loldoula

Alexandria’s Birth

Feb 132013
 

12/23/2012

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I started having contractions around 9:00 in the morning on December 10, 2012.  The contractions were stronger than the usual Braxton-hicks I’d been having, and they were more frequent.  They were as consistent as my contractions usually get, and over the course of the morning they were getting closer together at times.  However, with my two previous birth experiences my contractions didn’t get consistent and/or regular until the very end of the labors; so with this being my third, I didn’t know what to expect or how quickly it would go.

I decided to call Teresa, our doula, after we ate lunch at about 12:30 pm.  At this point I was exactly 37 weeks pregnant, so it was early which made me question whether or not this was the real thing.  I talked to Teresa about all this, and she suggested I call Intown Midwifery and see about going in for a labor check.  We called Intown on our drive down, and I went in to get checked while my husband continued to drive around with our two sleeping kids in the car.  I got checked about 2:30 pm, and I was 4 cm dilated, about 40% effaced, and -1 station.  Emile suggested hanging around the area to see if my contractions would get closer together, because at this point it would be hard to say if I was actually in labor or not.  She told me that it is possible to sustain a pregnancy on 4 cms dilation, so it was still too early to make that determination.  I went back downstairs and outside to call my husband to come back and pick me up, and then I made a couple more phone calls to make arrangements for my kids.  I called Teresa to discuss what was going on, and I let her know that while I had been standing outside for the past 30 minutes walking and talking on the phone, the contractions seemed to be coming more quickly, at about every 2 minutes.  I asked her to come on down and that we were going to go over to the hospital. Continue reading »

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Women Are Becoming BOLD About Their Births!

Feb 112013
 

I wanted to share the comments that we are getting from the women who attended our BOLD Women’s Weekend and Couples Series. I have been amazed at how so many women have been hungry for the wisdom that they had within them and never knew how to tap into before. Here are some of the comments we have heard so far:

Thank you Charlotte and Teresa for an amazing weekend. If you are a pregnant lady, regardless of your birth plan or whether or not you have one, you MUST take the Women’s Circle BOLD class. It was the most trans-formative and empowering weekend I’ve ever had. I came in with many fears about birth, and now I feel strong and confident that I can manage those fears and have the birth experience I want. THANK YOU!!!

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I feel so bold after being with you guys for those two weekends!! Thank you for giving so much energy to us to help us carve out our paths!

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This should be a REQUIRED class for anyone having a baby. This class is poetry! I thought that all I needed was facts to be prepared….Little did I realize that birth is so much more than just knowing how to pronounce Erythromycin! And just when you have faced your fears in weekend 1, Teresa and Charlotte bring in your partners for weekend 2 to explore your relationship, create intimacy and make sure the dads learn the basics and the facts right alongside the moms. Charlotte and Teresa are like bread and butter – the perfect combination of instructors who love what they do like no one I’ve ever seen. I’m so glad I found this class. I have no more fears…only anticipation for my big day!!
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A true delight for right-brainers, and an absolute necessity for left brains. I will admit that there was some mystery to exactly what would be covered when I signed up, but those of you brave enough to welcome a challenge will not regret it.

The woman’s weekend is a true bonding experience, with yourself and the fellow moms embarking on a similar journey. The classes will go beyond your comfort zone, into your true, raw self, but the reward is an awesome understanding! The couple’s class was a great way for me to connect with my husband on such a deep and intimate level that our relationship is likely changed permanently. Technique, positioning, and coping mechanisms are also taught, and much more thoroughly than you would find in a hospital class!

Both Teresa and Charlotte have such an obvious love for women, the birthing process, and the motherly spirits. They are like old friends I wish I had known a lot longer! The fluidity with which they teach is perfect, sometimes hilarious, and always informative. I felt prepared going in, but now I feel as if the perfect birth is truly awaiting me! Thank you both!! xoxo

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Thank you and Charlotte for an educational, emotional and empowering weekend! I got even more from the class than I was expecting and truly believe it will have a tremendously positive impact on our birth experience!

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I can’t wait to hear how their births unfold with BOLDness!

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Cesareans Can Be A Gentle Experience

Feb 082013
 

There are two hospitals in the metro area that offer a “Family Centered Cesarean.” One is done at AMC with Brad Bootstaylor with patients of Intown Midwifery and other midwives he provides coverage for. He does that type of cesarean for any non emergency- keep in mind you hear “emergency cesarean” used often for “non planned cesarean.” A true emergency is very different from a non planned surgical birth. So he provides it for any real non emergency situation and tries to offer it then if possible.  One other group provides a family centered surgical birth but only does so for planned cesareans. That is the physicians who back up the ARMC midwives in Athens.

This approach is shown to “enhancing bonding, initiating breastfeeding and reduces postpartum depression”- isn’t that what we all want?

