What is a doula?

A birth doula is a woman who supports the pregnant woman during labor and birth. Birth doulas are trained to provide continuous support, physical and emotional support, individual care, and information to make informed decisons. Continuous support in labour may improve a number of outcomes for both mother and baby, and no adverse outcomes have been identified.

Difference between midwive and doula?

The most significant difference between a doula and a midwife is a primary maternity care provider with medical skills and training that supports women to maintain healthy pregnancies and have optimal births and recoveries during the postpartum period. A midwife cares for mothers and their infants and provides women with individualized care uniquely suited to their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs. While a doula is not. Doulas are taught about the physiological processes of birth and postpartum — for parent and baby — and how they can assist families through non-clinical means like education, emotional support, physical comfort, and advocating for themselves through informed consent.

Is home birth safe?

According to recent studies, planned home births with skilled midwives are safe for low-risk pregnancies. Evidence also demonstrates that women at low risk of complications during the birth have the same outcomes, whether they have their baby in the hospital or in their home with qualified midwives.

Safe outcomes with positive benefits include:

• High rate of vaginal birth

• Low intrapartum and neonatal fetal death rate

• Low rate of low APGAR scores

• High rate of breastfeeding

• Few emergency transfers

• Low rates of intervention like cesarean section or the use of pitocin.

My baby is breech, can he/she turn?

According to the Spinning Babies® website many (but not all) breech babies will turn head down when there is room available.

I recommend you use Spinning Babies® techniques to Turn a Breech

Additionally you may seek help from a trusted practitioners who can help to turn a breech baby:

A Chiropractor or Osteopath may do the Webster Maneuver.

A Therapeutic Massage Therapist may release shortened ligaments and muscles to the pelvis.

Craniosacral Therapy, Fascial Therapy, and Dynamic Body Balancing can address the connective tissue (fascia) and respiratory diaphragm.

Acupuncture and Moxibustion have been shown to help.

External Cepahlic Version might work better after body balancing.

Is my newbaborn ok?

Things to watch out for with Newborns

• If a baby is persistently moaning (groans and weak cries that continue for hours)

• Super shrill cry (unlike any your baby has made before)

• Repeated vomiting or any green or yellow vomit

• Change in stool (constipation or diarrhea, especially with blood)

• Fussing during eating (twisting, arching, crying that begins during or shortly after a feed)

• Abnormal temperature (a rectal temperature of more than 100.2°F or less than 97.5°F)

• Irritability (crying all the time with almost no calm periods in between)

• Lethargy (a baby who's sleeping twice as long as usual, "out of it", or not sucking well over an 8-12-hour period)

• Bulging soft spot on the head (even when your baby is sitting up)

• Poor weight gain (gaining less than a half ounce a day)

• Breathing that becomes deep and hard or short and shallow.

• If you just have a gut feeling that something is wrong—you know your baby best. Seek Help Inmediately!

How about mom?

While each on of us is unique and special, many new mothers will experience some feelings that are worth considering. If you answer yes to more than three of the questions below, you may have postpartum depression (PPD). PPD affects 15-20% of all postpartum women. It is a real illness. It is very treatable. Do not deny yourself the opportunity to feel good again. Do not let misinformation, uncertainty, shame, finances, embarrassment, or denial get in the way of you seeking the help you need:

• Have trouble sleeping even when the baby is sleeping?

• Find you’re exhausted most of the time?

• Notice a decrease in your appetite?

• Worry about little things that never used to bother you?

• Wonder if you’ll ever have time to yourself again?

• Think your children would be better off without you?

• Worry that your partner will get tired of you feeling this way?

• Snap at your partner and children over everything?

• Think everyone else is a better mother than you are?

• Cry over the slightest thing?

• No longer enjoy the things you used to enjoy?

• Isolate yourself from your friends and neighbors?

• Fear leaving the house or being alone?

• Have anxiety attacks?

• Have unexplained anger?

• Have difficulty concentrating?

• Feel like you will always feel this way and never get better?

• Talk to your partner or talk to your doctor. Once you decide to seek treatment, you will be on the road to feeling better… For help & referrals, call the Postpartum Resource Center of New York: 631-422-2255