This story is a great example of this…this mama, a former client of mine, has written a wonderful account of her 40 hour vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) at 35 weeks! What was so wonderful about this birth was how empowered this mama was throughout the whole process. She was a great inspiration to the entire labor and delivery staff.  It’s births like these that leave me in awe of women’s strength and intuitive wisdom as they bring new life into the world.

Vivante Midwifery is hosting a Doula “speed-dating” event this coming Sunday, November 20th, at Eco-Baby, in SE Portland.  This is a chance for pregnant mamas and families to come and meet several doulas at once, picking up cards from doulas that you might want to interview.  It’s a great way to get a sneak preview of several doulas at the same time…and of course, Corinne and I will be there!

Come join us!

Sunday, November 20th, 2-4 pm

Eco Baby, 2122 SE Division Street, Portland, OR 97202

Yes, the same elements of excitement, nervousness, and the unpredictability of birth were still there…but second-time mamas bring their experiences with them into this new birth, and all the emotions and body memories that go along with them.

I think one of the biggest challenges for second-time mamas is finding that zen balance of not getting too attached to a particular outcome based on their last experience, but still finding that reserve of strength and power to advocate for themselves and the birth they’d like to have. Of course, my bias here is that doula support can be invaluable in creating safe space to have those conversations, process the last birth experience, and set fresh intentions for this new experience.

I loved watching this mama find her rhythm as labor flowed, drawing upon her support–external and internal–to ease into new rhythms when the transitions came. It was a relatively fast labor and we were all caught a little off-guard by how quickly things were happening…and yet, because we all knew each other so well and had spent so much time talking about her vision for this birth, I feel like it all came together just right. I can’t wait to work with more second-time mamas…it’s such a rich experience!

This week, though, is all about the breastfeeding, as it’s officially World Breastfeeding Week. My friend and colleague Joanne Edwards is once again organizing the now nation-wide Big Latch On, which, if you’re a nursing mama, you should check out! There will be events all around Portland on August 6th! If you’re not in Portland, not to worry–there are events happening all around the country!

As someone considering becoming a lactation consultant (more on that in another post), I’m so thrilled that there’s greater awareness out there on the value of breastfeeding.  It is one of my favorite aspects of supporting new families after birth, and there is nothing sweeter than seeing a newborn nursing.

Here’s to breastfeeding!

But I also have a passion for postpartum support, and I think that good postpartum support is just as important…maybe even more so than labor support. Many parents talk about the moment of truth, two to three weeks after the birth, after all the relatives have gone back home and their spouse has gone back to work, and they’re still recovering from the physical and emotional roller coaster of bringing a new life into the world…when they realize, “It’s just you and me, baby, and I have no idea if I’m doing this right!”

Enter the postpartum doula.

Like birth doulas, postpartum doulas are trained professionals who can offer support to new families after the birth, in the comfort of your home. They can support breastfeeding, hold the baby while Mom showers or naps, play with the older siblings while Mom gets baby time, or hang out with the baby while she gets some one on one with those older sibs. Most doulas will help out with light housekeeping and meal preparation, and also will help you with the basics of newborn care.

Having an extra set of hands, a listening ear, and a compassionate heart, postpartum doulas “mother the mother,” making sure that she is taken care of and nurtured in the weeks and months after the birth. For moms who have had more challenging births, this support can be a lifesaver, and even for those who had relatively straight-forward births, knowing that you’ll be getting some TLC on a regular basis puts many new parents at ease.

Because I feel so strongly about the value of postpartum doula support, I have made the decision to include four hours of postpartum care into every labor doula package. Most doulas will include at least one visit postpartum, but I’ve found that oftentimes there are so many questions, that the visit could easily be extended! I love being able to spend time connecting with families after the birth, not only hearing their birth stories and celebrating their new little one, but also rolling up my sleeves and helping out, whether it be with helping mama and baby with that breastfeeding latch, letting mom get a few hours of precious sleep, or putting away the dishes.

