One of the most common phrases I hear the new mothers wonder about is, “Is my baby ok?” Since we are professionals in our clients’ homes, it is easy for new moms to ask us all kinds of questions relating to their baby’s overall health. Our role as doulas is non-medical and strictly informational support, […]
Helping New Mothers Continue reading »
“Imagine yourself in your special place.” As I write today, I am making plans for our annual family visit to a very special place—Campobello Island, New Brunswick. It is a very small island in the Bay of Fundy with a population of little more than 1000 people, limited cell phone service, and very sketchy internet
A Special Place Continue reading »
Networking has changed quite a bit from when I started in this field many, many moons ago. In a technological world, we are quickly becoming more connected and disconnected all at the same time. Before the Internet and social media was a thing, we used to have to actually make appointments with others and have
The Art of Networking Continue reading »
Presented By: Shari Criso MSN, RN, CNM, IBCLC Newborn babies will spend most of their early life, up to 16-17 hours per day sleeping. Beyond feeding and making sure that baby is getting everything they need to develop and grow optimally, we want to make sure that they are ALWAYS safe! As a Registered Nurse, a
Safe Sleep Support and Practical Advice for New Parents Continue reading »
Earlier this summer, I was walking to my mailbox when I spotted a snake on my sidewalk. It was a tiny ribbon snake, completely harmless, yet I was barefoot and I immediately jumped back. My heart was racing, my breathing rate increased, my palms got sweaty. And then, I noticed the snake wasn’t moving. It
Meet Your Cognitive Bias Continue reading »
Stereotypes hold their own birthing story. And, if we know anything as true advocates for birthing families, it’s that life is constantly evolving and taking on a new truth based on the context around it. Looking at life without the surrounding context is like taking a shortcut without considering the scenic route; you’ll never know
Building Inclusive Bridges with our Language Continue reading »
“My husband is going to act as my doula. What book should he read to prepare for that?” “The doctor diagnosed this, but I’m not sure he’s right. What do you think? Would you guys take this medicine?” [asked in a Facebook group] “I don’t need to have a degree to know how to read
The Loss of the Expert Continue reading »
A Cerebral Palsy Resource for Families Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that a child may be born with, caused by brain damage or brain malformation during fetal development. It is one of the most common disabilities of childhood and it is one that has no cure, although it also does not get progressively worse.
A Site Worth Sharing – Information on Cerebral Palsy Continue reading »
It has been a busy April in Kansas and the first week in May has been even busier. As I have spent time getting to know the “dance patterns” of the new little ones this week, it has also allowed me to spend time getting to know the breastfeeding momma too. I love building a
Making a Difference in Your Community – Become a CLE! Continue reading »
As a doula trainer for many years now, one of the most challenging concepts to instill in newer doulas is the idea of healthy boundaries with clients. Not the kind discussed in the scope of practice because those are pretty clear-cut, but instead, establishing when we will be available for routine questions and support. It
Establishing Healthy Boundaries Continue reading »
As a childbirth educator and labor doula trainer, one of my favorite topics is that of birthing hormones. Oxytocin, melatonin, endorphins, adrenaline and prolactin all work in synchronicity to help the birth process move forward. More specifically, melatonin acts as a catalyst to enhance the amount of natural oxytocin released. This in turn, causes the
Melatonin – Not Just Beneficial For “Jet Lag” Continue reading »
For the past two years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve on the planning committee for a community event: The Birth and Family Wellness Fair. This fair promotes holistic family health and birthing options. I have seen the positive effects this event has in our community and urge others to sponsor or support events like these in their areas. I worked with
Make the Connections Continue reading »
An increasing number of hospitals in the United States are offering nitrous oxide to women in labor since the FDA approved new equipment for use in labor in 2011. Among other things, a hospital is a business competing with neighboring hospitals for customers. If they get you to come there to birth, you could become
Nitrous Oxide in Labor and the Precautionary Principle Continue reading »
Your Cervix is Not a Crystal Ball While a cervical exam can offer a great snapshot of what’s happening right now, it’s not necessarily the best indicator of what may come. Neither is it really a great indicator of progress that’s already been made. It’s really just one small piece of a much bigger picture! Trust
Stuff Your Doula Says Continue reading »
When I first started working as a doula, I worried about what to do in my prenatal visits with families. Your prenatal visits are a place for you and your clients to get to know each other, build trust and begin to see you as a resource for their experience. You will also be demonstrating
The Value of Prenatal Visits Continue reading »
Birth can be a little unpredictable to say the least! If you work in this field long enough, you are sure to accumulate a few strange, crazy, and even hilarious stories along the way. At times, a birth experience may seem like an episode from “Who’s Line is it Anyway?”, an improv comedy game show
Who’s Birth is it Anyway? Continue reading »
Over the years, I have graciously and humbly watched my practice and experience grow and change. A decade ago I was flourishing as a private practice Labor doula and childbirth educator for clients fortunate enough to pay for such birth services. Today, I work with young women who have multiple struggles every day, from poverty
Connect More Continue reading »
We have all learned and become very educated about the importance of the first hour after birth, skin-to-skin contact, infant regulation, breastfeeding, etc. We know that infants who are allowed skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth for at least an hour are better breastfeeders. But does every baby become a better breastfeeder because of this practice?
