Your Birth Doula

What apps did you use during pregnancy and labor? There are so many easily accessible services through technology, I’ve loved watching it all blossom. I always recommend an app for timing contractions but I spied this dad keeping track the old fashioned way recently and it was so sweet to me.

Who else remembers a time when doulas weren’t allowed in the OR? Now providers confirm consent with their patient and bring in a suit for me without the client having to ask/beg.

Ten years ago our last baby joined our family under the eclipsing moon in the music room at AABC South. It always feels special getting to work with my clients in the same room. Who else had an AABC South baby? Bonus points if it was the same room 💕

I will never say no to snuggling a baby!! This lil nugget was so sweet and alert 😍 can you tell how much I hate going into work? His mamas were so sweet to work with too.

You know things are getting real when this gets rolled in 💕

I consider myself blessed to have chosen a career where I get to meet so many new, interesting people over coffee 💕 then I get to watch them grow as families.

Placenta love 💕 Did you encapsulate your placenta? Did you find it helpful postpartum?

Sweet words from an even sweeter client 💕 love receiving testimonials!

After the birth of my first child, I became passionate about being able to support and help individuals experience the birth they desire.

Throughout my whole pregnancy and birth, Katherine was always there to calm any fears or doubts I had and made the whole process much easier than if I went through it alone.

With the realization of how empowering yet challenging birth can be, I am beyond excited to help educate and guide families during their own amazing transition.

My goal is to provide all-encompassing support (physically, mentally, and emotionally) for birthing individuals and their partners.

I have the absolute PLEASURE to announce that Megan Nance is joining Your Birth Doula as a birth doula 🎉 … she is a dear friend and I had the opportunity to be her doula just over a year ago. She started studying birth and all of its nuances while pregnant and I could not even give her enough book recommendations to consume! I’m so proud of her and am excited to watch her serve clients in the greater Austin area.

Seton Williamson’s baby mural always gets me 😅 this hospital holds a special place in my heart as it’s where I delivered surro-babe almost 5 years ago to the day.

When you get the call and it’s time to make like a baby and head out 😜

Be safe out there!

Guess where I was this week?

Early labor foods… what did you use to fuel your body for the hard work of labor? Eggs and avocado are kind of perfect! Mash it up for avocado toast and *chefs kiss* … we love long energy foods that provide tasty, healthy fats and proteins.

Sleepy birth assistant eyes 🥱 got to use my favorite acupressure point successfully to strengthen contractions and the next ctx was followed by a bag of waters breaking EVERYWHERE 😅 bodies are so cool!!

Looking for a breast pump? You can create an account through this website and they will check your insurance and submit any claims for you. It’s fast and easy! They also email you when you’re eligible for insurance covered part replacements 🎉

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Sometimes you have to doula the doggie too 💕 this was a super sweet birth for a friend and I was honored to be there. Her partner was so supportive. I’ve been working on writing up my notes about the birth and it’s hard to not just write about all the feelings. The notebook was a handy fan for mom just to add some context.

It’s chilly in here tonight but there’s a lot of great magic happening 💜 Powerful moms, sweet dads, and nurse partnerships

A couple more from last week 🥰 massage can really help release built-up tension between contractions and to relax enough to sleep during your breaks too.

Supported forward leans, sways, and counter pressure 💕 these are a few of my favorite things! See also: watching a family work so hard together with so much love to welcome their little one.

This is a safe space for dad jokes 💕

Breech is a variation of normal 💕 this mom rocked her labor and dad was so, so supportive. Thankful for the midwives at who support breech birth and for Leilani’s incredible skill at capturing such a sacred moment. You can see more of her work at . Shared with consent, last photo is from my iPhone.

Those raisins are a telltale sign!

😆

A story of the time I ran into Leilani at HEB. Ran into her again at one of my pp appointments and was again... yawning and half awake.

"I ran into a doula friend this morning at the grocery store. She yawned and I just knew where she'd been all night. You see, birth workers belong to a special club. And we can spot each other a mile away. We have mastered the art of drop-everything-and-go. The 1 minute ti**le. And the fastest route to every hospital in the area. We meet clients at Starbucks, where we openly discuss birth stories in close proximity to poor, officeless guys who eagerly arrive expecting free wi-fi, caffeinated treats, and... well, no talk of birth. We keep a change of comfy shoes in our car, and an extra toothbrush in our purse. We sleep with our cell phone on our pillows, and can be awake and out the door in less than 30 minutes (with enough provisions to last us 48 hours). We head straight from 'all nighters' to the grocery store. Birthday parties to birth centers. And always keep the gas tank half full.

Oh, and we can nap just about anywhere."

(pictured: Julie Garcia of Dream Baby Austin)
Leilani Rogers, Photographer | Austin, TX

Cuter than your average Flinstone vitamin, can encapsulated placenta offer nutritional/hormonal benefits? According to a study available on NCBI that was completed in Thailand, your average dehydrated/encapsulated placenta contains the following minerals: sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese. It contains the following hormones: estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and growth hormone. And too many to list, it contains 18 different amino acids! There has not been a significant enough study including controls and a large patient pool to show whether or not it will accomplish what is said regarding placentophagy (the consumption of the placenta) but pulling bits from various ones available through NCBI: it can increase milk supply, improve postpartum maternal mood and energy levels, and lessen postpartum bleeding.
I trained as a placenta encapsulator and have been certified in both food handling/sanitation as well as in blood borne pathogens. I want to provide the best quality and safest product I can to my clients! I also offer placenta tinctures and placenta keepsake prints.
I myself used placenta at the recommendation of my midwife after my third delivery as I was struggling with extreme exhaustion and weakness. I was immediately a believer and it continued on every day after. After reading many studies, I believe wholeheartedly it helped restore balance to many internal levels. I am continually so amazed by our bodies!! ** I am not a doctor and have no medical training, please do your own research. This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.**

How cool!

Breast milk being studied as potential treatment for COVID-19 The groundbreaking study could include samples from a Maine mom.