Sage Roots

💜 Thank you Hope's Embrace for hosting another lovely maternity fair this year! This year there were THREE home birth midwives which makes me so excited and happy for this area. 💜

There’s still time! We’ll be here until 3pm!

Come see us today!

✨ Doula’s make a difference! ✨

💜 We highly recommend Hope's Embrace whether you’re looking to become a doula and desire training or are an expecting parent. 💜

We are so excited to announce OUR 250th BIRTH!! It sure was a special one, too! Mama, Taylor, was sweet enough to write her story for us. Check it out below.

“You have big babies, you’re probably going to have more C-Sections.”

“You got to 7cm dilated in your previous birth – it’s unlikely you’ll dilate any further to have a vaginal birth.”

In October 2022, I delivered my first daughter via C-Section after a grueling 36-hour labor. The reason? Failure to progress. The birth was very traumatic for me as I did not know what to expect, didn’t feel as though I had any power, and was pushed into interventions that I am confident today could have been delayed, keeping me out of the operating room.

In October 2023, my husband and I found out we were expecting again. At my 6-week confirmation appointment, I was told that because my daughter had been born weighing 9 lbs 7 oz with a head in the 99th percentile, I would likely need to have C-Sections for any subsequent births. I was devastated as I really wanted to try for a TOLAC (Trial of Labor After Cesarean) to achieve a successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).

A good friend recommended I look into a doula who could support my birth endeavors, and that’s when I got connected to Renee at Hope’s Embrace. She was educational, supportive, empathetic, and allowed me the time and space to make decisions related to my pregnancy and birth that empowered me.

As a social worker, Hope’s Embrace spoke to me deeply, as they truly ensure that expectant mothers have access to doulas regardless of their financial situation. I’ve seen many young mothers exiting foster care who fall pregnant and have no idea what to do, who to call, what to ask, and they go into pregnancy and birth with little to no knowledge of how to advocate for themselves. Match those circumstances with Kentucky’s poor maternal health outcomes, and we have many mothers with birth trauma and feelings that are never acknowledged or worked through. Hope’s Embrace is working to change this.

I am forever grateful for Renee and everything she did to support me. She was there for any questions I had, helped me pick a supportive provider who believed in my ability to birth vaginally, connected me to resources, helped me process my emotions, and helped me through the pain of active/transition labor contractions. She was right by my side every step of the way, and it truly made all the difference.

On July 3, 2024, my husband and I welcomed our baby girl through a spontaneous vaginal birth. I got my VBAC! Although her birth had some surprises, including a shoulder dystocia and a postpartum hemorrhage due to significant tearing, it was magical, and I have no regrets.

I can only hope that one day, everyone will have access to the care I did for this pregnancy. It truly made all the difference. Thank you, Hope’s Embrace, for supporting me and helping me achieve my VBAC!

📍 How far will we travel? 📍

We’re honored to support families within a 1.5-hour driving radius of London, KY, offering personalized and compassionate home birth services. This map is a fun guide to give you an idea, but is not exact! If your address falls within an hour and a half of London, KY, please reach out to us directly to confirm our availability in your area.

Your journey to a beautiful home birth starts with Sage Roots. Contact us today to learn more!



🌟 Your journey, your roots, our support. 🌟

Happy First Day of Summer! 🌞🤰

As the temperatures rise, pregnant women need to stay healthy and cool. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the season comfortably:

Stay Hydrated 💧: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and prevent overheating. Carry a water bottle with you wherever you go.

Dress Light 👗: Wear loose, breathable clothing in light colors to keep cool and comfortable. Cotton and linen are great choices.

Find Shade 🌳: When outdoors, seek out shady spots to avoid direct prolonged sun exposure. Use umbrellas, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses for extra protection.

Cool Snacks 🍉: Enjoy hydrating snacks like watermelon, cucumber, and berries. These can help keep you refreshed and provide essential nutrients.

Stay Indoors During Peak Heat 🏠: Plan outdoor activities for early morning or late evening when temperatures are cooler. Spend the hottest part of the day indoors with air conditioning or fans.

Cool Showers 🚿: Take cool showers or baths to lower your body temperature and feel refreshed.

Exercise Wisely 🧘‍♀️: It's important to continue daily cardiovascular exercise, but you may opt for low-impact exercises like swimming, prenatal yoga, or walking in the cooler parts of the day. Avoid strenuous activities in extreme heat.

Listen to Your Body 🧡: Pay attention to how you feel. If you experience dizziness, headaches, or excessive swelling, rest and hydrate immediately. Don’t hesitate to contact your healthcare provider if needed.