Here are some video links to this new approach as well as the traditional approach.

Family Centered Cesarean

This is a modified skin to skin after the birth cesarean- not really a full experience but better than most:

Modified skin to skin cesarean

A unique natural expulsion technique:

Natural Expulsion

Malpositioned baby was born via cesarean:

Malpositioned Cesarean

And for comparison sake- here is a “normal” cesarean:

“Normal” Cesarean

A local cesarean including some of the pre surgery prep:

Kennestone Cesarean Birth

You may be asking yourself, why is this not available elsewhere and why does ARMC require it to be a planned event. ARMC says it takes more staff when Dr Bootstaylor says that it does not take more staff when he does it. Elsewhere I think women are not demanding the opportunity for this type of experience. If you demand it, often the powers within the medical center will listen. Change comes from creating the voice within many. Ask your hospital why they can not follow suit and help women have a good birth experience no matter if it is vaginal or cesarean!

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Our Great Experience With Charlotte

Feb 072013
 

I wanted to share how great our experience with Charlotte was. Being committed to having a natural birth experience, I loved having Charlotte to support me on that journey. When I went into labor, Charlotte supported me over the phone and then came to our house when I felt I was ready and needed to have her there. During her time with me, she was constantly encouraging me to keep moving and do things to further my labor progress. Charlotte was very good about helping me work through the discomfort of contractions, and being a first time mom, she really helped me stay calm. When I started to get anxious, she talked with me about how I was feeling which I was feel was invaluable at helping me keep my anxiety level low and allowing me to stay focused on my baby and not my fear. Without her support, I am not sure I would have been able to maintain such control over my emotions.

When we arrived at the hospital, Charlotte continued to help me move through my contractions, and even though I was only dilated to a 4 when we arrived, it only took 4 hours from that point until I delivered which I give so much credit to Charlotte for. She encouraged me to get in certain positions that I would have never known to do on my own, especially not in the midst of active labor, that really helped my body open up and progress. Charlotte’s confidence in me allowed me to have so much more confidence in myself when I reached the point where I felt I couldn’t go on. With the support of Charlotte and my husband, I got through that brief moment and continued on to have the perfect birth experience I had been dreaming of. Even though I was nervous about how well my husband and Charlotte would work together since my husband was a little skeptical about needing a doula, it ended up being such a blessing for my husband as well. Afterwards, he told me that having Charlotte at our birth was the best decision we could have made. She really helped ease both our nerves throughout the entire process.

I would recommend Charlotte to anyone, she was invaluable to us. If we decide to have another child, we will definitely be using her!

Elizabeth Martin

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I Ate My Placenta and Loved It!

Feb 052013
 

Well sorta.. actually these are referrals from folks who used our placenta encapsulation services with Melanie Nasmyth! Melanie has a biology degree  and is also the mom to four and a labor doula- although she rarely doulas much any more. She recently realized she had encapsulated over 100 placentas! She loves her work and here are some words from those who have benefited from that work! Here is a link to a previous client’s blog you may enjoy as well- L&MBLOG

melanie nasmyth

I used the placental encapsulation services for my third child.  I was petrified of having postpartum depression and anxiety … with two big kids in the house I could ill-afford to be blue.  My pills lasted for about two months and I don’t regret taking them one bit.  I do feel my energy was stronger and my mood was steadier than after my previous two births.  If I were having another baby, I wouldn’t hesitate to take the pills again.

placenta-pills-encapsulation

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I decided to give placenta encapsulation a shot after doing much research on the benefits of it (decrease in baby blue and depression, increase in energy, increase of breast milk, and provides natural iron just being a few of them). I figured let me give it a try, it defiantly can’t hurt. As per Melanie’s instructions I got my cooler and bag ready to take to the hospital. She was great as soon as my husband called her she was there to pick up the “goods” and the next day she already delivered them to me and I was already taking the pills. I really believe these pills helped me with the baby blues. Since the start of me taking the pills I felt like I stayed positive and energetic. Placenta Pills defiantly aid in healing a mother’s body!!!

placenta print

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Finger feeding

Feb 032013
 

Recently I had a mom have her baby at a Forsyth County hospital. The baby nursed some after the birth and then did very little. The next day they had an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) come in and get the baby latched again. But she mentioned there may be some issues with needing to help her train her tongue for a better latch. I received a call from the parents enlisting my help and they asked if I could come back to help them.

Upon my arrival the mom was emotional and felt like such a failure- her words. She felt she was starving her baby- a word they had planted in her mind. I reminded her that we had gotten the baby to latch and this was fixable. I tried getting the baby to latch and she would suck a few times and then quit. I looked at her tongue and asked them if they had noticed if her tongue ever crossed over the bridge of her lower gum line. They said no. Continue reading »

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