Grace for New Life Doula Services, Danielle Mitchell
I am a birth doula based in Grapevine, Texas. A doula gives emotional support during labor and deliv But I'm here to tell you that you can!
Being a doula is about empowering moms and dads in the birth experience. Labor and delivery can often be seen as a scary and ominous unknown that women are told they can't cope with. Your body was made to do it and you are a strong woman! Doulas are all about helping moms and dads through the birth experience and giving them the support they need to have a positive birth experience through coping
29/12/2021
Reposted from: The Birth Impact
Know your options. You can say NO!
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27/12/2021
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25/12/2021
19/12/2021
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17/12/2021
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15/12/2021
12/12/2021
There’s a big difference.
It’s one thing to prepare your expectations for a birth that might not go “as planned” but it’s something else entirely when your birth is sabotaged by a team of ignorant or unethical providers.
For instance, ending up with a longer labor is a different kind of disappointment than ending up with an unnecessary c-section. Lumping them all into this category of “plans change” and “birth is unpredictable” is disingenuous.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people relay experiences of nurses, family and friends saying the blanket statement “birth is unpredictable” when mothers are investigating what actually happened to them and what was done to them.
Yes, no two births are the same. But also, most births are not an avalanche of problems to be solved.
Don’t get caught in the trap of expecting chaos. If it feels chaotic because someone else is rushing you, that’s not the time to silence yourself with, “birth is unpredictable.”
-Reposted from Toxic Maternity Care
08/12/2021
Just an example of the medical system views pregnancy and birth, as a problem to solve instead of a natural beauty to behold. It's alarming to experience, but (and a doula) is key to ward off the labels that lead down the road to -section. Check out Hypnobabies birth preparation course, link in bio.
05/12/2021
Let me help protect your precious birth space!
gracefornewlife.com
03/12/2021
-Reposted from .midwifemummy on IG
Artificial rupture of membranes
Synthetic oxytocin
Induction
Rushing labour
Rushing bearing down
Instrumental birth
Directed pushing
Caesarian section
Laying on your back
Fetal Scalp Electrode
Episiotomy
Vaginal Examinations
Continuous monitoring
There’s more that could probably be added but you get the point.
All of these things can be suggested for possible fetal distress.
Main word there, possible.
These can then directly or indirectly cause distress, to you or your baby. All for a possibility.
Example: your water’s release and there’s meconium. Why? Possible distress or (more likely) just a mature digestive system. You’re suggested an induction with a synthetic hormone. You cannot stay at home and have to be in hospital. You’re then more likely to have an epidural and then you’re more likely to have an instrumental birth or a CS.
Synthetic hormone and an epidural both can cause fetal distress, that’s the only reason you need a continuous monitor on with these things.
Instrumental births, episiotomies and CS can distress both baby and Mum (and not just physically).
But in the end, how did this all happen from simply the water’s releasing?
What caused the distress?
The meconium?
Or the other 100 things that happened after?
A lot of people focus on the end result and ask what they could’ve changed at that point. But that’s not what is going to help. It’s everything that happens at the start that you can change that will help. Every decision that you make, will affect your birth. So make your decisions carefully.
30/11/2021
Did you know true knots occur in about 1-2% of pregnancies?
These knots usually form during early pregnancy when the baby flips around more, but can still form at anytime throughout pregnancy.
In most cases these knots are harmless. The Wharton's jelly provides enough protection around the vessels so they don't become pinched or crushed. This allows the baby to stay well oxygenated and maintain good circulation.
Though it's not impossible, it is rare that the knot will actually become tight enough to cause concern.
📷: Sister Birth :: Support & Story
18/10/2021
Oh how I miss the office and Dwight's birthing antics.
18/09/2021
Birth wisdom! You have the right and power to say NO!
Gracefornewlife.com
17/09/2021
Nope! Nuchal cords are incredibly common, occurring in an estimated 1 of 3 births.
🔆 They are very rarely dangerous.
