Check out our blogs about yoga, birth & parenthood!
I am probably a bit biased about the importance of taking a childbirth education class given I am a certified Lamaze teacher. Given that, I am always surprised when a student asks me if this is something she and her partner really need to invest time and money in to. I try to be diplomatic […]
Childbirth Education Classes Why? When? Where? Read More »
I feel very fortunate that I have a fair amount of control over my work schedule (just one of the perks of owning my own business!). I have decided that at 37 weeks pregnant I will slow my schedule down and stop teaching my regularly scheduled prenatal and postnatal classes. This has been a very
Over Exhaustion During Pregnancy: What to do? Read More »
Over the past few weeks, it seems that my pregnancy has become public domain for all to comment on, and even reach out and touch! It is probably a combination of hitting the 3rd trimester growth spurt and no longer donning a heavier jacket, revealing my blossoming belly. I have heard students complaining of this
Is Pregnancy Public Domain? Read More »
About three and a half years ago, I traveled Summertown, Tennessee to study at the renowned midwifery center, The Farm. The Farm Midwifery Center offers an in depth Midwifery Assistant course to those interested in deepening their knowledge of childbirth education and midwifery practice, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to go. This amazing
The Lost Art of Touch Read More »
For the past 20 years, labor induction and the cesarean rate in the US has been on a steady incline. Currently, approximately 30% of women are giving birth via cesarean and more than 22% of women are being induced, according to ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists). The presumption is that with the increase
Medical Intervention, Helpful or Not? Read More »
The other night, my husband (Joey) and I were discussing our close friend’s labor. For the last few days things have been slowly progressing. However, mom and baby seem to be doing well, so there has not been any intervention given. Joey asked me why some labors take longer then others. That is certainly a
For years I have been advocating for women to have an open and honest relationship with their care provider, both before and during labor. Needless to say, I was surprised that I had such a hard time communicating with my midwife when I felt displeased with the way things had been going. Specifically, most of
Talking Openly and Honestly With Your Care Provider Read More »
“Should I practice yoga during my 1st trimester?” is a question that I am asked quite frequently. Like so many pregnancy topics, you’ll come across a variety of opinions and ideas, many of which conflict. One teacher I know believes it is inappropriate to practice during the 1st trimester, while another teacher I spoke with
Yoga In the First Trimester Read More »
Theory may not always translate into reality. I am speaking more specifically of pain management and relaxation techniques. We start all of our prenatal yoga classes with several minutes of relaxation, deep breathing and some sort of pranayama or relaxation exercise. Many of the women look very much at peace and able to incorporate these
Practice Makes Perfect – Even Practicing for Labor! Read More »
The particular event that inspired me to write this blog occurred last week. I was teaching a private childbirth education when we approached the subject of induction. My student is a second time mother, and she mentioned that she was thinking of getting induced at 38 weeks (the same time she had her fist child).
Understanding Labor Induction Read More »
I promised myself that as I progressed further along in my pregnancy, I would try to strike a balance in my blogs between sharing my personal insight and continuing the educational intention of this blog. Today, you get a commentary from me! I am frequently asked if my teaching has changed now that I am
The Pregnant Teacher Read More »
When I first announced to my mom that I was pregnant, she was so excited and soon proudly said, “I am going to offer you exactly what my mother offered me after Craig (my brother) was born. A baby nurse!” I graciously said thank you for that generous gift and asked if she would mind
What is the Difference Between a Postpartum Doula & Baby Nurse? Read More »
About 5 years ago, I was on a bike trip through Tuscany. When I was planning this trip all I heard about were the beautiful hills of Tuscany and the great food and wine that I would enjoy. Well, the food and wine were magnificent, but the beautiful hills of Tuscany were more like beautiful
Mantras: A Tool for Birth and Beyond! Read More »
To be honest, I had not really thought about this topic until one of my postnatal students reappeared in my prenatal yoga class. I was thrilled to see her back on the other side for another round of prenatal yoga with us! After chatting for a bit, she explained that her doctor advised her to
Breastfeeding While Pregnant? Read More »
There is a running joke amongst Labor and Delivery Nurses about birth plans. It goes something like this, “What do you call a woman that comes in and presents her birth plan to the staff? The next cesarean section.” Now don’t get me wrong, I do have a sense of humor, but I don’t really
Birth Plan A, B and C Read More »
Currently, about a third of mothers in the United States give birth by cesarean section. Since a cesarean takes place in the sterile, cold environment of an operating room, it can be forgotten that this is still a life changing moment for the parents. With that in mind, here are some ideas that can help
Keeping A Cesarean Birth As Intimate As Possible Read More »
My doctor warned me that my first trimester would probably be difficult. I didn’t really fully comprehend what that would mean. Most of the students that I encounter at the Prenatal Yoga Center are in their second or third trimester. We do have the occasional first trimester student that comes earlier, but it is rare.
