https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog daily 0.75 2020-12-09 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/a-birth-story-alicia-a monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595447186126-R0Y6FOI8XGWQJ2ZAIQ95/IMG_20200708_215042322.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - Every birth story that I have had the honor and privilege to take part in has a special and permanent place in my heart, and this story has touched me in a very unique way. COVID19 has taken a lot from our society, and a whole lot away from growing families; isolating them in a time where support and community are so incredibly instrumental. This birth was the first one I was able to attend in person at a hospital since restrictions were placed four months ago. That’s four months of women having to choose between their husbands, mothers, and other close family and friends to come with them to their labors. No birth photographers, and yes, no doulas. I share this story, with Alicia’s permission, in hopes that it can touch your heart as well, maybe enough enough to help us take action. KCWM is partnering with DGKC to start a grassroots movement to get doulas back into hospitals. With the uptick in cases, hospitals have started to put their restrictions on support people back in place. If you support doulas as essential to birthing people, sign our petition here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607475751924-S0ZEGW43PV49DZWRJIX3/5.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595449369806-EAAKQD8919YWXO3DZYQ2/image-asset.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - With each contraction, Alicia pushed as hard as she could while holding her breath, pulling against Brandon and Kristen while the whole room cheered her on and counted to 10. “You’ve got this!” “You are so strong!” “Yes Queen!” “You ready for that thick steak?” That last one was Brandon. Some solid encouragement when you haven’t eaten anything for over 24hrs. “Brandon, look!” Kristen pointed with her head, still holding Alicia’s hand in both of her own. “You can see her hair!” Brandon’s eyes popped wide when he saw his daughter’s hair for the first time. “You can see her hair!” He cried! “There she is! Mercy Lee is here!” “Do you want to touch her head?” the doctor asked Alicia. Alicia nodded, breathing deeply between her contractions. The doctor guided her hand to Mercy’s head, and a smile bloomed on Alicia’s face. “There she is,” Alicia breathed. The doctor laughed, “let us know when another contraction starts” A few more pushes later, and Mercy Lee was born at 8:23pm into Alicia’s loving arms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595449741093-NZ0P5YZ9FBR84DJ3VUP8/image-asset.jpeg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - Doulas are essential. I had spent the last tweleve hours providing counter pressure during contractions and massaging Alicia’s hands, feet, legs, back, and head between them. I taught Brandon how to push fluid out of Alicia’s hands and feet as fluid from her over 24hr induction was (and did) going to continually swell them. I was able to explain how the cervix thins and softens, not just dilating. I was there to say '“90% thinned is great progress!” instead of them fixating on the 3.5cm dilated. Turning what could have been seen as bad news to a small celebration. I used several different empowerment and distraction techniques to help her get through the contractions to see which worked best for her. Doulas are essential. Studies have shown the constant support provided by doulas make labors shorter, less painful, and make members of the birth team more likely to see the birth as a positive experience. See my “FAQ-Why Use A Doula?” Page for more info. We do this by putting our client’s rights at the first and foremost, by insisting that her decisions are informed, not coerced, and final. My client is in the drivers seat of her own birth. Feeling in control of your circumstances is so incredibly important, putting the mother into the parasympathetic nervous system and allowing her body to release laboring hormones instead of the fight or flight hormones of the sympathetic nervous system. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595525765914-YQGY4IBQ9IMNGS68F5FH/image-asset.jpeg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - The new parents stared at their beautiful baby girl, telling her how much they loved her and welcoming her into their world. “Hi, Hi, Mercy. It’s mama,” Alicia cooed “I love you.” After a few minutes of the family meeting each other, Kristen suggested they try breastfeeding. Mercy began to try to lift her head, sticking her tongue out and wrapping her arms around Alicia’s breast. “She’s telling you this is hers now.” Joked Kristen. Within 15 minutes of birth, Mercy had latched and taken some small sucks, though not enough to get milk, a very good sign that she was healthy and alert. “Brandon, would you like to do some skin to skin while Alicia eats?” Kristen asked. Brandon quickly took off his shirt, taking Mercy Lee into his arms for the first time. He sat on the couch, just holding her, then turned to his phone and began to play “I Just Love Looking At You,” singing along to the lyrics. He continued to pick more songs about love, and began to cry with love and joy at his beautiful family. