (at least in Ontario) will attend home births. A simple transfer of care may be all that you need to carry your home birth wishes!

Remember! This is your body, your baby and your birth. Only you know what is right for you!

Having a doula present at your home birth provides a great deal of benefits, and we mesh incredibly well with the care of a midwife. While they are tending to your medical needs, we can provide emotional and mental support.

Put us to work! We're happy to head to your kitchen and make food to keep everyone energized. We can run out and grab supplies if they are needed. We can entertain older children if they are at home during the early stages of labour.

We can hold the space and help with the environment.

Wishing you all the best for a happy, safe, and healthy home birth!

xoxo
Shannon

How Life Trauma Can Impact Your Birth

It seems that this month we are talking all about the hard and challenging topics surrounding birth. At the beginning of the month, we talked about breastfeeding challenges. In the middle of the month, precipitous birth. And now? Trauma.

Trauma is something very real and very scary for alot of people, and yet something that we tend not to spend a whole lot of time talking about. And trauma can have different meanings to different people.

Rape
Divorce
Death of an important person
Abuse
Car accident
Injury
Bullying
Abortion
Miscarriage
Infant loss
Childhood experiences
Adult experiences

Trauma takes many, many forms and has a massive impact on your birth process (and postpartum recovery!)

How?

Well, most often when trauma hits, human beings tend to bury the emotions that are associated with that trauma. Fear, guilt, anger, despair, depression, sadness. There are so many emotions going on at one time, that it's often easier to bury them than to face them and let them go.

As we bury them, we hold onto them (rather unnecessarily) and then they creep up in situations that we don't expect....like birth! When hormones are running wild and you're being faced with a life changing event, it's reasonable to think that those buried emotions and experiences will come to the surface.

So, how do you deal with life trauma while you're pregnant? Isn't that just opening a can of worms, and inviting for stress during pregnancy?

Well, the best thing you can do (I speak from both personal experience and as a doula helping my clients through trauma) is to talk. Open up and talk about what has happened, acknowledge those emotions no matter how far deep they are buried and then let them go.

They serve you in no positive way.
You didn't do anything wrong at the time (or now).
You are whole and you are safe.
That past experience can no longer hurt you.
It won't happen again.
You are stronger than what happened to you.

Harness your own power and strength, and send the trauma on its way. Talking about your trauma may stir up emotions, but know that you are one step closer to releasing them and being free of them.

Chat with your doula, your partner, a trusted friend. Find an outlet like yoga or meditation to help you acknowledge and release.

xoxo
Shannon

The Fast and Furious: Precipitous Birth

Every one has a birth story...maybe it's theirs and maybe it's just one that they've heard once upon a time. Or maybe it's a video of a baby being born in a car on the way to the hospital.

That's right. I'm talking about faster than fast, precipitous birth.

So what does the term precipitous actually mean? Well in physical terms it means up on a precipice, extremely steep, and dangerous. As it relates to labour and birth, it means any type of leading to labour that may be considered exceptionally rapid or dangerous where there isn't enough time (technically, 3hrs from commencement of regular contractions) for things like comfort measures, changing positions or much else other than birthing your baby.

Sounds scary, right?

Well it can be, but with the right support and open communication with your care team, it doesn't have to be.

The best thing that you can do, since precipitous birth is completely unknown until it's happening, is to be an active participant in your care. Inform yourself of what birth and emergencies surrounding birth are so you're not caught off guard by medical terminology or chaos in your birth room.

If you feel like things are happening during labour maybe faster than you are prepared for, speak up. This is your body, birth and baby, so speak up and ask questions.

And have a backup plan. In the event that you're overwhelmed by what is going on in the birthing room, have someone there to ask you questions  and say things like ....

Are you ok?
Did you want to talk about our options?
Take a minute to breathe, and let's talk.
Let's find out more information.

Support from your partner during a precipitous birth is key, and know that they may be feeling overwhelmed as well. Having a doula present may take the load off both of you, allowing for calm and quiet to settle in amongst the chaos. A gentle hand on both mom's shoulder and partner's arm may be all that is needed to get through what is going on.

Support
Open communication
Active participant in your care

xo
Shannon

birthPrep: Pregnancy and Birth Education...online!