This is one more way in which Cascadia Birth Services can be of support to families during the journey to parenthood. Whether you are a first-time or second-time or fifth-time parent, we believe every parent deserves special care after the birth of their baby, and we are excited to include this piece of postpartum care in the Cascadia Birth Services labor doula package. Please contact us if you have any questions about postpartum care, or our overnight support services. We look forward to serving you!

The past few weeks I’ve been feeling a new energy afoot. Some of it is spring, for sure (sun, finally!). Some of it is the new information and experiences I’m integrating from the childbirth education training I’m taking at Birthingway College of Midwifery. And some of it is the excitement of partnering with another amazing doula as her back-up partner.

From this new partnership I get to experience my own practices with fresh eyes. As I reflect on all the things I’ve learned over the past year of starting a doula practice from the ground up, one of the things that sings out loud and clear is that the energy you put into your work comes back ten-fold. And with that comes a sense of confidence–that warm feeling inside that assures both yourself and your clients that this work is exactly what you are meant to be doing, that it is your passion, and that you have the skills and resources to be successful. I think I’ve learned as much from the process of being a small business owner as I have from attending the births themselves, and I love that aspect of this work!

I see my first year of being a doula in a similar light as the first year of being a parent. Everything’s new and fresh and constantly changing, and although you want to look like you know what you’re doing, sometimes you have to admit that no, in fact, you don’t have all the answers. Some of my best moments have been the ones in which I’ve let go of the need to know the answer and just be present to the emotions of the moment.

One of the things I appreciate most about working for myself is that I get to shape the way my practice develops. And so, over the next few weeks I’ll be making slight changes here and there, fine-tuning some language, and updating pieces that have changed for me as I’ve grown into this work. Some of this work will be reflected on the website, and some of it will be more “back-end” stuff (like record keeping and contracts, for example). All of this is part of my effort to check in regularly about what’s working and what’s not, with the larger goal of keeping my clients’ needs in mind. So, stay tuned, as there will be some fun announcements coming up in the weeks ahead, as I prepare some exciting new opportunities for Cascadia Birth Services! Thanks for all your support during my first year…and here’s to an amazing second year of supporting families before, during and after birth.

In March I had a wonderful four day training on Infant Massage.  We explored the various ways in which nurturing touch can facilitate attachment and bonding, and had some wonderful practice sessions in which we could practice our teaching skills.  In April I headed up to Seattle for a Lactation Educator training.  Despite a case of food poisoning that prevented me from attending the last day, I learned a lot of about how to support breastfeeding, and I’m eager to incorporate this new knowledge into my practice.

And finally, just this past weekend, I completed the first three days of my childbirth educator training at Birthingway College of Midwifery, here in Portland.  I’ve been wanting to add childbirth ed to Cascadia’s offerings for a while now, and I’m so glad to have this opportunity to gather more resources and think about how to develop a childbirth education series that is meaningful, informative and fun.  We have three more sessions, although I have to miss the last one because I’ll be in Baltimore this June/July finishing my MEd in Montessori education.  After that, I’ll be home for a while, and already have a few fall clients lined up.

Doulas and other birth workers often talk about their work load and how it doesn’t follow conventional calendars…many doulas I know follow a three months on/three months off model, where they take clients for three months at a time, then take a break.  While I didn’t intentionally plan it this way, I think it’s happened naturally this spring, and I’m glad it’s worked out so well.  Lots of training and new knowledge this spring has only refueled my desire to be supporting mamas and their families at births…so I’m looking forward to August and beyond!

Their radio show has been “revamped” into a new website that includes audio and video resources, as well as online classes, the first of which is connecting parents who are on bed rest. Be sure to head over and check it out.