A Preventative Approach to Early Breastfeeding Continue reading »
Recently, I was felled for 48 hours by a flu-like virus. Body aches, fever, cough. The works. One morning, my ten-year-old daughter asked me, “Mom, what’s it called when someone is sick, and you wish you were sick instead of them?” “That’s called empathy, sweetie,” I replied in a fog as I reached for my
A Bad Case of Empathy Continue reading »
You get the questions too, right? “Oh, you should talk to Kimberly, she is one of those lactation (or doula) people.” These questions come my way not just from moms but also from within the birth world about becoming a lactation consult vs a doula vs an educator. What role is right for each person,
2017…Is This Your Year to Add a New Role? Continue reading »
Recently, I was invited to present the Certified Lactation Educator Training at a state-of-the-art educational facility that was equipped with all the “bells and whistles.” The equipment was intimidating and resembled something I had seen recently while watching a futuristic, sci-fi movie. The retracting screen was the only equipment I was vaguely familiar with. Fortunately,
Who is Our Target Audience? Breastfeeding as a Universal Topic Continue reading »
I will never forget the off-hand comment that changed the course of my life forever. I was sitting in the living room of our first home, holding my fresh, newborn daughter, Willow Grace, just 5 days old. Our labor doula had come to our home for a postpartum visit. We happily discussed how breastfeeding was
It’s Not Everyone’s Dream Birth: Understanding the Emotions of a Fast Labor Continue reading »
How often have you heard the words “foremilk” and “hind milk”? What thoughts or phrases come to mind almost immediately when these words are discussed? Fat milk or high calorie milk Watery milk Lactose intolerance Green stools Milk imbalance Keep baby on one breast until he comes off on his own Feed baby only on
Breastmilk is Breastmilk! Continue reading »
Having lived a bit more than a half a century now, I find that one of my favorite words is “seasons.” Maybe because I’m a die-hard Pete Seeger fan and love the way he took words from Ecclesiastes and turned them into a catchy song, most notably made famous by The Byrd’s Turn, Turn, Turn. “There is a
The Season of Motherhood Continue reading »
“At Least You Have a Healthy Baby” – The Hidden Shame of Birth Trauma When you look at the probability of trauma in the course of a woman’s life, the statistics are high. One in three women will experience sexual abuse in her lifetime. One in four women will perceive her birth as traumatic. So,
The Hidden Shame of Birth Trauma Continue reading »
As a doula, childbirth educator, and doula trainer, as well as a mother who started in this business when my children were very young, I know all too well the need to make sure that I take care of myself. So what does that mean exactly? How do we, in one of the most
Doula-ing the Doula Continue reading »
Lactation education is vital for new moms and their support persons. Statistically, those who form a decision to breastfeed prenatally are more likely to be successful. Breastfeeding should not be considered a controversial topic. If we shared breastfeeding information the same way we educate on car seat safety and back-to-sleep practices, perhaps we would see
Lactation Education: Vital for New Moms Continue reading »
The young woman in front of me sat cross-legged in the hospital bed clutching her swaddled newborn with tears streaming down her face. This was her first birth. She’d had a C section the day before and she had no family with her in the room. Her partner was not available. For the present, he
Becoming Active Listeners: Love in Action Continue reading »
As 2015 comes to a close and I begin to look forward to the new year, I always contemplate what has worked well for me this year and what I would like to do differently next year. I don’t make resolutions. I do, however, like to create intentions, usually in the form of a word
A Doula Looks Forward to 2016 Continue reading »
In September of this year, the local birth and mental health communities in my area teamed up to hold a showing of the movie “Dark Side of the Full Moon.” If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly suggest that you find or sponsor a screening. It follows two women on their two-year journey to understand
Maternal Mental Health: Our Role as Birth Professionals Continue reading »
November is the month when most of us begin to focus in on what we are grateful for. It is a month that marks the beginning of the holiday season for many, and while we wish to express gratitude, it can also be a time of intense stress and exhaustion. This can be intensified for
Breathe, Baby, Breathe Continue reading »
It was 21 years ago that I first saw the movie Forrest Gump. I remember having a wide array of emotions while watching that movie for the first time and walking out of the theater feeling inspired. I find that each time I watch the movie I take away more and more life lessons.
