All tagged Postpartum
Do you ever get tired of hearing about surrender? Yay, me too.
The reason birth workers go on about it so much though, is because surrender is often a necessary part of birth and parenting – sometimes it’s surrendering to the power of the surges running through your body, or surrendering to the need for unwished for medical interventions, or surrendering to the sleep deprivation and high needs of your newborn in the early weeks of postpartum.
Why is asking for help so. damn. hard?!
Our culture values independence. In fact, we value it so highly that we’d often rather be miserable, exhausted, overwhelmed, and independent then thriving, joyful, rested, and interdependent.
Here’s the secret though – it doesn’t have to be that way. The only reason it IS that way is because we’ve all agreed to it. So if enough of us decided another way is better, then THAT would be the way.
I usually do a year end wrap up in January but this year I’m not feeling it. Taking a look back at our stats feels a bit like trying to put a big ol’ shine on a smelly turd. I’m not a big fan of positivity for positivity’s sake.
I did want to share two things that capture some of what I’m feeling about 2020 though.
Five years ago, I was pregnant with my first daughter.
I was a birth doula, attending births in my 33rd week of pregnancy.
Round and ripening, I supported other birthing families as their babies made their way earthside.
I knew my time was coming soon.
Duality: an instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something.
There is a tug of war at times within.
I want to return to work. I don’t want to leave my kids.
I want to leave my kids to pursue my passion. I feel like staying at home in our cocoon.
Does one feeling negate the other? Do they have to be in opposition, or can both be true at the same time?
Pregnancy is a time of rapid growth and adjustment for your body. Your posture changes daily to create balance as the uterus grows and grows. Your ligaments start to stretch, joints become strained, muscles become sore and achy and your body can become quite uncomfortable!
So while 2020 has been The Worst, that doesn't mean your birth has to be too - you deserve calm, peaceful energy around you as you prepare to bring your baby into the world.
And as long as your baby is still inside your uterus, you can still hire a doula. (Once, I was hired by someone ALREADY IN LABOUR so if you aren't in labour yet, you're literally ahead of the curve!)
Of course, your doula will show up and take care of you and feed you ice chips and wipe your brow and help you through contractions. That's actually just a small part of what we do.
My 17 year old self would never have guessed that my life would end up here….a husband (who works out of town), three kids (each with a different mom), a roommate, dogs – and all of us living together in one home.
I would have guessed the kids part, and the marriage part, but that’s where the similarities would have stopped – I never would have guessed I would be living the blended family life.
My vision of life was simple – instead, I have had to learn to co-parent, manage other people’s family dynamics on top of my own and, in the process, have discovered an existence that is vibrant, complicated, and 100% worth it.
I am a mother of three children: an adopted daughter, a stepson, and a biological daughter.
Stephanie and I recently took the four-day DONA International Postpartum Doula Training here in Calgary taught by AJ Hadfield, PDT/PCD(DONA), CD(DONA), CLE. With so much valuable knowledge shared with Stephanie and myself, we wanted to share some of the wisdom with you directly. I sat down with AJ to share her experience on what families REALLY need to know about bringing their new baby home. Here’s what AJ generously offered us.
Placenta encapsulation is undergoing a new revival in western culture and is a rapidly growing service being sought out by birthing parents who desire a more natural approach to postpartum recovery as well as the multiple benefits that have been reported. So, it’s not unexpected that questions would arise as they spend time researching.
As birthing parents seeking professional services, knowing you’re making an informed choice is important in receiving the postpartum care you desire and deserve. Always look for a trained and qualified Placenta Specialist who is happy and eager to answer any questions you may pose them. Placenta encapsulation is still a largely anecdotal practice but more and more scientific research is being conducted, which is both exciting and positive. This research helps in answering those questions and concerns that you may have, so let’s get started with some of the common questions and objections I receive.
There’s a myth in our culture that a weak pelvic floor is just the price pregnant folks pay for giving birth. We’re thrilled to share this guest blog post from Claire Harris of Intrinsi, a physiotherapist who specializes in pelvic floor health, to help set the record straight.
As a physiotherapist with a special interest in pelvic health, I am passionate about empowering people to discuss their pelvic floors, and how important it is for overall health. It’s an easy topic to sweep under the rug, but a little bit of leakage after your friend tells a joke is no laughing matter! When it comes to pregnancy and your pelvic floor, there are a lot of strategies to manage any concerns you may have, as well as preventative tools to ensure you are setting yourself up for success during this exciting (and often stressful) time.
Stepping into new motherhood, I felt really prepared. I had an arsenal of doulas in my corner and I had a library of resources to draw from (should I need them). I felt quite confident that I could face the unknown and roll with the punches. Even with all the reassurances, it was still an initiation that my heart wasn’t prepared for.
