BINI Birth

There’s nothing like a room filled with birth workers ready to support families, improve outcomes and change the world!
Honored to have been part of the path of these amazing doulas!
In doula love!

Interested in beginning your doula journey?
Our next virtual doula training is July 22-24.
Join in taking your first step in becoming a certified doula! You can register now through our website, or check the link in our story.
❤️

Photo from

Welcome baby girl! ❤️

Breathtaking photo by

“The placenta is a multifunctional organ acting as baby's lungs to supply oxygen, kidneys to filter out waste, and as gastrointestinal and immune systems by delivering nutrients and antibodies

Fetal cells can transfer to the mother thru the placenta. Fetal cells have been found in the skin, liver, kidney, and bone marrow of pregnant women. They may target and help heal injured areas, and there is evidence that they exist in higher quantities in diseased tissues

It is the only organ that is created and then discarded, solely for each pregnancy

The placenta is what nourishes your baby. It is also responsible for eliminating waste, regulating your baby’s temperature, helping to fight potential infections, and building immunity

By the end of a pregnancy a placenta can weigh up to 2 lbs

When the placenta leaves, the milk starts
The placenta itself isn’t directly responsible for producing breast milk, but it does play a role.
The placenta produces a hormone that suppresses milk production in pregnancy. Once it has separated from the uterine wall, it triggers the production of prolactin.
Prolactin is the hormone responsible for milk production

The placenta is part mama and part dad. When a s***m fertilises the egg, cells begin to multiply to form a blastocyst, which then becomes the placenta and baby. It’s very easy to think of the placenta as one of the mother’s organs, but it’s actually created from both parents

The placenta is known as the tree of life. Ask your doctor or midwife to show you after you deliver yours - the veins on the placenta look tree branches and the umbilical cord looks like the tree trunk”
Caption by ❤️

📸

Black Maternal Health Week is almost here!

“Get ready to celebrate the 5th anniversary of our highly anticipated Black Maternal Health Week campaign! 🙌🏾

The theme for is, “Building for Liberation: Centering Black Mamas, Black Families and Black Systems of Care” - a theme that encompasses BMMA’s work to center Black women’s scholarship, maternity care work, and advocacy across the full-spectrum of sexual, maternal, and reproductive health care, services, programs, and initiatives. Additionally, this theme reflects the critical need for learning about Black Feminist and womanist approaches in strengthening wellness structures within our communities, across the Diaspora, and as a revolutionary act in the pursuit of liberation and the global fight to END maternal mortality.”
From

Not to worry!
While the umbilical cord is wrapped around this babies face, also know as a nuchal cord, they were perfectly healthy.
Nuchal cords are actually quite common! And don’t often cause problems for mama or baby.

According to UT Southwestern Medical Center, “Nuchal cords are surprisingly common and unlikely to cause problems during pregnancy or at birth. Estimates suggest that 20 to 30 percent of all deliveries involve a nuchal cord. And a 2018 study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reports that, the majority of time, babies do just fine when one is present.”

Thank you for this stunning shot

We don’t become somebody else in labor- As humans we are unique and individual. We make babies as ourselves and we birth and parent as ourselves too.
Your birth is your own. Don’t compare it to your mother’s, sister’s, neigbor’s or anybody else’s. Allow yourself to cope and express yourself freely in labor. There is no right or wrong way to labor!

Happy World Doula Week!

Today we share a photo of our founder Ana Paula in her early doula days 🤩

Here are a few word so from Ana herself about her doula experience:
I became a doula in 2002. Until then, I had no idea what a doula was or did. My personal birth stories were all individually impactful. After experiencing two scheduled cesareans, followed by two VBACs with doula support and proper preparation, I felt transformed even before labor. I immediately felt a desire to share how amazing our bodies are, and mostly of how important it is to use our voices in our care. My biggest passion to this day goes beyond informing people about the process of birth and their rights, but to make people feel like they matter, that their experience matters. Way beyond Vaginal or Cesarean, medicated or not. The calling that I still follow is about equitable, fair, dignifying and loving care through the most vulnerable and transformational experience humans go through: to become a parent. A loved parent loves and each one teaches one ❤️

“The purpose of World Doula Week (WDW) is to empower doulas all over the world to improve the physiological, social, emotional, and psychological health of women, newborns and families in birth and in the postpartum period. The World Doula Week events will take place all over the world during the same week, stating the benefits of the presence of doulas in birth and in the postpartum period:
Reduces the incidence of c-sections
May shorten the length of labor
Reduces epidural and analgesic requests
Increases breastfeeding initiation and continuation
Increases mother’s satisfaction of birth experience
Can reduce the incidence of postpartum mood disorders
Increases new parents’ confidence in the care of their newborn” from the World Doula Week website.

