Hiring a Doula is one of the best decisions an expectant mom or couple can make. (If I do say so myself). Doulas come with a host of “benefits” (see What is a Doula) and can be a huge help and comfort to mom, dad, and the rest of the birth team. A Doula, is not, however a replacement. A Doula can never replace education. Educating yourself before the birth of your child is very important. Whether you are planning a home birth, hospital birth, or a birth center birth, some of your labor is going to progress without your “support team” and some of your labor is going to be uncomfortable. Sometimes very uncomfortable. Yes, even if you are planning on getting an epidural. Many women falsely
Mother's Day is this Sunday. Being connected to both the birth world and the world of pregnancy loss, I have been receiving quite a bit of information and unsolicited advice surrounding Mother's Day and the "proper" or "improper" ways in which to celebrate it. Both of these "worlds" collide on one Sunday in May every year and each can be prone to extremes. One extreme glorifies the day as though it should be sacrosanct and a veritable Christmas for mom. The other loads the day with triggers and sadness, preparing for its advent with hosts of warnings and suggestions on how to survive. Sadly, neither one of these approaches is fair, and neither is all that helpful because both miss the whole
