Birth in Bloom

Creating your birth

There is a lot of planning and preparing as you make your way through pregnancy, the baby's room is painted and furniture is moved in and placed just right. The walls are decorated and the clothes are washed and folded in perfect stacks, but what preparation have you done for the moments just before and just after your precious new baby arrives?

Birth planning

I make a conscious effort to avoid using words like "plan" when thinking about creating the birth experience. I like to call them "wishes for birth" or a "birth wish list", this allows, even in the early stages of preparation, for your mind to remain open to the knowledge that birth does not follow a plan that can be written on a piece of paper. Instead, creating a wish list of what the most important things are for you in the birth experience, for the time you will spend in the hospital from the onset of labor to those first amazing moments when baby is in your arms, can be incredibly helpful when the time arrives.

Part of my service as a birth doula is to to help parents create their birth wishes. When I work with mom's and dad's to be I first ask them to pick the top three things that they most want out of this birth experience, what is the most important aspect their birth. Healthy baby, healthy mom...number one every single time, but from there, it varies greatly so knowing what your top wishes are is a great place to start. I highly recommend starting with a book like Your Best Birth, written by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, which talks about options and gives a lot of information about birth choices. Educate yourself, if you don't know you have a choice, the less likely you are to make one.

Communication is key

One of the best ways to create a positive birth environment for you and your baby is to communicate with your provider ahead of time. This provides you with the opportunity to know early on if your birth choices will be supported. If not, you then have a new choice, stick with them or research your options. Consider what interventions you'd like to avoid and find out if that's something they can work with. This is your birth experience and its up to you to create the birth you desire. The hospital has standard procedures that you may not know about as well so talking early and often with your provider will help you in crafting a wish list for birth.

I have my wishes for birth, now what?

Now that you've read some books, talked with your provider and maybe even hired a birth doula, it's time to put it all in a nice clean organized format that can be put on file with your OB or Midwife and given to the staff upon arrival at the hospital. Do yourself a favor by keeping it to one page, separated by stage or phase (Early Labor, Pushing, Newborns First Moments, etc) with bullet points. As long as you have already discussed each item with your provider, presenting it to the hospital staff should be fairly simple. As a doula, I generally bring two copies, one for myself and one for the nurses and I put it right on the computer keyboard in the labor room. This will prompt the nurse to read, ask questions if necessary and make any changes based on what is happening at the time.

For more ideas on how to write your wishes for birth or for information about how a doula can help improve your birth experience email me at birthinbloom@gmail.com.

Calling All Bellies!

Birth In Bloom is excited to offer our first Belly Casting workshop!

When: Sunday, October 25, 2009, 12:00pm

Where: Kerry's Home in Burke, Virginia

What's Belly Casting you ask??  Belly casting is a unique way to capture the exciting transformation of pregnancy in a full 3 dimensions! Join other mommies-to-be as we create a custom work of art using your beautiful belly that you will be able to treasure for years to come.

Belly casts are generally between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, but the choice is yours.  Using strips of plaster we will make exact replica of your pregnant belly, smoothing the strips in between layers and creating a strong cast that, once dry, can be left plain or decorated to your liking.

Cost for the workshop is $80 and includes all casting supplies, an idea sheet for decorating your cast at home and a customized label for the inside of your cast! 

Space is limited so sign up today for an afternoon that is sure to be full of smiles, laughs and a precious keepsake of your beautiful pregnant belly.

For more details or to register call Kerry at 703.855.1938 or email birthinbloom@gmail.com.

Belly Casting - the art of beautiful bellies

You know how everyone wants to touch a pregnant belly? There is something so beautiful about a pregnant woman and when that belly is yours the inquisitive touches can get bothersome - but it does remind us just how amazing that belly truly is!

This is just one example of how a belly cast can look, there are lots of different ways, shapes and styles in which to belly cast. I've seen one where a partner has their hands on mom's belly, or mom has her hands in the shape of a heart on her belly, the list goes on and on. Whatever style of belly cast you choose will be something you will be able to cherish and admire for years to come. Just imagine being able to show your baby exactly where you held him or her for all those months, what a gift!

More artful expressions!

In additional to a basic belly cast, you can add your own flair and artwork to your belly by painting and decorating the cast. From all over decorations to handprints and names, your cast can become even more of a masterpiece when you add decorations. Here a mom created something truly inspiring, what will you put on your belly cast? 

