I just had yet another family–they only hired me for postpartum support, so didn’t get my normal spiel about postpartum care while we had prenatals together–tell me “we just don’t talk about what postpartum is actually like nearly enough in our society!” I KNOW. Believe me, I’m trying. Hence, this series of posts about some … More Precious Postpartum, Pt. 2: Essential Rest
I know. Not only has the last month of pregnancy been ridiculously uncomfortable, but you really, really want to hold your baby in your arms and get to see their little face and kiss those tiny hands. Maybe your due date has come and gone, and that’s just not fair. It is time for labor … More What Do I Do When: My contractions slow down or stop?
Recently, a client sent me the above image with the words “It’s happened! My water broke! Water everywhere!” We’d all been waiting for that baby to start to make their appearance, so this message was full of joy. One way or another, those parents were going to get to meet their little one within a … More What To Do When: your water breaks….
Over a year ago, I sat down to an interview with a particularly warm and outgoing mom. I think I knew within seconds that I would just love her, but then she asked me something that totally had me flummoxed: “So, tell me about yourself–just you. What do you like to do? Who are you?” … More Speed-Date the Doula
My goal for this series (see my top three recommendations for Pregnancy and Labor & Birth) has been to have concise lists of resources that are easy to add to your life. The thing is, pregnancy is a long, slow process with plenty of time to learn and adjust, and labor only lasts about a … More My Top Three–err—Four for Postpartum
Several months ago, I realized that I had an inner list of three things I just wished every one of my clients would look at when they were preparing for their baby, and then realized I had some favorites for each of the stages of a childbirthing year: 1. Moving through Pregnancy, 2. Working with … More My Top Three: Labor and Birth
Several months ago, I realized that I had an inner list of three things I just wished every one of my clients would look at when they were preparing for their baby, and then realized I had some favorites for each of the stages of a childbirthing year: 1. Moving through Pregnancy, 2. Working with … More Top Three: Pregnancy
Can you guess what the most common complication is when having a child? Hemorrhoids? Nope. Elevated Blood Pressure? Not it, either. Blood loss? Could be likely, but no. When having a baby, the most common complication is a PMAD. If that’s a new acronym for you, it stands for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder. Google … More The #1 Pregnancy and Birth Complication
Years ago, I realized that I was spending nearly one-quarter to one-third of my time in prenatals discussing postpartum plans. I had families–in plural–tell me of the pressure they felt after their firstborn to “bounce back” and “have it all together” within a week of giving birth. I would say things like “if the body … More I’m ready!
I may be dating myself a wee bit here, but one of the movies I got a huge kick out of when I was a teen was “Clueless.” There’s this one scene where Cher (the main character who really has no idea what she’s doing) is trying to “improve” her new friend Tai, and sets … More A New Word For The Day (Or Year)
Snohomish County Doula 