We are so excited that our in person doula trainings are back! Join us in Los Angeles for our 3 day birth doula training with

Our interactive and hands-on workshop will equip you will all the tools and information you need to launch your new doula practice.
You can register now through our website, or check our story for the link. We can’t wait to see you all in person soon ❤️

“I have carried a child within my body. I have comforted a baby upon my chest. My body is not magazine perfect, but when I look in the mirror I see a mother, and there is no greater honor or blessing.” - Agnes Steele

A welcome to all our new doulas joining our training today! We look forward to what will be a fulfilling, open, honest, and fun weekend.

Photograph by

Never underestimate the occasional need to pause, re-center, and recharge. You may or may
not know this, but Bini is ran by a mother-daughter team! Most of the time we are organized, disciplined, but all the time we are real, honest and clear human beings; both with
one another and our Bini Community.

In the past few months we needed that. We worked hard to stay strong and healthy (in all senses) during the pandemic both as a business and personally… but we ran out of gas for a bit, and it didn't feel genuine to create content from an empty space. We are back and feeling ready, inspired and will be slowly starting our socials again. Thank you for being there for us through it all. Tell us if you have felt or currently feel the need to pause and recharge.❤️

THIS is why we do what we do! Our Bini Doulas mean so much to us. The drive you all have inspires us everyday.
Thank you to .of.fates for these kind words ❤️ so proud

“I’ve been working tirelessly on something very dear to my heart and I can officially say im a certified DOULA 🙏🙏🙏

I’m sooo excited and honored to be able to be of service to other women bringing babies into this world.

If you don’t know, doulas offer physical and emotional support to birthing persons. Studies have shown that they significantly reduce the need for medical interventions including c-sections, and that overall women who have used doulas through their labor felt more satisfied with their birthing experience.

For a long time this path was calling to me, and after our experience with I realized just how much of a difference having a doula by your side can really make. I’m passionate about helping mothers feel supported and nurtured throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.

Thank you to everyone that inspired & supported me thus far on my journey. I can’t wait to see where this path will take me! Ty for a fantastic training 🙏”

Our next Birth Doula training is just around the corner! Join us and for a weekend of learning, listening, sharing, and understanding.

We cannot wait to see you there!

You can register now through our website, or check out our story.

Breastfeeding is nature’s health plan.

🌍🌺🌾

Stunning artwork by

“The smile you see is of a Mom whose baby is smiling at her. It comes from a bond that will never break. It comes from a place where I thought doing this couldn’t happen. This is what you’d call a moment 💗💗💗 I’m forever grateful to have these special moments to cherish for the rest of my life!”

Beautiful beautiful words and photo from 🥰

Wise wise words from

Every birth is a natural birth, and every birth experience is valid.

“Something amazing happens when we surrender and just love. We melt into another world, a realm of power already within us. The world changes when we change. the world softens when we soften. The world loves us when we choose to love the world.”
Marianne Williamson

Remember to surrender to the labor you are given, and the child you will have. You don’t have to compare or question your labor, be in it and with it.

Photograph by

We are having so many great discussions in day 2 of our virtual doula training!
Hearing from all of you and your experiences is what this is all about- coming together collectively to work towards a better future for our clients & clients to be.
We are so grateful for you all, thank you. ❤️

Artwork by Louise Bourgeois from

“In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.” —Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn

Powerful photo by
There is no limit to what our bodies can do. 💫

Coming up soon!! Register now while you still can.

Join us for our virtual three-day DONA approved doula training! The training will be live, so we will still spend all three days together, using a platform which will allow for questions and group discussions.

