It's OK to need and ask for help learning to breastfeed.
It gets better and easier each time I nurse.
I am making plenty of milk for my baby.
My new baby is learning to breastfeed with me.
In the next few days or so it will get much easier.
I am doing my best.
I am creating a special bond with my nursling.
I am providing my baby with the best nutrition possible.
I will try this one more day, week, month.
This too shall pass. My breasts were made for feeding.
My breasts are perfect.
Breasts are life-sustaining.
Without breastfeeding there would be no human race.
I will breastfeed, I can breastfeed.
Breast milk is life milk.
Woman has maintained and saved lives with her breasts since the beginning of motherhood. I am woman.
My breasts belong to me and my baby.
When my baby fusses, it is not a reflection of me, my parenting or my ability to nurse.
It’s okay if my baby nurses frequently. Babyhood passes quickly and this time is worth it.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Preventing Postpartum Depression
PPD can happen to anyone, regardless of how many babies you've birthed or who you are. The best that you can do is be educated about post partum depression and the warning signs. Here's a list of tips to prevent and cope with Post Partum Depression.
- Take Omega 3’s
- Get sunshine daily and fresh air
- Take Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin)
- Evening Primrose Oil Capsules
- Exercise
- Get help with baby, housework and take some time for yourself
- Prayer
- Mama Calm supplement
- Drink plenty of water
- Get plenty of sleep- sleep with your baby to ensure everyone is getting enough rest
- Nurse your baby- it releases the love hormone- oxytocin- which helps us feel better
- Process your birth so you understand why/what happened
- Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
- Aromatherapy
- Acupressure/acupuncture
- Chiropractic care
- Yoga
- Relaxation
- Massage
- Keep a journal of your thoughts
Monday, February 28, 2011
All About Me
I am a wife, mother, daughter, friend and I am a Christian above all. My two beautiful children make my life very interesting and filled with love. Their birth experiences were completely different, but both amazing, and the reason I became a doula. My dream is to see mamas and papas completely supported and loved throughout their transition into this new place in life. Birth is transforming, and I wish every parent to know a fully empowered birth experience.
I am both a birth and postpartum doula. I attend both hospital and home births in all of Northern Arizona including Cottonwood, Sedona, Flagstaff, Prescott and Prescott Valley. I have been certified for one year with Blessed Expectations Birth Services. I am DONA trained in lactation and will hold a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor certificate after this summer. I have attended 6 births.
As a birth doula, I meet with you 3 times before the birth. The initial consultation is free of charge. The second meeting is to talk over your birth plan. The third meeting is the relaxation meeting at your home where we go over relaxation scripts and I give you a foot massage. I have many ideas for initiating labor or to just distract yourself when you are overdue or ready for baby to come. When it is birth day, I meet you at your place of birth and stay with you until 2 hours postpartum or until mom and baby are resting and breastfeeding. I can help with the initial breastfeeding. A few weeks after birth day, I come to your home and meet with you postpartum, going over what happened on your birth day and making sure you are settling in to this new family successfully.
My passion is for VBAC moms, since I am a VBAC mom myself. I also love to work with repeat clients, teen moms, and people needing special help. I would love to talk to you about the birth of your dreams, and how I can come alongside you to help you achieve your dream. This is YOUR body, YOUR baby, and YOUR birth. You are in control.
As a postpartum doula, I come into your home a few days after your baby is born and you’ve had a few days to adjust. We meet before your due date to go over what you would like help with after baby is born. My duties include light meal preparation, light housekeeping, caring for other siblings, and holding baby while mom gets needed rest or shower. I believe the first month postpartum is your Babymoon and you should be Queen!
I wish to come alongside you and help make your birth and postpartum sweet!
I am both a birth and postpartum doula. I attend both hospital and home births in all of Northern Arizona including Cottonwood, Sedona, Flagstaff, Prescott and Prescott Valley. I have been certified for one year with Blessed Expectations Birth Services. I am DONA trained in lactation and will hold a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor certificate after this summer. I have attended 6 births.
