If you’re considering an elective induction or facing a medical induction, it may be helpful to know your Bishop Score. The Bishop score is a cervical assessment system, where five criteria are calculated to produce a rating between 0-13, which determines if the cervix is ready for induction. Generally, a Bishop score of 6 or […]
Considering Induction, Know Your Bishop Score Read More »
Learn what a gentle c-section is and find out whether this is the right choice for your birth plan.
Gentle C-Section: What is it & How to do it Read More »
Discover the differences between a walking epidural and a standard epidural to determine which one would be a better option for your birth.
What is the Difference Between A Walking Epidural & a Standard Epidural? Read More »
Published in International Doula, Volume 17, Issue 4 2009 Recently I was at a couple’s apartment doing a private childbirth education class. We went through quite a bit of information that covered everything from pain management techniques to understanding the different stages of labor to how the mom’s partner can support her through the variations
The MUST Have Talk BEFORE Birth! Read More »
I have often heard of nurses and doctors rolling their eyes when a laboring mom comes waddling into the Labor and Delivery unit clutching a multi-page birth plan. I do think it is beneficial for the parents-to-be to educate themselves and explore all the different birth options available to them, but it is also important
Super Simple Birth Plan! Read More »
I recently had a very lively discussion with my friends and expectant first time parents, Denise and Shai. The conversation revolved around the idea that there is often a feeling of having to defend oneself against one’s care provider or hospital. It is a fight of the wills – mom versus her doctor. I acknowledged
Are Your Birth Options Slipping Away? Read More »
After a decade of an increasing rate of infants born via Cesarean section, the numbers are now leveling off according to National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1). This is exciting information for expectant parents who aim to have a vaginal birth. This decrease is partly due
5 Ways to Help Avoid a Cesarean Read More »
I recently met with a couple for a private childbirth education class. When we started to talk about birth plans, the mama-to-be told me that her doctor didn’t want her to write a birth plan. I asked her why and she said that her doctor didn’t want all the details of her birth mapped out
Your Doctor’s Birth Plan Read More »
Sometimes walking into a hospital leaves you feeling like you just landed without warning in a foreign country. So many names and terms used today in hospitals may be unfamiliar to you! Rest assured, this quick glance glossary can help demystify labor and delivery talk and get you fluent in “labor lingo.” Amniotomy- The artificial
Understanding “Labor Lingo” Read More »
A student asked me the other day how she should pick a birthing class. Her doctor had suggested she take one in preparation for her upcoming birth. She explained how overwhelmed she started to feel while she researched the different styles and methods of classes available. So this blog is intended to give you a
Understanding the Different Methods of Childbirth Education Read More »
A friend of mine recently told me about her experience and dilemma with finding the right OB/GYN. She and her husband are trying to get pregnant and when she discussed this with her current doctor, she was surprised, saddened and slightly frustrated to hear that her doctor is only a gynecologist, not an obstetrician. She
Finding the Right Doctor 101: Starting from the VERY Beginning 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 »
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 »
I was really struck by a quote from Diana Korte and Roberta Scaer, authors of A Good Birth, A Safe Birth, who said: “If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any.” From what I have encountered in my years of teaching, many women really do not know how many choices they have with
Educate Yourself, Know Your Birth Options Read More »
A recent article from BBC News, Home Births “as safe as Hospital”, highlights the largest study of its kind, with over a half million participants. It indicates that for low-risk women, giving birth at home is as safe as doing so in hospital with a midwife. This study may dispel the negative stigma of home
Largest Study of it’s Kind States: Home births ‘as safe as hospital’ Read More »
I love when a study comes out that supports normal, healthy birth. This fall’s edition of The Journal of Perinatal Education features the article “Doula Care For Middle-Class Women With Male Partners Substantially Lowers Cesarean Rates”. The article describes a recent study that demonstrates some of the benefits of having a doula present. Of course,
New Study: Doula Care Lowers Cesarean Rate Read More »
I attended Andrea’s birth almost 5 years ago. I think this was the third birth in which I took the role of a doula – I was just a doula in training. Andrea had given birth naturally to her first child (almost 10 pounds if I remember correctly) and was well on her way to
Birthing Positions: Don’t Just Take it Lying Down! Read More »
I have just finished reading ‘And the Doula Makes Four’, an article on doulas and lactation consultants in last week’s New York Times. The article certainly does not paint a pretty picture of either vocation. In any field there is a range of professionals and an equally wide range of beliefs and practices to which
Debunking the Difficult Doula Read More »