A floor mat and low shelves create a space where babies are free to explore independently

The parent/infant class, called Optimal Beginnings, is an on-going six-week series for babies 8 weeks or older who are not yet independently mobile. This morning there were two babies and their mamas who came to play in the wonderful environment set up just for their developmental needs.

Although I’m not trained at the infant/toddler level in Montessori, the principles are the same as those I learned in my elementary training. The environment for an infant or toddler is designed with their developmental needs in mind…the furniture, toys, and even the pictures, are all placed so that the little one feels that this is her space to learn and grow. Imagine what the world looks like from an infant’s perspective. If you can’t, get down on the floor, on your back or belly, and look around. What do you see? Are there beautiful pictures hung just at your height? Are the toys on the shelves things you can reach for independently? Even a three or four month old can make choices, yet so often, we just plop a toy in front of them without allowing them to explore on their own.

A low shelf of simple toys for a non-mobile baby

During the hour and a half that I was there, I was able to watch two babies at very different stages of development, both fully supported to explore their surroundings.  Baby N, below, spent a lot of time on the floor, opening and closing his fists.  The little silver rattle he’s holding is not too loud, but every time he moved, it would tinkle softly, giving him the feedback that his motion caused the sound he liked so much!

Baby N with Silver Rattle

And Little Baby P, a bit older than N, was definitely more interested in reaching around for interesting objects.  While not yet crawling, she could turn over from back to belly, and would roll around, every once in a while, reaching up in a perfect baby cobra pose (if only I were still that flexible!).  Both of these babies were given the freedom to move independently, and rather than directing their play, Venus and their mamas were mostly observing, and offering assistance when needed.  It was a truly magical hour and a half, and I’m looking forward to a follow-up visit in the next few weeks to observe the half-day toddler community.

Baby P reaching for Squishy

Lena with Baby Oliver, born 1/5/11

November, December and January has been filled with births…one was even a Christmas Eve birth!  Each one was so different, but I was so impressed by each mama’s ability to trust the experience and surrender to the process.  I have another birth to look forward to in a few weeks, and then again in February!

When I’m not attending births, I’ve been spending my days finishing up the requirements for my postpartum doula certification through CAPPA.  I have an open-book exam and some essay questions to finish up for that.  Although I haven’t been doing as much postpartum work these days, I’m really looking forward to bringing these skills into my practice and hopefully connecting with more postpartum clients in the weeks to come.

Other exciting ventures include two continuing education opportunities this spring.  The first is a four-day training in March, held at East West College of Massage to become a certified infant massage instructor!  I was able to sit in on an infant massage training offered by my friend Elise Arevalo, of Arevalo Parenting, last spring and loved it.  I’m looking forward to being able to offer infant massage classes to my clients starting later this spring.

The second training I’ll be doing will take me up to lovely Seattle, where I’ll spend three days doing a Lactation Educator training with Michelle Kinné, of Cascade Perinatal Services.  This is another program through CAPPA, and once complete, I will be able to offer classes on breastfeeding, in addition to the breastfeeding support I currently offer doula clients.  Breastfeeding is by far the most common issue that comes up in my postpartum visits, and I’m really excited to have more tools in my toolkit to support mamas and babies towards successful breastfeeding.  While a lactation educator is not the same as an international board-certified lactation consultant (or IBCLC), and I won’t be able to diagnose breastfeeding problems, I will be able to recognize common challenges, provide informational and physical support, and know exactly when to call an IBCLC.

As if this all weren’t exciting enough, one final bit of exciting news to share is that I’ve joined the planning committee of the Birth Support Network, an amazing support group for doulas and other birth workers here in the Portland/Vancouver area.  I’m really looking forward to getting more involved in the doula community here in town and learning from more seasoned doulas’ experiences.  Next month’s meeting is all about placenta encapsulation, and my good friend Amanda Englund, of Placenta Power, will be presenting along with two other placenta specialists in town.  I’m planning a blog post soon to share more about the placenta encapsulation for those of you who are curious about the process and its benefits.