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595448269771-JAAVXRF4ACNUJWVQ9YFY/IMG_20200708_124419885.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - The doctor then wanted to switch from an external monitoring device to keep track of Alicia’s contractions to an internal device. Nurse Sarah showed Alicia the device, explaining how it would work, and then the doctor set it. Alicia settled down to watch Cinderella while Brandon answered questions from their excited family, eager for more news about Alicia’s labor. They continued to pass the time, switching from one side to the other with the peanut ball holding Alicia’s pelvis open. Brandon held Alicia’s hand, rubbing ice chips on her lips, while Kristen switched off massaging her hands, feet, hips, back, and legs and applying counter pressure for the contractions. They talked about what Mercy would look like. Would she have Brandon’s nose? Alicia’s hair? Brandon laughed as he declared Mercy would have Alicia’s attitude. “We already know she does. In the ultrasound the nurse wanted her to do one thing, and she was like no and just turned away to do her own thing. She’s got her mama’s attitude for sure!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595525351245-1XY5OIVX16URGPZEXIBR/image-asset.jpeg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - “What’s one fun thing you look forward to doing with your baby?” Kristen asked right before another contraction. “Singing to her.” Alicia answered, preparing her mind to relax her body. “What will you sing? Disney songs?” Kristen asked, thinking about how Alicia had chosen to watch Cinderella. “Everything. I like to make up songs, just sing what pops into my head.” Alicia answered. “That’s beautiful,” Kristen smiled, beginning to apply pressure to Alicia’s left hip as the contraction started to reach peak. The nursing staff continued to come into the room every thirty minutes to an hour to flip Alicia and turn down her pitocin as her contractions got closer and closer together. Brandon changed the playlist from ocean waves to music, blasting Ari Lennox through the birth space. At 5:30pm they turned the pitocin off completely. They did a cervical check and announced that Alicia was 90% thinned and 3.5cm dilated. Kristen explained that this was good news. “Dilation happens in its own time, sometimes going very slowly and sometimes incredibly quickly. Thinning is what generally takes a long time. This is very good progress!” And sure enough, only an hour later Alicia had progressed to 7.5cm, and by 7pm she was a 9 and began to feel the need to push. Shift change brought the night nurse, Brittany, and a new doctor. The room began to fill with staff setting up the birth table while Nurse Brittany began practice pushes with Alicia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1595447953815-51ZWNRALWPTN0IQX6FSI/IMG_20200708_192842727.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Alicia A. - After talking about how Alicia was feeling, how her labor was progressing, and answering some questions, Kristen turned her computer to a video of ocean waves, lulling both Alicia and Brandon to some well deserved sleep. At 10:30am, nurses Sarah and Erin came to flip Alicia onto her right side and talk about placing a foley to help Alicia dilate. By this time, Alicia was starving. That peanut butter sandwich was a full night away in her past and it was well into midmorning. She asked if the induction could be paused so she could have a meal and the nurses stepped out to check. They came back a few minutes later with the news that, because this was a medically necessitated induction, the doctor strongly recommended not pausing the induction. Alicia consented to the foley and Sarah tried to distract her while it was being inserted by asking her what flavor of Popsicle she would like. “Grape!” Alicia gritted between set teeth, gently holding Brandon and Kristen’s hands with practiced relaxation. By 11am the foley was set, the Popsicle halfway eaten, and Alicia had been massaged and lulled back to sleep listening to the waves. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/a-birth-story-chelsea-l monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1584635115459-KN8KU7YWQKMQQ2IFEM1B/preggowaddie.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Chelsea L. - You see, Chelsea was 37 weeks pregnant with her third child when she and her husband, Deric, decided to move across the United States from Nevada to Kansas. And of course, Deric had to go first for work before the new house could be closed. That left Chelsea driving a carful of stuff across the United States, with two toddlers and my youngest sister. At 37 weeks pregnant. And my sister is so crazy that not only did she do this, but it didn’t even occur to her to ask for help. I discovered this when I arrived at their home on closing day. At the time, I still lived in Iowa, but I hadn’t missed her births in Nevada so what was a drive to Kansas? We were unpacking like mad, trying to get ready for the baby to come, all while interviewing local homebirth midwives who were willing to take a woman 37, now approaching 38, weeks pregnant. Chelsea clicked with a local midwife named Amber, who naturally wanted to see the house before she agreed to host a birth in it. Cue unpacking like mad (when I wasn’t using my doula powers to convince Chelsea to sit and drink water) and daily exercises practicing relaxation techniques and establishing which mantras empowered her the most. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607475751924-S0ZEGW43PV49DZWRJIX3/5.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Chelsea L. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Chelsea L. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1584635709311-JOJJKYYXW4JRYA38XRXV/addietubbirth.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Chelsea L. - Chelsea labored in the living room while Deric got the birthing pool ready upstairs. My mom heated up some broth for Chelsea to drink, as she had stopped wanting to eat hours earlier, while I continued to massage during contractions then distract in-between. As her contractions got closer together, Chelsea decided to text Amber and let her know the baby was going to be born today. Chelsea’s labor progressed quickly and beautifully. She called a childhood friend who lived in the area and wanted to attend the birth. Amber arrived with a midwife in training named Rhiannan (who is now a fully trained midwife). We moved upstairs to continue to labor while on a birthing ball in her room. Chelsea was doing really well, but felt tense even between contractions. The goal for a laboring woman is to be as relaxed as possible, to stay in the parasympathetic nervous system and keep her hormones regulated. I waited for Chelsea to open her eyes after a contraction, then asked her if she was holding tension anywhere that I could help with. It turned out, she was afraid of peeing on the floor if she relaxed, so I got the puppy pads we had purchased to cover the bed and laid them out. She relaxed immediately, both from the security of the pads and from the sheer hilarity of it. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/bd8m55pe9n9fxpk4j966pe4m4mcrat monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1586891957546-MRHW154XJ9FTSURGII1Q/DSC_7480.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Cassie M. - As always, thank you for reading and God Bless! Photo Credit: Kara Vorwald Photography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Cassie M. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607475751924-S0ZEGW43PV49DZWRJIX3/5.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Birth Story: Cassie M. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/a-fertility-story-cassie-m monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Fertility Story: Cassie M. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1582946227912-PU9G5TKAKZ44LT3VDFKE/Cassiebump.jpg Childbirth Together Blog - A Fertility Story: Cassie M. - It was wonderful watching Cassie learn her body the longer she tracked. It was like she started to trust it again and to become more in tune with its cycle. After the first month, we sat down to go over her chart and the next month we didn’t need to. Cassie was pregnant, her due date was Harry Potter’s birthday, and she wanted me to support her during her labor as her birth doula. We hugged and cried together in happiness. I was thrilled and excited to continue to be a part of her family’s story through her birth. Seven weeks later, Cassie called to tell me the baby was measuring small. Six weeks instead of nine. If she hadn’t been completely certain about her conception date, they would have pushed her due date back by a few weeks. My heart stopped even as I told her not to worry, there was still a heartbeat even if it was a bit slow and ultrasound measuring is an inaccurate science at best. The moment I got off the phone I was praying. I continued praying when the bleeding started, when her HGC levels started falling, and even after she had her missed miscarriage. Praying for healing, praying for peace, and praying for her little baby. Her HGC levels continued to slowly fall and I continued to be a phone call away. The moment her midwife gave her the okay, Cassie was bravely ready to try again. Photo Credit: Kara Vorwald Photography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466675642-PLBG66WNZF730TZIM9Q6/6.png Childbirth Together Blog - A Fertility Story: Cassie M. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/category/Explore+the+Library monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/category/A+Fertility+Story monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/category/A+Birth+Story monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bfblog/category/Birth+Worker+Highlight monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/library-blog daily 0.75 2020-05-04 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/library-blog/good-moms-have-scary-thoughts monthly 0.5 2020-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588609364413-KSPPMZKANJYFPROOHOD6/scarythoughts.