Did you know that you can take the full birthPrep: Pregnancy and Birth Education course from the comfort of you own home??

What can you expect from the online course? This course was created from a love of supporting and empowering women and their families throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

Be gentle and kind with yourself. No two pregnancies are the same, and no two families are the same. We encourage you to make the decisions that work best for you in this moment, knowing that it is perfectly ok for those decisions to change later on.

birthPrep will take you through....

• What to Expect During the Final Stages of Pregnancy
• Signs of Labour and the various Stages of Labour
• Comfort Measures for Labour and Birth
• Labour Positions and Why They Matter
• Your Options During Birth
• Standard Hospital Procedures
• Interventions and Why They May Happen

and so much more!

What are you waiting for? Register today and work through this conversational, compassionate and research based prenatal education course at your own pace! Our team is here to help and support you along the way!

xo
Shannon

Restoring Energy During Labour

Whether your labor ends up being 6 hours or 36 hours, at a certain point your energy stores will be depleted and you will feel exhausted. Your body is hard at work, and it's certainly difficult to labour effectively when you are wiped!

As a runner, I've learned overtime that I can't expect to perform well in a race environment if I sprint out of the gate, or if I don't fuel my body properly throughout the course. Hard lessons to learn, but they apply to childbirth as well.

There are a few things you can do during labour and birth to restore your energy, and they may not be things that you would originally think of.

Take a walk - a change of scenery can do wonders to restore your mental energy

Juice and water - staying hydrated is key to digging deep during the most strenuous endurance tests, so the same goes for labour!

Honey - popping a honey stick or sucking on a honey candy can provide the wonderful natural energy boost that honey provides!

Nap - if you're exhausted, your body may just need a nap to recover. If you're experiencing a long early labour, you may want to rest as much as you can to preserve your energy before active labour hits.

Talk to a friend - sounds weird, right? Have a conversation with a friend during labour? Well, sometimes a pep talk from a good friend who can help you see your strength is all you need to push through and continue!

Whatever brings you those happy, strong, confident feelings...do that. Follow your instincts and let others around you know when you need a break, a sip of juice, to go for a walk or just need some quiet time.

You're in control, mama! This is your birth - you call the shots!

xoxo
Shannon

What Is It Like To Be On-Call?

We are often asked during our consultations what it is like to be on-call, so I thought it would make an interesting editorial piece.

So, what's it really like to be on-call, and when does that even start? What does it mean?

Well, the on-call period for our clients really starts from the time that a family contracts our services to the 6 weeks following the birth of their baby. Now....typically, early on-call is lots of emails and texts, and as mama approaches 36/37 weeks gestation, their phone number gets moved to our favourites list with the loudest ringtone we can find in our options.

We answer every text and email promptly, and once that 36/37 week gestation time hits, we answer the phone regardless of the time of day.

So, what is that like from our perspective?

It's like every other day of the year.

While certainly our senses are heightened and we are filled with excitement and anticipation for our clients, we have a few rules surrounding the on-call time in the later stages of pregnancy.

We don't leave the city limits (unless planned prior to contract)
We don't drink alcohol
We have our ringer on high at all times (with vibration on as well)
We go to bed early
We make plans for backup and backup-backup child care
We have our bag packed and by the door
We have a change of clothes laid out in the bathroom for middle-of-the-night changes

In a few words, the on-call time is amazing. It is so exciting when the phone rings (regardless of time of day) and we are called into action. Witnessing birth is something truly incredible, and we wouldn't trade those moments for anything in the world.

xoxo
Shannon

How To Create a Positive Birth Envionment

Whether you give birth at home, at a birthing centre, at a hospital or in the car, being in control of your environment can go a very long way to a positive birth experience.

Think about things that bring you tranquility and peace.

Flickering candles - pack battery operated tea lights in your hospital bag

A focal point - a photo of someone or a place that has special significance to you. You can use this for visualization and distracting conversation during contractions to get your mind into a more peaceful state.

Music - making a playlist of songs and sounds that you find particularly soothing, or even one of just songs that are your absolute favourite to dance and sing to....both aid in a positive birth environment. I often tell my clients that music can unleash alot of hormones, oxytocin being one of them, because it brings forth an abundance of memories from when you last heard the particular song.