As a birth doula, I meet with you 3 times before the birth. The initial consultation is free of charge. The second meeting is to talk over your birth plan. The third meeting is the relaxation meeting at your home where we go over relaxation scripts and I give you a foot massage. I have many ideas for initiating labor or to just distract yourself when you are overdue or ready for baby to come. When it is birth day, I meet you at your place of birth and stay with you until 2 hours postpartum or until mom and baby are resting and breastfeeding. I can help with the initial breastfeeding. A few weeks after birth day, I come to your home and meet with you postpartum, going over what happened on your birth day and making sure you are settling in to this new family successfully.
My passion is for VBAC moms, since I am a VBAC mom myself. I also love to work with repeat clients, teen moms, and people needing special help. I would love to talk to you about the birth of your dreams, and how I can come alongside you to help you achieve your dream. This is YOUR body, YOUR baby, and YOUR birth. You are in control.
As a postpartum doula, I come into your home a few days after your baby is born and you’ve had a few days to adjust. We meet before your due date to go over what you would like help with after baby is born. My duties include light meal preparation, light housekeeping, caring for other siblings, and holding baby while mom gets needed rest or shower. I believe the first month postpartum is your Babymoon and you should be Queen!
I wish to come alongside you and help make your birth and postpartum sweet!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Postpartum Bath Herb Recipe
Postpartum Bath Herbs can be used in your bathtub immediately after delivery. These herbs will aid in postpartum healing. Here's the recipe I use and give to my doula clients at our postpartum visit.
Handful of calendula
Handful of chamomile
Handful of chickweed
About 1 cupful of pink/grey sea salt
Wrap in cheese cloth cut to size
Tie with pretty bow
Place whole bag of herbs in a warm bath. Baby can enjoy bath with you! Have someone checking you to make sure you are safe while bathing shortly after birth. Love!
Handful of calendula
Handful of chamomile
Handful of chickweed
About 1 cupful of pink/grey sea salt
Wrap in cheese cloth cut to size
Tie with pretty bow
Place whole bag of herbs in a warm bath. Baby can enjoy bath with you! Have someone checking you to make sure you are safe while bathing shortly after birth. Love!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
My Favorite Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
And I've tried them all! This is organic, smooth and very sippable. The others I've tried tend to be somewhat bitter unless you add a ton of honey or other sweetner. It comes loose leaf, so you will have to figure out a way to sift it out or I use a special tea spoon that scoops the tea, allows it to brew quietly in your cup, and then easily pull the spoon out with none of those floaty little leaves swimming around. Delicious with a bit of raw honey! Good for women of all ages, and especially good for blooming mamas preparing for birth. Great to drink while in labor.
http://www.compleatmother.com/tea_company.htm
http://www.compleatmother.com/tea_company.htm
Sunday, February 20, 2011
My VBAC birth story
I was due October 28th with little girl B. My doctors were not in a hurry to rush things along, they were so patient with me and my overbaked little bundle. I lost my mucus plug Sunday and Monday. Monday I had a doctor's appointment, and I was pretty sure she was going to send me straight to the hospital. I was only 2 cm dilated at the appointment, so I went home.
Tuesday November 4th was a regular day. I felt absolutely wonderful because I got a great night's sleep the night before. Thank goodness, because I would not have been able to do all the hard work my body was getting ready for. Justin came home from work a little early that day. He trimmed a tree in our backyard, and I got dinner cooking. We ate dinner (little did I know this was the last thing I would eat until Thursday morning!!!) and then we ran errands. We got a car wash, got gas, went to Walmart for diapers. I even got to indulge and get a pedicure at the nail place in Walmart!! It was a spur of the moment thing.
When we got home, we were just hanging out. It was getting so late- way past Eli's bedtime. Then I felt the contraction. I told Justin to take his sub plans back to work because we were leaving for Phoenix. He was gone about a half an hour. My contractions were coming about 10 minutes apart, 45-55 seconds long. We got everyone in the car and started our trek to the hospital about an hour and 45 minutes away. Justin was driving so carefully- if I had been in any harder labor I would not have wanted him to drive that way.
