14 Jan Pregnant Not Fat
I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who sent their well wishes after the announcement of my pregnancy. I truly feel blessed to be part of this loving...
Podcast
06 Jan Keeping A Cesarean Birth As Intimate As Possible
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...
20 Dec My Impressions of the First Trimester
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...
03 Dec The Importance of Continuous Labor Support
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...
11 Nov Amniotomy: To Break or Not to Break!
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...
02 Nov Strong Amniotic Sac, Less Likely To Rupture
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...
28 Oct Birth Trauma
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...
21 Oct Birth Stories From Our Community
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...
07 Oct New Policy Now Supports VBAC (Vaginal Births After Cesarean)
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...
16 Sep How to Recruit and Prepare Labor Support
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...
07 Sep Moving During Labor
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...
02 Sep CNN Article: Ripple effect seen from rising C-sections in first-time moms
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...
20 Aug Making Our Own Decisions
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...
09 Jul Catching Some Great Zzzzzs
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,...
16 Jun Due Day? Due Week? Due Month?
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...
04 Jun Labor Pains: Don’t Be Caught Unprepared
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)...
28 May 5 Questions To Ask BEFORE Your Birth
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...
29 Apr ACTION ALERT: Save Home Birth in New York
(Just received this from Choices In Childbirth!) We need your help! At midnight tomorrow, April 30th, the majority of New York City's home birth midwives will no longer be able...
29 Apr Understanding the Signposts of Labor
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...
15 Apr Where You Birth DOES Matter
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...
08 Mar To Cesarean or Not To Cesarean, That is the Question!
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...
23 Feb Are Women Making Bigger Babies?
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...
11 Feb Understanding Low Amniotic Fluid In Late Pregnancy
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...
28 Jan Labor and Birth With An Epidural
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...
18 Jan Epidurals: The Pros and The Cons
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...
08 Jan Group B Strep: Guidelines for Pregnancy
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...
15 Dec Medical Indications for Cesarean Sections, Fact vs Myth
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...
30 Nov Nutritional Preparations to Help With Labor
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,...