Cover the clock - Many women prefer to cover the clock in their birthing room, so as to block out the physical reminder of how long (or short) their labour has been.

Bring the comforts of home - Whether it is a favourite blanket or pillow, your own slippers, bath robe or pajamas, if you are birthing outside of your home, the easiest way to feel comfortable in your birthing room is to make it as much like your home as possible.

Being in control of elements such as these can give a great deal of in a situation where you can to give into the process and let your body take over.

Trust your instincts, as always, and prepare yourself for the best possible birth.

xoxo
Shannon

New Classes Starting Soon!

We have three new classes coming to North Yoga & Wellness in just two weeks, and they have something for everyone.

Shannon leads our Mindful Motherhood series, a class written specifically with mama's in mind. Over the course of an hour, for four weeks, we will spend time sharing our stories of motherhood, talking about who we are now and who we aspire to be. We will celebrate the small victories, and acknowledge the moments where we feel less than.

Each class will end with a meditation, where you can indulge in some weekly self care, sink back into the yoga mats, cozy up with a warm blanket and just be.

birthPrep is our four week childbirth education and birth prepartation class. This round is being led by Birth and Postpartum Doula Lisa, who provides a safe environment for parents to get to know their options, discuss them openly and find the path that is right for them.

There is no right or wrong way to birth your baby, or raise your family. We are here to help you navigate all of the options, provide you with nonjudgmental support and the information you need to make empowered decisions.

Shannon wraps up our Sunday classes with a fantastic four week session, Meditation for Stress Relief. Open to beginners and more advanced meditation practitioners, men and women alike - there is something for everyone at this practice.

Using soft spoken words, visualizations, candlelight, warm blankets and a safe environment, we encourage you to indulge in an hour of self-care time, let go of thoughts that don't serve you in a positive way and let the stress melt away.

To register for any of these classes, email us! info@sweetstellas.com

Meditation for Pregnancy and Birth

While birth can be chaotic and unpredictable (not always!), mentally preparing yourself for labour and birth can be a wonderful tool in finding a bit of control over your process.

When we set out to design a mala with Laure from My Mala Necklace, we wanted it to incorporate all of the elements that make up a mom.

Courage
Strength
Calm
Patience
Love

Sometimes these elements are difficult to find in ourselves, but by practicing a bit of meditation, holding your mala beads close to your heart and feeling the stones warm to your touch and energy, you might be surprised at what you find.

The courage to endure
The strength to push through
The calm and stillness between breaths
An intense amount of patience
And love
Abundant and unconditional love

In our meditation classes and on our podcasts, we talk about a love not only for those around us, our baby inside our belly, but also a love for ourselves. This is exceptionally important during pregnancy when our body is not our own, our hormones are raging and we are preparing for the unexpected.

Be gentle and kind with yourself
Hold yourself with an open heart
Be confident in your birth process

Whether you need to harness some confidence and inner strength (lava), feel some abundant and unconditional love (pink quartz), or inspire a sense of peace and calm for your birth (howlite), all of these elements live inside you. They grow with every breath you take, with every beat of your heart.

With every touch of your mala beads, these elements ignite within you and they prepare you for a beautiful birth experience, calm transition into motherhood, and the strength to endure, with patience and love.

 xoxo
Shannon

Not Just For Your Hair

If you peek inside my doula bag, you will find a small hair comb. You know the ones...they're plastic with pointy teeth.

It may seem strange, but a hard plastic comb from the dollar store can provide wonderful relief in a few different ways when you are in labour and giving birth.

As a distraction, you can grip the comb in your hand and apply pressure with the teeth of the comb against your palm. Be careful not to grip it too hard so as to prevent piercing the skin!

As a form of massage, having your partner or doula lightly running the teeth of the comb over your arm, thighs, back...it can provide a wonderful soothing sensation. Dim the lights and it can be quite tranquil!

Combs are wonderful tools to use during labour when you are seeking comfort measures that you can control. It's in your hand, you are able to apply as much pressure as you would like and you can toss it to the side as you see fit. You're able to still walk the halls, use the tub, labour as you would like and feels right for you, with your comb in hand.

xoxo
Shannon

February Workshop Announcements

Cheers to a new month! This month at North Yoga & Wellness we are bringing some awesome workshops on Sunday afternoons!