🔆 Fetuses receive oxygen through the umbilical cord, not by breathing through the mouth or nose, so a cord around the neck is not cutting off their air like it would for you or me. If the cord is left in tact, the baby can still be receiving oxygen from the placenta for several minutes after birth.
🔆 Most babies with a nuchal cord have one that is very loose and it can be simply slipped over the head after birth. There is usually no indication of the nuchal cord at all.
🔆 The main way for a nuchal cord to be harmful (if the cord is healthy) is if it is wrapped multiple times and is so tight that it compresses itself, thereby decreasing blood flow inside, or if there is a true knot so tight that it does the same (rare). The cord would have to be extremely tight to cut off blood flow between the body and brain.
🔆 Nuchal cord is very difficult to identify before birth, even with ultrasound.
🔆 You do not need to have a c-section solely due to a suspected nuchal cord.
🔆 Medications given during a birth induction/augmentation can cause erratic & extra strong contractions, causing heart decelerations in the fetus. If a c-section is performed and a nuchal cord is discovered, it is frequently blamed (though the cause was more likely the induction meds). This can lead the mother to feel her baby was "saved" by the hospital staff, when they may have actually been the ones to CAUSE the issues the baby was "saved" from.
🔆 A healthy umbilical cord is filled with a gelatinous substance called Wharton's Jelly that protects the cord vessels as a fetus twists and turns its way inside the uterus.
If you want to read up on the evidence on nuchal cord, visit my Instagram account () and scroll back to my post of that name.
-Reposted from Birth Uprising
16/09/2021
The World Health Organization says that a 10-15% cesarean rate was the 'sweet' spot beyond which more harm was done than good. Ask your doctor/midwife what their c-section rate is, that will tell you if you are in good hands or not!
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-section
15/09/2021
Giving birth soon? READ THIS & Hire a birth worker!
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****it
14/09/2021
Your birth, your health, your babies health, your choice!! Know your rights!
Gracefornewlife.com
13/09/2021
Get support for your goals! You are stronger than you think!
Gracefornewlife.com
12/09/2021
The most important question to ask during pregnancy and delivery!
Gracefornewlife.com
10/09/2021
When a baby's head is turned to one side, the arm on that side stretches out and the opposite arm bends up at the elbow. This is often called the "fencing" position. The tonic neck reflex lasts about 6 to 7 months and aids the baby in breastfeeding.
Gracefornewlife.com
babies
09/09/2021
Active Birth is a philosophy in which a woman follows her birthing instincts and intuition, while being actively involved in all choices regarding her pregnancy and birth, and medical care. By definition, an active birth is woman- centered and mother-directed; SHE is the birth-giver and so claims ownership of her choices, her body, and her baby. When given the time and space to birth unhindered, a woman will naturally discover the movements and sounds that open her body and move her baby down and out. As a culture we have become disconnected from our birth instincts, which were passed down to us, mother to daughter, through thousands of years of evolutionary refinement.
Gracefornewlife.com
babies
08/09/2021
The average fetal heart rate is between 110 and 160 beats per minute, and can vary five to 25 beats per minute. The fetal heart rate may change as the fetus responds to conditions in the uterus. An abnormal fetal heart rate or pattern may indicate that the fetus is not getting enough oxygen or that there are other problems. A doula can help you know what questions to ask your nurse/doctor to get the information you need to take the best action for your individual health and your babies. (Hint: it could include backing off of IV pitocin/induction medication or switching to an upright laboring position.
Gracefornewlife.com
babies
07/09/2021
Post Caption
When a baby's head is turned to one side, the arm on that side stretches out and the opposite arm bends up at the elbow. This is often called the "fencing" position. The tonic neck reflex lasts about 6 to 7 months and aids the baby in breastfeeding.
Gracefornewlife.com
babies
06/09/2021
Every hospital has their own policies regarding routine procedures required of laboring women. A doula can prepare you for the hospital policies of the specific hospital you are birthing at and explain your rights to deny these procedures or help minimize their negative effects on labor and delivery.
Gracefornewlife.com
babies
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