For more information about belly casting services contact Kerry at birthinbloom@gmail.com.

A Dream Team - Dads and Doulas

One of the number one questions I get asked by my doula clients is how Dads and Doulas work together. What they are really asking is "dad wants to be involved, does a doula take his place?"  And the answer that question is so easy, absolutely not! Quite the opposite in fact, a doula enhances dads role and we are there to support dad too!

The more support the better

Studies show that when doulas are present at birth, women have shorter labors, fewer medical interventions, fewer cesareans and healthier babies. Recent evidence also suggests that when a doula provides labor support, women are more satisfied with their experience and the mother-infant interaction is enhanced as long as two months after the birth. But did you also know that with doula support, fathers tend to stay more involved with their partner rather than pull away in times of stress?

More often than not we see dad's participating in the birth preparation classes, breastfeeding classes, prenatal visits and at the birth, which is a beautiful thing. Yet, we sometimes forget that it may be difficult for him to fulfill all the different expectations of his role as a labor coach. I recently had a dad tell me that he was overwhelmed imagining trying to remember what all the procedures and terms meant and that he really just wanted to be there to support his wife, and as a doula I know I can help him do just that.

A good example that I give to my clients is a woman’s instinctive behavior during birth. The rhythm and ritual of labor tells me that mom is coping well but dads often don't know what to make of this normal process of birth. There is no doubt that  it is hard to watch a partner in pain, even pain with purpose which is the case in childbirth, but can also lead to more stress for the father. A doula can provide reassurance and can skillfully help the mother to cope with labor pain in her unique way. If a cesarean should become necessary the father may be asked to accompany his partner and not all fathers can realistically be expected to provide labor support during such a stressful time.  Also, if the baby needs to be taken to another area of the hospital dad can go along and the doula can stay with the mom to provide continuous support.

The best of both worlds

Many fathers are excited and really want to be involved during labor and birth.  With a doula, a father can share in the birth at whatever level he and mom desire and most importantly, however he feels most comfortable. Many times dad wants to provide physical comfort, such as back massage and change of positions, and to help mom stay focused during contractions. The doula can provide the guidance and suggestions for what may work best and her skills and knowledge can help him to feel more relaxed. Now that's what I call a Dream Team! 

To learn more about the benefits of having a doula at your birth you can visit www.dona.org.

Learning to trust

The more women I meet, the more I begin to realize that what we choose to believe about our abilities influences us more than what we actually know about our abilities!  Why do we let the world tell us that we can't give birth without interventions when we know that our bodies were made to give birth?

Once a Doula, always a Doula

As much as I try, I have to admit I'm always in Doula mode...when shopping at the grocery store or having a get together with friends, I am always listening to what women are saying about themselves and my ears especially perk up when the subject turns to childbirth. It never ceases to amaze me when what I end up hearing is primarily negative. I grew up believing I could be anything I wanted to, from being a singer to teaching children, I knew that if I just went for it I would surely be able to do it. But the same concept isn't taught when it comes to childbirth. On television birth is portrayed at scary and the women are always screaming and looking frightened - I think about my daughter watching this same thing it's so obvious - what else could she possibly believe other than that birth is something to fear and that women can't handle birth, which is the opposite of what I believe. I've never witnessed a live birth where a woman was screaming in that way...that's not to say that she was smiling and singing but given a strong support team, good solid coping techniques and most importantly a belief that she can give birth, a woman can and will create a birth that she will look back on and feel good about.

Believe in yourself

An artist friend of mine makes some really beautiful jewelry with words. I asked her to make this necklace so that I could share my message with everyone I come into contact with and it turned out perfectly. I reads simply Trust Birth, something that I hope we as women can teach ourselves, and our daugthers (and whomever else we can) to do.  If I could I would give everyone I know a necklace like this, it's a powerful message and one that we have to really remind ourselves and remind others to do. If you would like a necklace like this, or with any other words, here's a link to Cameron's shop www.createbeautydaily.etsy.com

Give yourself the gift of a truly remarkable birth experience by building a strong support team including a Doula and surround your space with affirmations reminding you that you are strong and you can trust your body and trust birth.  One of my very favorite quotes from Virginia diOrio says it so poetically ”Just as a woman’s heart knows how and when to pump, her lungs to inhale, and her hand to pull back from fire, so she knows when and how to give birth.”