All of these workshops will be hosted at North Yoga & Wellness, 1615 North Routledge Park Road (Unit 23) in London, Ontario!

To register, email info@sweetstellas.com or call 519-719-3578

Tour of our Doula Bag

Another new feature this year...a look inside our doula bag! Every month, we will feature a different item from our doula bag, explain why we have it, what we use it for, and how it aids in your birth experience.

Stephanie giving a talk about our #doulabag! #ldnont #birthdoula #postpartumdoula

A photo posted by Shannon Moyer-Szemenyei (@sweetstellas) on Oct 24, 2015 at 9:02am PDT

Gum and Lollipops

These are items time and again that I consider actually taking out of our doula bag, but then all of a sudden...whamo! Mom gets sick to her stomach, or the air in the birthing suite at the hospital is just unbearably stale and Mom needs a lollipop to suck on.

Or....in a mad dash to get out of the house, I forget to brush my teeth!

Sometimes when labour is long and exhausting, and Mom unfortunately isn't allowed to eat anything and doesn't want another cup of ice, a lollipop or piece of gum is a nice alternative.

Essentially, life happens and sometimes all you need is a piece of gum to freshen up, or a lollipop as a distraction while you're having contractions and labouring in the tub.

No matter the reason, we have you covered.We stock peppermint Pur gum that is aspartame free, and a variety of lollipops, from cherry to rootbeer, strawberry to watermelon. My favourite lollipops are the Jolly Rancher ones, as they are incredibly flavourful!

xoxo
Shannon

5 Things You Need After Giving Birth

We all know to put a note on the garage door not to forget the camera, iPhone charger cord, spare change and credit cards as you dash out the door to go to the hospital to have your baby. But have you thought about the things that you need after birth?

Sleep

We strongly encourage you to limit the number of visitors that you have that first day when your babe arrives. Giving birth is exhausting, both physically and mentally. You will likely want a rest after birth, as will your baby, so take advantage of those quiet moments and sleep. Your family will be more understanding than you think, and there will be loads of time to visit with you and baby after you get some rest.

Food

If you are having a hospital birth, you likely will only be allowed clear fluids (tea, coffee, juice, popsicles, broth, gingerale) until after your baby is born. It is highly probable that you will be absolutely ravenous fairly immediately after birth. Most hospitals will offer you tea and toast with butter or jam. Now, if you have a doula attending your birth they will likely bring you snacks and goodies that they leave with you. However, if you don't, I highly recommend packing a small cooler or lunch bag with whatever you want to eat after birth. Apple fritter? Pack it. Wrap with a side salad? Pack it. Cheese and crackers? Pack that too. If it's not there, unfortunately you'll get toast.

A Shower

I didn't realize the importance of this until after our second birth, but having a shower and using your own shampoo and conditioner, body wash and moisturizer....it's personal space, warmth, a time for you to gather your thoughts and reflect on what your amazing body just accomplished. It's kind of like when you're sick and you have a hot shower; you just feel more human afterward. Remember to pack your blow dryer and hair straightener if you need them!

Your Own Clothes

With my first birth, I lived in the hospital gown pretty much until we were ready to get discharged. Since I was trying to breastfeed, I didn't see the point in getting dressed over and over and over. However! With my second, after a nap and a shower, I got into my own clothes (leggings, tank top and a cardigan) right away. It felt so good, so human, and so normal.

A Warm Blanket

There's a certain amount of shock that goes through our body after we give birth. As your hormones drop significantly immediately after, your may start to shiver and shake. It's totally normal, and a warm blanket will bring lots of comfort. If you have one that you love from home, bring it with you for your bed after you are transferred from the birthing suite to your room. Or, ask the nurses for one of the operating room warm blankets as they tend to be warming than the standard warm blankets (a tip my doula Jena shared with me!)

And here's a bonus one for you from Stephanie and Ashley!

Toilet Paper

You know what just happened down there, right? Do you really want to use the scratchy one-ply that the hospital provides? Get the good kind, and hide it from your spouse if you have to!