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts by Karen Kleiman - I personally dealt with this after my first pregnancy. I felt like I couldn’t ask for help because I was supposed to be happy. Something must have been wrong with me and it scared me. Everyone else from my birthing class looked like they were doing so well! My sister was a mother of two under two and she, as far as I could tell, was rocking and loving every minute of it! Little did I know, she was struggling too (and had the same impression of me that I had of her!) What a missed opportunity for bonding as both sisters and mothers! Instead, I spent months lying in my bed, not even bothering to get dressed or eat until my husband texted he was coming home from work. I would scroll my (lying!) social media filled with pictures of happy mothers and their adorable infants wrapped in bows and think “Who has the energy to do that? I’m just such a bad mom”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588610858570-JRLQS6T9K243OKND8GYJ/safeplace-1001x1024.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts by Karen Kleiman - Sometimes, parents need help. And that is okay! Finding community to vent to, or talking to a therapist, does not make you a bad mom! Reaching out for help takes strength. Humans are social creatures, we are supposed to do life together! Motherhood doesn’t suddenly negate your need for support - it increases it! Being honest about the sometimes hard and scary thoughts that almost all parents have is an incredible step towards normalizing the true image of parenthood! Author Karen Kleiman offers suggestions on how to find healing on nearly every page. She encourages giving yourself grace with your thoughts and resting in your own mind as a good mom if you have the mental space to do so! She also has tips for asking for help and adds great resources for where to find help towards the end of her book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588604907069-RKRAZDXV8S9CV0MW5EYZ/goodmoms.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts by Karen Kleiman - Book Review: Length: Short, Storybook Style Topics: Maternal Mental Health and Postpartum Mood Disorders Status: Currently Available https://www.childbirthtogether.com/library-blog/dear-mama-you-matter-by-amanda-hardy-phd-lmhc monthly 0.5 2020-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588021421261-1OCWDTKPKVLBJVJ2IAW3/Dear+Mama.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: “Dear Mama, You Matter” by Amanda Hardy, PhD, LMHC - Sign up for Pre-order Here! Length: A Moderate Read Topics: Self Love for Motherhood and the Postpartum Period Current Status: Not Available Yet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588605994925-TP1JFI0M2R3N55VSMQ0D/youmatterminipic.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: “Dear Mama, You Matter” by Amanda Hardy, PhD, LMHC - Every mother out there is in the postpartum period, whether they had a baby five months ago or fifteen. We have all been compared to our old selves and other moms. We have all had days where we don’t feel like the butterfly that we are and wonder what happened to that happy caterpillar, speaking or thinking harsh criticisms of the person we have become to ourselves with no grace or love. As Amanda puts it, we have all judged ourselves against the imaginary supermom that society and Instagram tells us must exist. This book was written to help change that voice to one of patience and love. To fill the cup of mothers, allowing them to create even more love to pour into our children. Finally, it was written to give simple, achievable tips to help, not just to point out the problems then leave us to wonder what to do next or overwhelmed with unattainable solutions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has given birth, is going to give birth soon, or will be the support person of a person giving birth. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588606253964-HAGNATTLM7VK190IHI0F/butterfly.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: “Dear Mama, You Matter” by Amanda Hardy, PhD, LMHC - Honestly, I enjoyed all of this book. It has a unique focus on the postpartum mother not just growing a person (pregnancy and mothering), but changing as a person. I particularly liked Amanda’s butterfly analogy. She questions why people expect a postpartum woman to “get back to her old self”, not just quickly, but ever. We don’t look at a butterfly and ask them when they are going to go back to doing caterpillar things, so why do we do this to mothers? Mothers, Amanda points out, have changed, grown into a completely different version of themselves. Every mother struggles and succeeds at different things, growing as a person while they grow as a mom. The idea of asking us to “get back” to our old selves, well, it completely negates all of that hard earned growth! https://www.childbirthtogether.com/library-blog/when-baby-brings-the-blues-by-dr-ariel-dalfen-md monthly 0.5 2020-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588094387056-D4X5746RC2XLDAFYYPD4/whenbabybringstheblues.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: “When Baby Brings the Blues” by Dr. Ariel Dalfen M.D. - Book Review: Length: Average - A Moderate Read Topics: Postpartum Depression and Anxiety Current Status: Available for Check Out https://www.childbirthtogether.com/library-blog/ina-mays-guide-to-childbirth-by-ina-may-gaskin monthly 0.5 2020-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588605164203-NVZ2U7GX1TM7NQDOVJLN/InaMay.