My Impressions of the First Trimester Read More »
Whenever I tell people that I “moonlight” as a labor support doula, they say “a what???” A labor support doula- a woman that offers continuous physical and emotional support to a laboring woman. Even after that explanation, I still often receive slightly confused looks. Although, the idea of having continuous support for a laboring mother
The Importance of Continuous Labor Support Read More »
Approximately 10% of women will have their water break before the onset of labor. So for the other 90% out there, they will either face the choice of an amniotomy (breaking of the amniotic sac) or have their membranes rupture on their own, called spontaneous rupture of the membrane (SPOM). Why do I even bring
Amniotomy: To Break or Not to Break! Read More »
The idea for this blog came to fruition in a very round-about way. Tara, a friend of mine, is hoping to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with her upcoming baby. She wanted to know what she could do to help increase her chances of a successful vaginal delivery. The first thing I told
Strong Amniotic Sac, Less Likely To Rupture Read More »
I have had the fortune to support women through labor and delivery in the role of a labor support doula for the past seven years, and as prenatal yoga teacher for the past nine. During this time, I have listened to many birthing stories, and unfortunately, not all of those stories have been positive. Many
Last weekend in our Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training, we were reviewing the homework and going over assigned readings. One of the books (a personal favorite of mine) Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth includes a selection of birth stories that took place at The Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee. While these stories are inspiring and help
Birth Stories From Our Community Read More »
VBACs, also known as Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, have been a hot topic over the past several months. Back in March of 2010, the NIH (National Institute of Health) held a conference Vaginal Birth After Cesarean: New Insights, which offered a substantial amount of research and evidence in support of VBAC. Recently, the American College
New Policy Now Supports VBAC (Vaginal Births After Cesarean) Read More »
Ina May Gaskin, the renowned midwife, coined the phrase The Sphincter Law in her book, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. Her theory is based on the idea that the body has sphincters, and these sphincters can be shy and can NOT be forcefully opened. Think back to a time when your bladder was shy. For example,
How to Recruit and Prepare Labor Support Read More »
It absolutely breaks my heart to know that many women are not given the chance to get out of bed during labor. Last January, I attended Lisa’s birth as her labor support doula. I stopped by the hospital while she was in early labor, and then headed home until she needed me. At sometime between
Moving During Labor Read More »
Please take a moment to watch this video and read the article about the alarming upward trend in C-sections for first time mothers. Ripple effect seen from rising C-sections in first-time moms One in three first-time moms are now delivering their babies by Caesarean section, according to a new study. This has a tremendous ripple
CNN Article: Ripple effect seen from rising C-sections in first-time moms Read More »
I was inspired to share this letter from one of our students. Deb, People often talk about “defining moments” in their lives. I can now safely tell you that the conversation we had after class a few weeks ago in which you gave me Dr. Rodke’s name and hooked me up to talk to Trisca,
Making Our Own Decisions Read More »
I can honestly say that one of my greatest pleasures is a good night’s sleep. When I get those precious 8 hours, I am like a new person: calm, rested, clear headed and energetic. Unfortunately, this is a rare occurrence. Several years ago my cat decided that it is important to wake me up with
Catching Some Great Zzzzzs Read More »
Ah..the due date. The question everyone always asks. “When are you due?” Of course this day is then circled, highlighted and little stars are drawn around it on your calendar. It is so easy for the awaiting mother (and not to mention her family) to get very attached to this date. However, According to the
Due Day? Due Week? Due Month? Read More »
A main component of the prenatal yoga class is the exploration of pain management and relaxation techniques that can be used during labor and delivery. My favorite (and most effective) exercise is the mock contraction. This is a 60 second wall squat that is meant to simulate the timing of a contraction and is frankly,
Labor Pains: Don’t Be Caught Unprepared Read More »
As recently seen on Mindful Mama As a doula, I’ve heard this lament time and time again: “I received the name of my doctor from a friend, and if I had known what to ask, I probably would have switched doctors a long time ago. Now I feel it is too late to change!” Ideally,
5 Questions To Ask BEFORE Your Birth Read More »
My latest published article as it appears on Mindful-Mama.com (Check out the website- it is really great!!) Birth intrinsically brings some level of fear and anxiety, since it can never fully be planned. I have met very few women during my career as a labor support doula that have not expressed some sort of fear
For those looking to avoid routine interventions or put off pain medication, care providers commonly recommend staying home for as long as possible. This advice is very well intended, but the birthing momÂs partner will likely be called on to help make the final call about when to go in. That responsibility can be very
Understanding the Signposts of Labor Read More »
As a Lamaze Childbirth Educator, I strongly subscribe to the Lamaze Approach to Birth. One of their key beliefs is: “Women’s confidence and ability to give birth is either enhanced or diminished by the care provider and place of birth.” I chose to write about this topic because as a labor support doula, I have