Do you have things to add to the list? Leave them in the comments!

xoxo
Shannon

Things I Never Thought I'd Say in Labour

You'll be seeing this theme of Things I Never Thought I'd Say throughout blog posts in the coming year. Ashley kicked it off nicely last month in talking about all of the weird, wonderful and gross things she never thought she would say in the first year of being a parent to an adorable little boy, and now I'm going to list some of the things I never thought I would say in labour!

That's stupid! (when being told to not push so hard, there may have been an F word in there too...)

Seriously, who says that to a pregnant woman? Don't push? Really?

Do you think I could get an iced coffee after this?

I totally pooped, didn't I?

Can I get an epidural? I definitely forgot that my pelvis is about to break in two!

Did you just ask if I can feel my leg? I can't feel anything!

Do you think we can watch another episode of Sex and The City before I have to push?

You're sure it's a boy? 

What if it's a girl?

We don't have a girl name!

Whoa...what was that? Is it out?

Oh my god I'm starving.

What are some of the things that you never thought you'd say during labour? With our first, I definitely topped off my epidural at every opportunity so I really felt nothing and had no concept of time. With our second labour, it was calm and I was relaxed. I watched SATC with my doula, Jena, while my husband had a nap on the cot beside my bed.

But man did I want an iced coffee and an apple fritter!!

xoxo
Shannon

Trust Your Body, Birth Your Baby

All too often during a prenatal appointment with a client, we hear things like...

but how will I know it's actually labour?
what if I can't handle it?
will I know when to go to the hospital?
I'm not sure I can do this.

When it comes right down to it, our bodies were made for birthing babies. What we lack is a profound trust in our body's ability to perform under...stress...fear...anxiety...in hospitals...at home...with too many people in the room...in emergency situations.

We lack a trust in ourselves to trust our instincts
We lack a trust in ourselves to trust our body's natural abilities
We lack a trust in ourselves

We strongly encourage you....let go of the negative associations with birth, contractions, hospitals, home, pain, and breathe in everything that is good. Think about the life that is inside of you; you made that! (with a little help!) He or she knows you by the beat of your heart, and soon...will know you by your smell, the soft sound of your voice and the closeness of your skin.

Trust your body.
It was made to bring your baby into this world and it knows exactly what it is doing to get them here safely.

Birth your baby.
Do it your way. Take control of your situation and circumstances, but be mindful to go with the flow of things, listening to your body and trusting it throughout the process.

We promise you; you will know when it is time, when it is real.

Just trust.

xoxo
Shannon

How Doula's Can Help, Even if it Isn't Your First Baby

So often I am asked but how can you help me? This is our second/third/fourth baby, we've done the labour thing before. I know what I'm doing.
  

The answer, very simply, is that no two pregnancies, labours or births are the same. Even our bodies, after they have been pregnant once, change and adapt to what it means to be pregnant.

Life changes the moment that your first baby is born. Colors are brighten, sounds are louder. Everything is more vibrant, fresher and more amazing.

Then comes that moment when you find yourself pregnant again, and life seems to stand still.

How will I parent two?
Is there enough love? 
Patience?
How am I going to survive being pregnant and parenting a toddler at the same time?
What do I do when I go into labour and Jr. needs to get to soccer practice?
What about the after?

With the support of a doula throughout your pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum, your transition can be made so much easier.

Labour and Birth

During labour, your doula is by your side every step of the way from the moment you call them, until an hour or so after the birth of your baby. When this is your second+ child, you may call your doula to help you labour at home, where their care can extend to other members of your family. If you are needing to rest, your doula can entertain older children to make sure you are getting the quiet time that you need.

Postpartum

Adding a new baby to your already awesome family dynamic can be a daunting thought, as can the thought of getting dinner on the table every night while tending to your baby and other children. Thankfully, a doula can swoop in with a food delivery. I often like to drop things off at a clients house, leaving a bag of goodies on their door. I text them on my way home to let them know there's a delivery, and never ever ring the bell (who knows when mama and babe might be napping!). It's like a visit from the magical food fairy! For more ideas on how a doula can help during postpartum, look here.

Ultimately, a doula is there to support you in whatever you need, be it getting you information on the newest birthing craze, or lending a supportive shoulder to cry on when you are feeling overwhelmed.

First baby or fifth baby, the support remains the same. Unconditional, unbiased and there right when you need it.