Life Lessons for Doulas: Inspired by Forrest Gump Continue reading »
As an educator, doula, nurse, or lactation professional, how many times have you heard that birth cures preeclampsia? Is this true? A cure is “a complete or permanent solution or remedy; a recovery or relief from disease” (Merriam-Webster, 2013, para 1). As the following quote details, preeclampsia does not always just disappear with the birth
Preeclampsia: The Cure is Birth, or Is It? Continue reading »
After I became a Mom, I finally felt a “belonging” in my life. I could look at any Mother anywhere and feel we shared a connection, without even exchanging a word. I began my studies to be a doula the year after my son was born. I wanted to share with women, teach women, and
Are You A New Doula? Valuable Tips for Your New Journey Continue reading »
Essential oils: the original medicine. They’ve been around for thousands of years, and recently, they have gained in popularity. It seems like everyone is using them – or at the very least hearing about them. In my own family, we’ve started using essential oils on a daily basis for a wide variety of ailments and have
The Use of Essential Oils and the CAPPA Professional’s Scope of Practice Continue reading »
15 years ago, when I first started in this work, I went to a conference from another organization about childbirth education. There was such a vast knowledge base there that was so far beyond what I knew as a newbie. I was enthralled all weekend. I thought, as time went on, that the high I
Celebrating CAPPA Conference 2015! Continue reading »
There are many aspects to the job description of the postpartum doula. One of the greatest of these is the confidence and education we can give to a family. As you step through the door for the first time post birth, your job is to listen and observe. How are the parents coping with their
Postpartum Doulas Teach Tummy Time Continue reading »
As a doula, I use many skills. Each birth requires a unique ability to choose the combination of those skills that best fits this woman at this birth. One of the skills that maybe isn’t so obvious is my “eye for birth.” Using my eye for birth is a skill that has sharpened
I’m A Doula. What’s Your Superpower? Continue reading »
CAPPA Summary of “Safe Prevention of the Primary Cesarean Delivery” developed by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Read the full document here. An integral part of the CAPPA mission is to support the right of families to make informed decisions about pregnancy, childbirth, the
There are a few pieces of education that can prevent unnecessary supplementation of formula or unintentional weaning. One problem is that many people misinterpret baby behavior. A baby communicates various ways. He uses body language, head movements, hand gestures, and crying as forms of expression. The crying stage is usually what brings on
The Slippery Slope of Supplementation Continue reading »
I know the value of a doula in hospital, but I have to say that I really love a good homebirth gig! I am referencing homebirths attended by a legally recognized and skilled care provider, usually a midwife. Our presence at an intentionally unassisted birth is out of the CAPPA Labor Doula Scope of Practice
Happy Home Birthing: Helpful Doula Tips Continue reading »
As a postpartum doula, I meet all different kinds of families. Each family that has called a Postpartum Doula has invited them into their home as an extra set of loving hands and a brain to pick about what to expect from their newborn. In most cases, parents have read nearly a dozen books to prepare
Why Scheduling Your Newborn is Harmful Continue reading »
If you frequent labor doula forums and groups, this question comes up almost daily. Some common scenarios include: My client has been having contractions for about 2 hours every night but they stall out before morning. My client has been having sporadic contractions for the past 12 hours and they aren’t getting stronger or coming
How Can I Help My Client “Get Labor Going”? Continue reading »
In your time of need… This is a note to your future self if you are just starting out or a reminder to those who have been giving of yourself for many, many years. Entering this work, I doubt any of us expected the sisterhood we would find. Maybe you come from a past employment history
Doula Sisterhood: A World of Supportive Women Continue reading »
The question I hear most frequently from new doulas is “How do I get clients?” We want to do this work; we want to support and serve, AND earn an income for our families as well. But how does one get started doing a new thing? Everyone says network, network, network. But HOW? And what
Market Your Doula Business: Too Shy to Network? Continue reading »
How to focus Mom’s Attention on Building a Secure Attachment As a postpartum home visitor for a local non-profit, I provide a series of three visits for all moms who are discharged from the hospital with their newborn. I never know what I’ll find when I visit a home with a baby less than 7
Building a Secure Attachment with your Baby Continue reading »