Embrace the joys of summer while keeping yourself and your baby safe and comfortable. Enjoy the sunshine and take care of yourself!

Celebrate International Picnic Day with Vitamin D for a Healthy Pregnancy! 🌞🍉🤰

On this International Picnic Day, let’s highlight the importance of Vitamin D in pregnancy while enjoying the great outdoors. Here’s why this vital nutrient is essential for both mom and baby:

Bone Health 🦴: Vitamin D helps develop strong bones and teeth for your baby, reducing the risk of rickets and other bone deformities.

Immune Support 🛡️: Boost your immune system and your baby’s, helping ward off infections and illnesses.

Healthy Pregnancy 💖: Adequate vitamin D levels are linked to a lower risk of complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth.

Mood and Energy 😊: Maintain a positive mood and energy levels, combating pregnancy fatigue and potential mood swings.

Calcium Absorption 💪: Aid in the absorption of calcium, essential for your baby’s growing skeleton and your own bone health.

Brain Development 🧠: Contribute to your baby’s brain development, ensuring healthy cognitive function and development.

Tips for Boosting Vitamin D on Picnic Day:

Sun Exposure 🌞: Enjoy the natural sunlight during your picnic, the best source of vitamin D.

Healthy Picnic Foods 🍽️: Pack vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cereals.

Supplements 💊: If needed, take a vitamin D supplement. Consult your healthcare provider for the right dosage.

Make the most of International Picnic Day by basking in the sunshine and fueling your body with vitamin D. It’s a fun and healthy way to support your pregnancy and your baby’s development. Happy picnicking! 🌼

What is a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)? 🌿🤱

A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a trained and certified expert in natural childbirth, providing care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Here's what you need to know:

Education & Certification 🎓: CPMs complete rigorous training and pass a national exam, ensuring top-notch skills and knowledge.

Comprehensive Care 👶: From prenatal visits to newborn care, CPMs offer holistic support tailored to each mother and baby.

Woman-Centered Philosophy 💖: Respecting the natural process, CPMs focus on informed choice and individualized care plans.

Out-of-Hospital Settings 🏡: CPMs specialize in home births and birth centers, creating a safe, comfortable environment.

Collaborative Approach 🤝: CPMs work with other healthcare providers when needed, ensuring the best outcomes for mothers and babies.

Advocacy & Regulation 📢: NACPM champions the recognition and regulation of CPMs, promoting access to safe midwifery care for all.

Learn more about the midwifery model of care at the NACPM website! 🌸

Feels like Home because it is Home 🌿🏡

Imagine welcoming your baby in the peaceful and familiar surroundings of your own home. With a midwife by your side, home birth offers a unique and comforting experience. Here’s why many families are choosing this path:

Home Comfort 🛋️: Labor and give birth in your own cozy environment, surrounded by the things and people you love.

Personalized Care 💗: Receive one-on-one attention and a customized birth plan that fits your needs and preferences.

Natural Birth Support 🌱: Midwives are skilled in facilitating natural childbirth, minimizing interventions, and promoting a healthy birth process.

Family Involvement 👨‍👩‍👧: Create an intimate and supportive atmosphere where your family can actively participate in the birthing experience.

Continuity of Care 🤱: Build a strong bond with your midwife through continuous care from pregnancy to postpartum, ensuring you feel supported every step of the way.

Holistic Approach 🌸: Embrace a care model that addresses your physical, emotional, and social well-being, ensuring a holistic birthing experience.

Empowerment ✨: Make informed choices about your birth experience, feeling empowered and in control of your journey.

Safety and Trust 🛡️: Midwives are highly trained professionals equipped to handle normal deliveries and ensure a safe birth environment.

Explore the beauty and benefits of home birth with a midwife. Make your birth experience as unique and special as your family. 🌼

🌟✨ Calling all expecting parents! ✨🌟

Are you ready to embark on the incredible journey of pregnancy and childbirth? Let's ensure you have the knowledge and confidence you need for the most empowering birth experience possible!

🤰 Join us for our Childbirth Education Classes led by experienced doula and student midwife, Laura. 🏡💕

👩‍🏫 Learn everything you need to know about:
✅ Understanding the stages of labor
✅ Comfort measures and pain management techniques
✅ Partner support and involvement
✅ Birth plans and decision-making
✅ Postpartum care and newborn essentials

Whether you're planning a home birth or simply want to feel more prepared for whatever birth journey lies ahead, our knowledgeable team is here to support you every step of the way.