I called my doula to tell her to meet us at the hospital. She was surprised because she thought we would meet at my mom's and I would labor there until the last possible moment. I was too scared!! When we got to the emergency room, it was about midnight. My dear mom came and picked Eli up and give me a quick hug of encouragement. They wheeled me through the hospital back to OB triage. Jen (our doula) met us there and immediately she knew this was the real thing. She started working on breathing right away. I had to sign some dumb paperwork and my hands weren't even working, so I felt really stupid. I also told the nurse I was going to wear my own clothes and not the stupid gown, so I was definitely making my requests known and my presence felt. I don't know how long I was in triage, but it felt like an eternity. I just wanted to get back to my own room where it could be private. The nurse in triage checked me, and I was only dilated to 4cm. I kept saying how I wish I hadn't eaten so much dinner, and then I threw it all up.
When I finally was assigned a room, the real work began. Jen got a heating pad for my back, and did hip squeezes which really helped relieve my back pain. I also walked the halls for a few minutes until I felt like I wouldn't make it back to my room. I got in the hot shower, and that worked well for a while. My doula also had scented oils she rubbed my feet with, and had a little candle burning to help make the mood in the room one of peace.
The back pain was mostly from the baby being posterior. My chiropractor had helped me turn the baby, but she just wanted to lie pretty much sideways in there. To try and turn her, I did lunges, which is known to help rotate baby so that they can come out facing down and not up. From Eli and Abbey's births, I know that I must carry my babies posterior.
I dilated to a 6 by 8am. I was doing pretty good and handling each contraction as it came, but the back pain would not let up. Between contractions, I had a little break, but there was no break to the back pain. So at 9am I opted to have an epidural. First I had to have an IV, which took them 4 tries to get in. The anesthesiologist took 2 tries to get my epidural right. Urgh!! But I felt sooooo much better... I could finally relax.
At lunchtime, I was only dilated to a 7. Dr. Thompson came and checked on me and we decided together to break my water. We thought that would engage the head and work my cervix a little more. I kept visualizing my cervix opening and the baby coming out. At 5pm, Dr. Johnstone came and asked me if I had had enough, if I just wanted a c section or if I wanted to start a small drip of pitocin (a labor strengthening drug) to see if things could progress. I opted for pitocin because I wanted to give myself another chance at a vaginal delivery. So they started at a 2 with the pitocin, and only got up to 14 because I was finally fully dilated and effaced and baby at a +2 station at 10 pm. They called Dr. Johnstone back because I was ready to push!!!!
My doula had suggested laboring down, which means giving the baby a chance to come down even further and the uterus work without me having to do anything. Well, I wasn't given that option by the doctors or the nurses. Dr. Johnstone said she would give me 2 hours to push, and if nothing happened, they would do a c section. They backed off on the epidural so I could feel more pressure and heat. At first, I had no idea how to push, but I got the hang of it. It was really hard pushing and not being able to breathe very much between pushes.
Justin, Jen, the nurse (who herself had had a VBAC), and Dr. johnstone were doing a great job of coaching me and encouraging me. They could see Abbey's hair and said it was long enough to braid! The nurse even told me to feel her head down there. That was so encouraging for me. But after 2 hours of pushing, I wasn't getting very far and the baby's head was not coming down with each contraction and push. I kept telling the doctor to give me just a little longer, that I could do it. Contractions were coming so hard that I could feel the urge before the monitors even knew. I wanted to push 4 times through each contraction instead of the 3 they were making me do. I was starting to take charge of myself!! It felt so good!!!
Dr. Johnstone stepped out of the room to call and check on another laboring mama at another hospital. While she was gone I gave the hardest pushes I could. Justin was yelling at me to "Get that baby out!" When the pushing counting was over, and everyone was silent, there was this moment in time when everything changed. All of us heard a loud snap, and Abbey's head moved forward and almost out. That snap was my tailbone breaking!! It was in the way for her head to come through.
The most amazing moments followed that snap. The room turned into chaos! The nurse yelled for the doctor and more nurses. The doctor frantically got her delivery scrubs on and delivery tools were made ready. Someone rolled a huge mirror so I could see the birth take place. The doctor noted how she could see the baby turning in the birth canal. So even with a posterior baby, they can change position as they are born! With only around 3 more pushes, Abbey's head came out. The rest was so easy, I think her body just came sliding out with ease and with the doctor slightly pulling.
