I just read about a study describing how loving touch can ease pain. It's not the first study of its kind, but it's a good reminder that laboring women who have a partner, family member, or doula with them can cope better with labor through the simple use of human touch. For women who labor … Continue reading The Comfort of Touch
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I have been following Sarah Rudell Beach's "Left Brain Buddha" site for a while now. It's perfect for me because I aspire to mindfulness but too often find my left brain running the show. Sarah's most recent post, "Dear Exhausted, Struggling Mama...," is a great read for parents of children of any age, but especially … Continue reading For new moms: letter to your future self
This so beautifully captures the essence of parenting, especially: "It is a child’s job to explore. It is a parent’s job to provide safe boundaries for child exploration, to give limits that provide a sense of security, not restriction. It’s rather an impossible assignment, parenting. I’d offer that, for those of us who choose it, … Continue reading Letters from camp.
I’m quite sure how I feel about reblogging my own blog post, but this one seems to have resonance for both of my professions. — Audrey
Thanks to August McLaughlin for hosting her Third Annual “Beauty of a Woman” Blogfest, which prompted this post. Visit her blog starting February 27 to read all the entries.
The Beauty of the Known
It has always seemed to me that people I care about are more attractive to me than strangers.
Looking for confirmation of this, I found a couple of interesting videos. One was titled “How to Make People Think You’re More Attractive Than You Really Are.” Leaving aside the issue of how one assesses one’s own looks, I was interested to find that instead of talking about plastic surgery or makeup, it recommends such things as standing up straight, making eye contact, and smiling.
It seems that the idea of a known person appearing more attractive applies even to oneself, as the video below shows. Four ordinary women received professional makeovers and posed for…
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"Women do not fail to breastfeed. Health professionals, health agencies and governments fail to educate and support women who want to breastfeed." I've been teaching breastfeeding for about nine years. For most of that time, I've started my class off by asking participants, "What are some of the benefits of breastfeeding you've heard about? Just … Continue reading Benefits of Breastfeeding vs. Risks of Formula Feeding
Well said, Julie!
Today I went to visit a client who had an amazing birth last week, and she did something that many women do: She apologized for not being very nice during her labor.
Let me paint the picture. This was her second baby and she was hoping to have a vaginal birth after a previous C-section, so she was already pretty stressed. Her labor was progressing quickly, though, and she stepped out of the car like only a woman in transition does – like she was walking gingerly through a minefield.
We quickly got her set up in the delivery room. Her contractions were now 3 minutes apart and strong. She handled all of that wonderfully. But she didn’t have enough left to say ‘please’ or couch her requests in niceties. I would have described manner her as honest and efficient. She was getting it done.
And then the apology. I…
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Three simple–though not necessarily easy!–tips for supporting a partner during labor.
Over the years, I have seen so many loving partners at births. But loving doesn’t always translate into supportive.
Many partners are unprepared for the realities of an average labor: the lack of sleep; the stress of the hospital; watching the woman you love going through intense emotional and physical strain. And often these partners’ natural inclination is to want to fix it all, to make it go away.
Of course, that isn’t possible, or even preferable.
Instead, there are some simple things that birth partners can do to offer real support when it is most needed. Even though they’re easy to describe, actually doing these things can be a challenge. But they’re worth trying, because they make all difference. Here are three:
- Pay attention. Over the many hours that a typical birth will take, this can be one of the hardest things to do. But try to watch…
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A fellow doula called this week to ask for some advice about a client. As she told me the story, I couldn't help but remember that I have heard this same story, or some equally sad variation of it, many times before. It goes something like this: The story A woman has a baby. It … Continue reading Letting go without giving up
My teenage son, who has grown up listening to me talking about birth and helping moms with breastfeeding on the phone, asked a great question the other day when I told him I was on my way to teach a breastfeeding class. "Why do you need to teach a class about that? I think it … Continue reading “Why do you need a class about that?”
I'll admit, I like simplicity. Why go out and get a complicated piece of equipment when something simple will do? That was the message delivered a few weeks ago by Dr. Jane Morton when she spoke to members of the Nursing Mothers Counsel. Now in private practice with Burgess Pediadrics, Dr. Morton conducted research at … Continue reading Using the tools at the ends of your arms
Peninsula Birth Companions 