You can register now through our website, our check our story for the direct link 😌

SKIN TO SKIN

There are endless benefits to skin to skin contact for newborns. At the Bond Conference in New York City, Dr. James McKenna, Dr. Kersten Moberg, Dr. Ann Bigelow, Dr. Henrik Norholt, Dr. Charles Price and Dr. Raylene Phillips were able to provide the latest research on the topic.

“Infants are born with immature brains and therefore need skin-to-skin and tactile stimulation for their brains to grow.
Skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding are the means whereby the immature-term infant continues gestation outside the womb.
Skin-to-skin promotes oxytocin release in mom and is shown to improve breastfeeding rates and improve bonding with baby.
With elective cesareans, no oxytocin is released. Thus, it needs to be compensated for through skin-to-skin, massage, babywearing and breastfeeding. While Pitocin injections are used to bring on labor, it is very different to natural oxytocin because it only affects the uterus and does not affect the brain, which would lead to the feel good feelings and bonding.”
Via AttachmentParenting.org
📷

Parenthood can be both emotionally and physically tolling. Of course there are many ways you can prepare, your experience will always be unique. While it can be important to seek out advice from those close to you, it’s also important to remember to trust yourself as well.
You may not always please everyone, you may even disappoint yourself as some point, but that is exactly the point. It comes in waves!
“You will cry, you will obsess, you will worry, you will get advice, you will try the advice, you will curse the advice when it doesn’t work – and then, you’ll cry again, pick yourself up, and try again.
What helps us in the throes of new motherhood is knowing we are never alone. There are many, many mothers right alongside us living the same cocktail of sleep deprivation, confusion, and unadulterated love.” - Ojus Patel
📷 .jpg

Protecting the Perineum 😍

Perineal Massage has been shown to help reduce the risk of tearing and can be done easily in the comfort of your own home. According to The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, from 34 or 35 weeks of pregnancy, a woman (or her partner) can start massaging the perineum 1–2 times per week, with each session lasting for a maximum of 5 minutes.

Prepares the tissues
Massage increases blood flow and may help the tissues and skin stretch with more ease but with less pain during childbirth.

Lowers risk of tearing
Around 1 in 15 women who regularly do perineal massage don’t need an episiotomy or otherwise experience a tear that requires stitches.

Lowers need for stitches
Even if massage doesn’t prevent tearing, one study says it may reduce the need for stitches by as much as 10 percent. This basically means that massaging the perineum may make tearing less severe.

Helps those with scar tissue
Women who have had a previous injury or otherwise have a rigid perineum (dancers, horse riders) may find that massage is especially useful.

Prepares you for birth
Paying attention to the area that stretches the most during delivery allows you to focus on relaxing and learning the sensations you may encounter. This may help you get in the zone both physically and mentally.

Repost from
📷

Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom. Today is a day for celebrating, gathering, and educating! We celebrate the liberation of Black Americans today and every day, and we must continue to do the work of which that entails.

Happy Juneteenth to all of our Black birth workers! You are essential to our community and the ongoing conversation 💜

Great post from

Amazing shot by

There are so many aspects of this photo that say so much about the beauty of birth. From the umbilical cord to the baby’s head, truly magical.

When attending births, we all carry items that we feel are essential.

What are some of yours? We would love to hear from you!

Stunning vernix shot from

DOULAS: Our next Breastfeeding for Doulas Course is this Saturday! Join trainer for a virtual workshop to take the steps towards your certification.

Be prepared to help your clients by learning new ways to support their breast/chest feeding.

You can register now through our website, or the link in our story!

Truth truth truth from

“They are not incapable of pain.

They are NOT broken from the moment of birth.

They are not victims of the birth process.

Pretending that all the suctioning,
severing of the cord,
separation from mother,
plastic gloves,
strangers,
aggressive rubbing/shaking,
prodding,
eye gooping,
cleaning,
and gential mutilation,
is for a baby’s health is a disgusting perversion of the truth.

It's about initiating a baby into the allopathic medical system,

Undermining their sovereignty and vitality from the very beginning,

And, taking a pure, divine spirit and intentionally severing their connection from Life, nourishment, intuition, and love.

What a baby needs to thrive is simple:

1. A natural, undisturbed birth.

2. Their mother.

Babies are sentient beings not machines.

Babies are robust and resilient and perfectly designed to thrive in birth.

How different would the world be if everyone remembered this?”