Where You Birth DOES Matter Read More »
A few weeks ago after a morning prenatal yoga class, three students were left talking about birth options. One student was expressing her strong desire to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) with her second child, while another, who was also on her second pregnancy, was hoping to have a vaginal twin birth. The
To Cesarean or Not To Cesarean, That is the Question! Read More »
The answer is NO, and I am actually quite surprised by this conclusion! I thought that the upward trend in adult weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and processed food consumption in this country would be accompanied by an average increase in fetal weight. However, research from Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute’s Department of Population Medicine
Are Women Making Bigger Babies? Read More »
My last two doula clients were both induced due to a diagnosis of Oligohydramnios – low amniotic fluid. I have heard many of my students report that they were induced for the same reason, or that it was a very big concern for their care provider. I decided it was time to really understand the
Understanding Low Amniotic Fluid In Late Pregnancy Read More »
Statistics show that 70% of birthing women will take an epidural during the labor and delivery process. That being the case, it is important to discuss how to be pro-active and assure a good chance at a successful vaginal delivery with an epidural. In a recent blog entry, I outlined the pros and cons of
Labor and Birth With An Epidural Read More »
Whether or not to opt for pain medication during labor and delivery is a personal choice. In making these choices, it may be helpful to understand the pros and cons of epidural anesthesia. It is not my job as a teacher to lead you in one direction or another, but to simply present factual information
Epidurals: The Pros and The Cons Read More »
This blog entry was recently given to me from a New York City Midwife. The topic of Group B Strep is often confusing to people and not usually explained very well. I invite you to read about what Group B Strep is and how you can prevent it. I hope you enjoy! What is GBS?
Group B Strep: Guidelines for Pregnancy Read More »
Last Sunday I took a workshop with Jessie Levey, Certified Childbirth Educator (CCE) through the Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York (CEA/MNY) on Cesarean Birth and Prevention. Workshops likes these always get me driven to share what I learn. I figure if some of these statistics are new and shocking to me, a gal
Medical Indications for Cesarean Sections, Fact vs Myth Read More »
The other day I was reading through some blogs and came across a story about the correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and an increased risk of C-sections. The article, Vitamin D deficiency ups risk of C-section deliveries, study says, is featured in Scientific America. Funnily enough, that same day, one of my students came up
Nutritional Preparations to Help With Labor Read More »
ÂCervical dilation and Âeffacement are terms that you will hear your care provider talk about toward the end of your pregnancy and throughout your labor. These terms refer to the opening and thinning of the cervix. Dilation is measured in centimeters, from 0-10cm, and being at 10 cm means that you are fully dilated and
Cervical Dilation and Effacement Read More »
In the past week I have heard two rather disturbing stories from my students. One student came back and told me the unlikely unfolding of her birth story: the mother hit her due date, and the doctor predicted she was going to have a baby weighing nearly 10 pounds. Because of this “guestimation” on the
Estimate Fetal Birth Weight and Shoulder Dystocia Read More »
Before I became involved in the prenatal yoga and childbirth education world, I associated childbirth with a cute cuddly baby, happy parents and fuzzy teddy bears. Now, I think technology, defensive medicine and insurance issues. Hmm…I don’t really like that shift, but it does ring true to reality. Our national cesarean rate has increased 50%
The Birth – Insurance Relationship and Ways to Avoid a C-section Read More »
I am going to go out on a limb and say: “I strongly believe the best breathing for labor is deep-belly breathing!” There, I said it. This may upset some, or contradict what others believe and what some childbirth educators are teaching. However, from my experience as a labor support doula, this is what I
Breathing for Labor, A Yogic Point of View Read More »
I often encourage my students and doula clients to take some time to figure out how they foresee their birth. This is, of course, with the understanding that nothing – especially birth – can ever truly follow a plan; however, at least one might hash out some preferences and desires toward the manner in which
Birth Plan vs Hospital Protocol Read More »
In the movies and on TV the onset of labor is often depicted with the expectant mother experiencing a big gush of water and immediately thrust into active labor. As exciting as it may be, that scenario very rarely happens. For 90% of women, the onset of contractions will happen first, and then at some
PROM: Premature Rupture of the Membranes Read More »
My very good friend, Liz, recently told me she is pregnant with her third child. I had the thrill and privilege to be her doula for the first two births and was so excited when she invited me back for the third (and final!) one. Liz’s story is really quite interesting. We met when Liz
Study: Home Birth With Midwife As Safe As Hospital Birth Read More »
I am often asked about the usefulness of perineal massage for expectant mothers. To be completely honest, I haven’t heard much feedback about it either way. I decided to investigate the question a bit more and see if there was any hard data on it. Let’s start at the very beginning to get everyone on