It felt INCREDIBLE to push my baby out. They placed her right on my chest the moment she was born. I could not believe that this huge thing made it through there. I DID it, when not a lot of doctors believed I could. Justin was just absolutely beaming with pride and he couldn't stop saying how great I did and how much he loved me. He even got to cut the cord! Jen kept saying how no one could take that experience away from me.
After 24 hours of labor, with 2.5 of those being pushing stage, I pushed my daughter into this world. I have no idea how my body had the strength to do it. All I know is that I asked the Lord to give me the gift of a vaginal birth with a healthy baby and mama and HE did it.
Tuesday November 4th was a regular day. I felt absolutely wonderful because I got a great night's sleep the night before. Thank goodness, because I would not have been able to do all the hard work my body was getting ready for. Justin came home from work a little early that day. He trimmed a tree in our backyard, and I got dinner cooking. We ate dinner (little did I know this was the last thing I would eat until Thursday morning!!!) and then we ran errands. We got a car wash, got gas, went to Walmart for diapers. I even got to indulge and get a pedicure at the nail place in Walmart!! It was a spur of the moment thing.
When we got home, we were just hanging out. It was getting so late- way past Eli's bedtime. Then I felt the contraction. I told Justin to take his sub plans back to work because we were leaving for Phoenix. He was gone about a half an hour. My contractions were coming about 10 minutes apart, 45-55 seconds long. We got everyone in the car and started our trek to the hospital about an hour and 45 minutes away. Justin was driving so carefully- if I had been in any harder labor I would not have wanted him to drive that way.
I called my doula to tell her to meet us at the hospital. She was surprised because she thought we would meet at my mom's and I would labor there until the last possible moment. I was too scared!! When we got to the emergency room, it was about midnight. My dear mom came and picked Eli up and give me a quick hug of encouragement. They wheeled me through the hospital back to OB triage. Jen (our doula) met us there and immediately she knew this was the real thing. She started working on breathing right away. I had to sign some dumb paperwork and my hands weren't even working, so I felt really stupid. I also told the nurse I was going to wear my own clothes and not the stupid gown, so I was definitely making my requests known and my presence felt. I don't know how long I was in triage, but it felt like an eternity. I just wanted to get back to my own room where it could be private. The nurse in triage checked me, and I was only dilated to 4cm. I kept saying how I wish I hadn't eaten so much dinner, and then I threw it all up.
When I finally was assigned a room, the real work began. Jen got a heating pad for my back, and did hip squeezes which really helped relieve my back pain. I also walked the halls for a few minutes until I felt like I wouldn't make it back to my room. I got in the hot shower, and that worked well for a while. My doula also had scented oils she rubbed my feet with, and had a little candle burning to help make the mood in the room one of peace.
The back pain was mostly from the baby being posterior. My chiropractor had helped me turn the baby, but she just wanted to lie pretty much sideways in there. To try and turn her, I did lunges, which is known to help rotate baby so that they can come out facing down and not up. From Eli and Abbey's births, I know that I must carry my babies posterior.
I dilated to a 6 by 8am. I was doing pretty good and handling each contraction as it came, but the back pain would not let up. Between contractions, I had a little break, but there was no break to the back pain. So at 9am I opted to have an epidural. First I had to have an IV, which took them 4 tries to get in. The anesthesiologist took 2 tries to get my epidural right. Urgh!! But I felt sooooo much better... I could finally relax.
At lunchtime, I was only dilated to a 7. Dr. Thompson came and checked on me and we decided together to break my water. We thought that would engage the head and work my cervix a little more. I kept visualizing my cervix opening and the baby coming out. At 5pm, Dr. Johnstone came and asked me if I had had enough, if I just wanted a c section or if I wanted to start a small drip of pitocin (a labor strengthening drug) to see if things could progress. I opted for pitocin because I wanted to give myself another chance at a vaginal delivery. So they started at a 2 with the pitocin, and only got up to 14 because I was finally fully dilated and effaced and baby at a +2 station at 10 pm. They called Dr. Johnstone back because I was ready to push!!!!