Don't miss out on this invaluable opportunity to empower yourself for a positive birth experience! Limited spots are available, so register now to secure your place.

💬 For more information and to reserve your spot, email us at: [email protected]

Let's embark on this journey together with knowledge, confidence, and joy! 💖👶

🏡 Dreaming of a cozy home birth experience in London, KY, or nearby? 🌟 Look no further! As a passionate advocate for safe and empowering births, I'm thrilled to offer my midwifery services (still under supervision) to families in our area. Whether you're expecting your first bundle of joy or adding to your beautiful family, I'm here to support you every step of the way. 💖 Plus, consultations are always free! What have you got to lose? Let's chat about how we can make your home birth dreams a reality. 🤰✨ Reach out today to schedule your consultation! 📧: [email protected]

Dear Moms-to-be,

As you embark on this miraculous journey of pregnancy and childbirth, remember that you are strong. You are capable of nurturing life. You play a huge role in bringing forth a new generation with love and wisdom.

Pregnancy can be challenging, but you are strong. Every flutter of movement, every heartbeat, and every moment of connection with your growing baby is a precious memory to hold onto. I encourage you to embrace the changes in your body as a testament to the incredible miracle unfolding within you.

I am here to support you every step of the way, guiding you through the ups and downs, and empowering you to trust in your body's innate wisdom. Together, we will navigate the waves of labor and birth with courage and grace.

And when your precious little one finally arrives, know that the journey is far from over. The postpartum period is a special time of healing, bonding, and adjustment. Reach out for support from your partner, family, friends, or healthcare providers. You are not alone.

Above all, remember to be gentle with yourself. Motherhood is a journey filled with joys and challenges, triumphs and setbacks. But through it all, know that you are enough, just as you are. Remember, you are strong! Embrace your journey and embrace the beautiful miracle of birth.

“Iodine is a critical nutrient for fertility, pregnancy, and lactation. Yet, many women are consuming insufficient levels of iodine, putting them at risk for fertility and pregnancy complications.”

Iodine: Why this mineral is essential for fertility, pregnancy, and lactation - Lily Nichols RDN Learn all about iodine: why this mineral is essential for fertility, pregnancy, and lactation. Understand why iodine needs during pregnancy and lactation are higher than other people and much more

Hope’s Embrace is partnering with Kendra Scott Jewelry to raise money for moms in need of birth and postpartum support! Use the link to shop and Hope’s Embrace gets 20% of each order

Make sure to use code GIVEBACK-GBOLZ at checkout

Perfect time to shop for Mother’s Day!!!

https://www.kendrascott.com/?affiliate=cailyn

👋 Hello! It’s been a while! Let me reintroduce myself!

✨ I am a senior student at Mercy in Action College of Midwifery, set to graduate December 2024.
🙋‍♀️ Prior to midwifery school, I worked as a doula 6 years.
📚 I am also a homeschooling mama to my 4 children.
🏡 My family and I live in London, Ky and I look forward to serving my area as a home birth midwife.
🤰 I am currently accepting clients under my supervising midwives at Home Sweet Home for this Fall.
🤱 If you’re due in August or later and find yourself interested in a home birth, please contact me for a free consultation.

📧: [email protected]
📱: 606-344-9023

Mercy In Action College of Midwifery is accepting applications for their MEAC accredited College of Midwifery Fall 2024 cohort! I highly recommend and am happy to talk with you if you’re interested in attending a MEAC accredited direct entry midwifery program.

They offer 3 types of educational opportunities:

1. For people interested in becoming midwives, our four-year Bachelor of Science in Midwifery program is accredited by the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC). Students remain in their home communities to study via our distance learning format and, after the first year, students gain proficiency in clinical skills by apprenticing with an approved preceptor while continuing their academic studies online: https://www.mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu/bachelordegree

2. For midwives, we offer a variety of MEAC-accredited online and in-person continuing education opportunities, including courses that meet some state licensure requirements for Pharmacology, Suturing and IV Therapy for Midwives: https://www.mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu/other-offerings

3. For midwives or anyone interested in learning more about the global maternity health crisis and how to be part of bringing life-saving measures we offer a Diploma in International Maternal and Child Health: https://www.mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu/other-offerings

In case you need a little encouragement to take that extra nap ;)

A study in Science Advances looking at the limits of human endurance found that the physical intensity of pregnancy is basically like running a 40 week marathon.

Next time you find yourself saying “this is hard” know it IS hard, but it’s so worth it.

