Birth By Design

07/19/2023

Most twins do not need to be born via cesarean section. Period. You have choices and deserve explanations when those choices are resisted.
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We need to normalize photos like this and take fear out of twin birth!
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Link in bio for one of my blogs about a birth center twin birth.
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05/30/2023

You will advocate for your child the rest of your days - I like to think of birth as the training ground. & we’re so fortunate to have the freedom and resources that allow us to claim the birth we and our babies deserve. 👊🏼

This list can seem pretty overwhelming but I promise you, taking the time to educate yourself is irreplaceable time spent! 🤍

I listed a few of mine, but what are some of your favorite resources you found helpful during your journey?

03/20/2023

Ever since I had my first baby, the postpartum period has always been special to me. I was told by my pelvic floor PT back then to spend 4 weeks in the bed, and (for once 😉) I actually followed the rules. I had people joke at me "are you seriously still in bed?", or being as active as I was at that time, “when are you going to start working out again?" But honestly none of it ever felt natural. It felt best for me to be in the bed with my baby. Then I started learning more and more and more, and it all validated my intuition.

Our culture really has things set up oddly, and honestly unsafe, for new moms. If you look at other cultures its vastly different. In India, new moms go back to their own mothers house for 6 weeks, and are relieved of all duties other than feeding and caring for their newborn. In China, the new mom is to “sit out” a full month while her mother and mother in law spilt all tasks. Two practices to name of many. IMO - theres something to say behind it. Not only with the physical healing but also mentality, bonding, overall health of mom/baby and breastfeeding success.

This is an easy rule of thumb given by my many and something I always tell my clients.
- 5 days in the bed, topless and skin to skin as much as possible.
- 5 days on the bed, maybe wearing jammies but they ideally button down and you’re still doing skin to skin, holding baby often.
- 5 days near the bed, maybe on the couch nearby - still relaxing in the house, still skin to skin often and loving on/holding that baby as much as possible.

I know it’s not always easy, we all have our situations - when my second was born my first was 18 months old, a handful within itself but then he got jaundice and required a hospitalization at 4 days old. There’s always the outlying scenarios but, as much as you can prep for this 2-4 weeks of quiet time with your baby, do it! Hire a postpartum doula, have family come, make frozen meals ahead of time, or have a friend start a meal train. Your body and your baby will thank you! 🤍

📷:

03/03/2023

This mama rocked her birth!

Welcome to the world baby Mylo!

Our first March baby was born just a day before his guess date! His sweet mama worked effortlessly as she brought him into the world.

02/23/2023

One of my favorite parts of a birth is the uninterrupted time mom and baby spend together in the immediate postpartum moment. At home, we typically give about two hours (Most of that time baby still attached to their placenta 😏) before disturbing the dyad. And fortunately, majority of hospitals are catching on to the benefits of the golden hour. There are very few incidents where mom and baby need to be separated, even during a resuscitation! The proven benefits and outcomes speak for themselves — Keep baby with mom 🫶🏼

02/17/2023

Busy morning finishing up my NRP + CPR/BLS renewal.

Thank you Jennifer Nelson - Pittsburgh Midwife for making this skills workshop so knowledgeable, yet enjoyable + Linda In Bloom Birth and Wellness for hosting us all!

02/13/2023

New year - new credentials 💫
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I’m excited to annouce that I am officially an Evidence Based Birth instructor. There isn’t a better organization I could be more proud to attach my name to and I’m so excited for the privilege to be selected for this!
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Stay tuned for upcoming Evidence Based Birth classes in the Brevard County Area. I hope you’re as excited as I am 🤩 let’s get ya the birth you and your baby deserve!

01/19/2023

12/30/2022

TIPS TO GET YOUR HUSBAND ON BOARD WITH HOMEBIRTH
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- Look at the research together on why homebirth is safe. Usually husbands aren’t automatically on board with homebirth because they are concerned about you and baby’s safety. The stats speak for themselves, and are a great starting point.
- Watch birth documentaries together. The Business of Being Born, Why Not Home? and Pregnant in America are three of my favorites.
- Consult with local midwives. Make a list of questions that will help alleviate (& many times eliminate) fears and unknowns. Think of different scenarios and ask how she would handle them. Interview more than one to make sure he truly feels comfortable with who you’re hiring.
- Consider hiring a birth doula. A doula can not only take some of the pressure off him during the birth, but also ease more of his worries through prenatal education and guide him to feel confident and empowered in supporting you.
- Talk with other homebirth couples. Chances are he’s only heard about hospital births. Home birth is a very different experience. Hearing about the experience from other husbands can be helpful.
- Show him what’s in it for him - hear me out….he doesn’t have to sleep in a chair or eat hospital food? Sold. Oh and also, if he wants, he can be the first hands to ever touch your baby earthside. Talk about an ego boost 😆

Those who’ve had a homebirth - Was your partner supportive from the start or did he need an extra push? What did you do to help him make the decision of yes? Share with us 🤍

12/30/2022

I’m excited to team up with DOULA LORI to offer these comprehensive childbirth education classes!
Starting in the New Year we will have 2 options: birth booth camp - a 6 hr, one day class where we go over it all, or a 3 hr, two week series where we will still go over it all. The two week series is flexible and you can attend one class or attend both.
Pre-registration and deposit is required to attend! Call either of us to hold your spot ✨💕

12/26/2022

One of my goals of 2022 was to attend 20 births. It may not seem like a big number to you, but to me it seemed pretty unlikely in January. Slowly but surely the year was passing, the list started adding up and last month, I hit that number.

If you’re a religious story follower of mine, you know I’m not shy about the importance of your birth team. That not only comes from my education, but from a personal space with my own birth experiences. I’ve had my mother in law catch one of my babies, and I’ve had a hospitalist treat me who verbalized she cared more about her license than the matter of the emergency happening to me and my baby. If you were to ask me about any one of the births I attended this year I could tell you their birth story, their husbands names, who was present at the birth, if they had animals, and probably even their home address. And while I’m aware the set up is different from the hospitalist mentioned above, I know that if these women were asked about me, they may not all remember my name as for some situations I don’t meet them until they’re in active labor, but they know they were never just another number to me. And I can assure you, if there’s a moment I feel that way, that’s the moment I will not enter a birth space.

I know a lot of these mamas follow me on here and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for trusting me to be present while you brought your baby earthside. You are amazing. I will never forget you and I truly am honored! 🤍

Now let’s roll into the births of 2023, actually maybe even one this week 😉✨