My doula had suggested laboring down, which means giving the baby a chance to come down even further and the uterus work without me having to do anything. Well, I wasn't given that option by the doctors or the nurses. Dr. Johnstone said she would give me 2 hours to push, and if nothing happened, they would do a c section. They backed off on the epidural so I could feel more pressure and heat. At first, I had no idea how to push, but I got the hang of it. It was really hard pushing and not being able to breathe very much between pushes.
Justin, Jen, the nurse (who herself had had a VBAC), and Dr. johnstone were doing a great job of coaching me and encouraging me. They could see Abbey's hair and said it was long enough to braid! The nurse even told me to feel her head down there. That was so encouraging for me. But after 2 hours of pushing, I wasn't getting very far and the baby's head was not coming down with each contraction and push. I kept telling the doctor to give me just a little longer, that I could do it. Contractions were coming so hard that I could feel the urge before the monitors even knew. I wanted to push 4 times through each contraction instead of the 3 they were making me do. I was starting to take charge of myself!! It felt so good!!!
Dr. Johnstone stepped out of the room to call and check on another laboring mama at another hospital. While she was gone I gave the hardest pushes I could. Justin was yelling at me to "Get that baby out!" When the pushing counting was over, and everyone was silent, there was this moment in time when everything changed. All of us heard a loud snap, and Abbey's head moved forward and almost out. That snap was my tailbone breaking!! It was in the way for her head to come through.
The most amazing moments followed that snap. The room turned into chaos! The nurse yelled for the doctor and more nurses. The doctor frantically got her delivery scrubs on and delivery tools were made ready. Someone rolled a huge mirror so I could see the birth take place. The doctor noted how she could see the baby turning in the birth canal. So even with a posterior baby, they can change position as they are born! With only around 3 more pushes, Abbey's head came out. The rest was so easy, I think her body just came sliding out with ease and with the doctor slightly pulling.
It felt INCREDIBLE to push my baby out. They placed her right on my chest the moment she was born. I could not believe that this huge thing made it through there. I DID it, when not a lot of doctors believed I could. Justin was just absolutely beaming with pride and he couldn't stop saying how great I did and how much he loved me. He even got to cut the cord! Jen kept saying how no one could take that experience away from me.
After 24 hours of labor, with 2.5 of those being pushing stage, I pushed my daughter into this world. I have no idea how my body had the strength to do it. All I know is that I asked the Lord to give me the gift of a vaginal birth with a healthy baby and mama and HE did it.
Relaxation techniques for a happy, healthy pregnancy
Massage- hand, foot, whole body~ by professional or by your partner
Deep Breathing- breathe in and out deeply and calmly.
Visualizing yourself in a tranquil setting (i.e. warm sandy beach, cool quiet forest, sitting under a tree in a park, or somewhere you have happy memories.) Sometimes a picture or photograph helps get your imagination started.
Stretching and walking~ light exercise and stretching can help relive tension and stress.
Aromatherapy. Safe essential oil scents for pregnancy include: rose, lavender, neroli, jasmine, ylang-
ylang and chamomile
Music~ listening to your favorite music, piano, or nature sounds
Drink plenty of water your body weight divided by 2 in ounces everyday
Get adequate nutrition for your growing baby
Talk it over with friends, loved ones, anyone who will listen
Reduce your workload~ eliminate some of the things on your to-do list
Get plenty of sleep
Deep Breathing- breathe in and out deeply and calmly.
Visualizing yourself in a tranquil setting (i.e. warm sandy beach, cool quiet forest, sitting under a tree in a park, or somewhere you have happy memories.) Sometimes a picture or photograph helps get your imagination started.
Stretching and walking~ light exercise and stretching can help relive tension and stress.
Aromatherapy. Safe essential oil scents for pregnancy include: rose, lavender, neroli, jasmine, ylang-
ylang and chamomile
Music~ listening to your favorite music, piano, or nature sounds
Drink plenty of water your body weight divided by 2 in ounces everyday
Get adequate nutrition for your growing baby
Talk it over with friends, loved ones, anyone who will listen
Reduce your workload~ eliminate some of the things on your to-do list
Get plenty of sleep
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