The 'fetal ejection reflex' is NOT the 'Ferguson reflex' (spontaneous pushing). Yet, I see the terms used incorrectly and interchangeably everywhere. I think this is a symptom of our current recirculation of surface-level misinformation in the birth culture. As a stickler for detail I twitch every time I see the term 'fetal ejection reflex' misused 🥴🤣 I usually save these types of longer rants for the Collective, but here you go...

FERGUSON REFLEX
Discussed in an article by James Kenneth Wallace Ferguson in 1941 (another female bodily function named after a man). AKA 'utero-pituitary reflex' relates to when the baby's head descends and stretches the cervix and pelvic tissues stimulating receptors in these tissues to create a feedback loop that increases oxytocin and changes the contraction pattern to stronger and more expulsive. This is the normal uncontrollable spontaneous urge to push.

FETUS EJECTION REFLEX
This term was initially coined by Newton, Foshee and Newton concerning experiments on mice. Michel Odent applied the term to physiological human birth in his article 'The Fetus Ejection Reflex'. In the article, Odent discusses his theory of physiologic fear where the fetus ejection reflex is initiated by a surge of adrenaline and catecholamines. This reflex results in an extremely fast birth ie. immediate ejection of the baby as an evolutionary survival mechanism initiated by a threat (predator) at the end of labour. In his article, Odent writes "The fetus ejection reflex must not be confused with the Ferguson reflex. The Ferguson reflex is triggered by the pressure of the presenting part on the perineal muscles–in other words, local factors–while the fetus ejection reflex can start much earlier and is not triggered by local factors."
You can find more birth-related information on my blog, podcast, YouTube, articles, books, courses and collective at www.rachelreed.website

Action Alert – Feb 2024 The biggest impact comes when legislators hear from people who live in the districts that the legislators’ represent. Here is what you can do to easily reach out to your state senator and sta…

👶 BABY FACT 👶

When your baby was born, did you notice any flat blue, gray-blue, bluish-green, or grayish to black discolorations? 🤔

These are PERFECTLY normal and can be seen starting at birth or within the first weeks!

These marks may look like bruises, but they're not- they are a type of pigmented birthmark called Congenital Dermal Melanocytosis or “Mongolian Spots”/”Blue Butt”. 🥰

They are commonly found on the back, butt, base of the spine, or shoulders, the reason being a newborn’s skin collects more melanin (pigmentation) in these locations.

They usually go away by 1-2 years of life, but sometimes into school age or adulthood, and are most commonly seen in Asian, Native American, or African American babies.

The reason the spots are blue is because of something called the “Tyndall effect”. The pigments on the surface of the skin appear in different combinations of blue, gray, and black because they have a shorter wavelength.

Just make sure the nurses and paediatrician note them in their newborn assessment, so no one confuses them as bruises at any point- no need to stress Mamas! 😘

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🤣 🤣 🤣

If you have been pregnant while enrolled in Kentucky Medicaid, please take this survey.

Kentucky Birth Coalition is part of a multi-disciplinary team of Kentucky stateholders working with the Institute for Medicaid Innovations to improve outcomes in the Meicaid population through the Midwifery Model of Care.

Take the survey --> https://bit.ly/teamkysurvey

Happy Mother's Day!!

To those who gave birth this year to their first child—we celebrate with you
To those who lost a child this year – we mourn with you
To those who are in the trenches with little ones every day and wear the badge of food stains – we appreciate you
To those who experienced loss this year through miscarriage, failed adoptions, or running away—we mourn with you
To those who walk the hard path of infertility, fraught with pokes, prods, tears, and disappointment – we walk with you. Forgive us when we say foolish things. We don’t mean to make this harder than it is.
To those who are step moms, foster moms, adoptive moms, mentor moms, and spiritual moms – we need you
To those who have warm and close relationships with your children – we celebrate with you
To those who have disappointment, heart ache, and distance with your children – we sit with you
To those who lost their mothers this year – we grieve with you
To those who experienced abuse at the hands of your own mother – we acknowledge your experience
To those who lived through driving tests, medical tests, and the overall testing of motherhood – we are better for having you in our midst
To those who will have emptier nests in the upcoming year – we grieve and rejoice with you
And to those who are pregnant with new life, both expected and surprising –we anticipate with you
This Mother’s Day, we walk with you. Mothering is not for the faint of heart and we have real warriors in our midst. We remember you.

~Unknown Author

👣 How big were your babies at birth? 👣

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Come see Rebecca of Lunar Birth Services at London's Baby Expo! She serves Southeastern Kentucky as a birth, and postpartum doula. https://www.lunarbirthservices.com/about

https://www.facebook.com/events/662897465185272
www.hopesembraceky.org