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: “Ina May’s Guide To Childbirth” by Ina May Gaskin - Book Review: Length: Average Topics: Natural Birth, Birth Stories Current Status: Available for Check Out https://www.childbirthtogether.com/library-blog/1rjp4ge7hwp3ds5yc2icfm8inws4j8 monthly 0.5 2020-05-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1586033402475-ABWRTF1RDRIA5QTV7MEA/EBB.jpg Library Blog - Inside Look: “Babies Are Not Pizzas” by Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN. - Book Review: Length: Medium - pretty quick read Topics: Labor, Hospital Hierarchy, Homebirth, Autobiography Current Status: Available https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog daily 0.75 2022-02-16 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/local-birth-and-loss-resources monthly 0.5 2022-02-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463098776-IAI1XYZ7WZJEVF667H4F/3.png Local Highlights - Local Birth and Loss Resources - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Local Highlights - Local Birth and Loss Resources - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/celebrate-local-mocsa-with-madeline-musil monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603122844559-4L1P8GSROQJRS5R37N1M/MOCSA.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Maddie Musil, LMSW - She found what she was looking for in MOCSA, a non-profit that provides services to those who have experienced sexual assault at NO COST to them. “When sexual violence happens to someone,” Maddie writes, “it was not their fault, so they should not have to worry about how they are going to pay for a counselor or an advocate. Survivors should not have to pay out-of-pocket for something that was done to them, so we are incredibly fortunate to offer our services completely free of charge.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Maddie Musil, LMSW https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1604689035030-V8MUPTP7JMHN22FHZ4Q1/Untitled+design.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Maddie Musil, LMSW - I will support every pregnant person and their support people as if they have lived through sexual assault and I will learn to do this to the best of my ability through reading and attending lectures by trained and knowledgeable speakers. As the KCWM Education director, I will do my best to bring as many of these speakers and resources to other doulas and educators. I deeply hope that this blog and Maddie’s lecture brings people to the resources they need to heal and help others on their healing journeys and I am so grateful that organizations like MOCSA, and people like Maddie Musil, exist for the many people who need them. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463098776-IAI1XYZ7WZJEVF667H4F/image-asset.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Maddie Musil, LMSW https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1604701204662-6UNZ8MNDC1MHL8IW5GBW/Maddie+Musil.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Maddie Musil, LMSW - According to RAINN, a person is sexually assaulted in the United States every 73 seconds. To me, this means that many of the people I work with as both a doula and childbirth educator are going to have experienced sexual assault and will need resources to keep their pregnancy, birth spaces, and postpartum, places of healing. For these resources, I have turned to MOCSA, and the more I learn about them the more respect and gratefulness I develop for their organization, employees, and volunteers. I am incredibly honored to have the privalige to host and learn from one of their employees, Madeline (Maddie) Musil, in an Enrichment Workshop through KC Women’s Ministry. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1604692698189-2L2B5T2QFUQ42I0Q6ELU/MOCSA+Thumbnail.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Maddie Musil, LMSW - Maddie is an Education and Outreach Specialist with MOCSA. She presents workshops related to sexual violence to students K-12 as well as community partners in the KC Metro Area. She is very passionate about her work.“My work is important because everyone has the right to feel safe and to know that they control what happens to their body.” Her next sentence really struck a cord with me, as a doula and childbirth educator, “I constantly interact with clients, both adults and children, who don’t understand that they are in control and have the right to say no” ABSOLUTELY!! If I could insert a clapping GIF here, it would be a full auditorium standing ovation. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/local-highlight-preferred-physical-therapy-with-addie-long monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463098776-IAI1XYZ7WZJEVF667H4F/image-asset.png Local Highlights - Local Highlight: Addie Long, PT, DPT https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603339048775-EIX4LZF4YF03U7WZWI9E/1.png Local Highlights - Local Highlight: Addie Long, PT, DPT - Addie Long was born in Overland Park, KS but moved to Georgia when she was only 6 years old, moving back her senior year of high school. She has always loved sports, with a focus on improving performance, and was very excited to be accepted into Saint Mary’s Doctorate in Physical Therapy program! She herself is a marathon runner, running the Boston Marathon in 2016. She qualified to run again this year with her younger sister despite being pregnant, but was unable to due to COVID19. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603336201590-6D82H585J21E607KUXZG/Enrichment.png Local Highlights - Local Highlight: Addie Long, PT, DPT - Despite hating being the center of attention, when asked if she would be interested in presenting her knowledge to another local organization, KC Women’s Ministry, she and her co-worker Elise Umbarger PT, DPT, leapt at the chance! KCWM is a non-profit group of doulas and volunteers providing birth services and education to women in the KC Metro Area. To further that purpose, they hold an Enrichment once a month, helping to educate both their own doulas and the public on topics related to pregnancy, early postpartum, and a healthy life. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603338179129-5WNPPFGHVJSTTTXH8TXJ/0.jpg Local Highlights - Local Highlight: Addie Long, PT, DPT - “The internal exam is helpful in gaining a full picture of a person's symptoms and impairments, but it is not a mandatory component to treatment. The decision to participate in an internal exam is 100% up to the patient!” Words to make any doula stand up and clap! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png Local Highlights - Local Highlight: Addie Long, PT, DPT https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603336261244-1576YO02UUYGP7ZMLFHH/BeatriceLong-22.jpg Local Highlights - Local Highlight: Addie Long, PT, DPT - According to Addie and Elise, working with physical therapists early is very important for healing. This makes birth workers, such as doulas, a huge potential asset to our clients, connecting our them with needed pelvic floor therapists. Doulas are right there with our clients, learning their aches, pains, and pregnancy related discomforts. In their Enrichment Workshop, Elise and Addie taught us key phrases and questions to listen for that may signal a need for pelvic therapy, such as “What can I do for this leg pain?” “My lower back is killing me!” “What can I do to keep my stomach muscles from separating like my last pregnancy?” and situations after giving birth, such as back labor, episiotomy, vaginal tearing, C-section, etc. To make their patients even more comfortable, Preferred Physical Therapy pelvic floor therapists offer personal and private support. “Pelvic floor therapy is unique and specialized,” Addie writes, “As a pelvic floor therapist, the way I practice PT is more personal and private than my colleagues’ work with their patients in a gym. I create a quiet, one-on-one experience in a closed, private room, which makes it much easier to address personal needs and concerns.” https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/celebrate-local-mosca monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607464091663-Q3LS9I3RY0P3ABJ4CGVU/Lanathumbnail.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco - I have had the amazing privilege of working with Lana Franco, a local teacher, KC Women’s Ministry Community Relations Coordinator, and a volunteer with MOCSA. Lana grew up as the daughter of a minister; growing up in several places, including Independence, Ohio, West Virginia, and back to Iowa until graduation. She is the loud, fun loving woman who would show up wearing socks and flip flops with a fanny pack. She is also extremely passionate about making the world a better place for those around her. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603167503953-BWZ4NQKGGWOYZTESQTP1/1.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603167503871-P5NGS76QBEGJIR59DFHJ/2.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603167507872-DZR5KQCU1F9KO7I996CU/3.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603167508524-YXZL88BB1LI0UD7Q1NMD/4.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603167511037-FCF1805KRMRX46VALPGN/5.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603122844559-4L1P8GSROQJRS5R37N1M/MOCSA.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco - According to their website, MOCSA provides advocacy with “24-hour crisis lines and hospital, legal, police, and court advocacy”, free counseling services for both survivors of sexual assault and their partners, and sexual abuse prevention programs for schools, community, professional, and service industry settings. I myself was greatly moved by their mission statement: “To improve the lives of those impacted by sexual abuse and assault and prevent sexual violence in our community. We help victims become survivors.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603204783405-JCN3DZAA6WZIA03WYLK3/6.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco - Lana works with the volunteer staff at MOCSA as what she describes as victims “first point of contact,” signing up for night shifts, from 5pm-8am or on the weekends when you can sign up during the day. “You are on call and sometimes you don’t get called in, sometimes you get called in 3 or 4 times in one shift.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1604682966280-FKX51SXKGH4P3VM1XRTT/MOCSA+Thumbnail.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco - According to RAINN, Americans are sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. So if you work in the birth world, chances are you will support at least one person who has lived through this horrific reality, weather you know it or not. If you are a doula with KCWM, who provides services for homeless and domestic violence shelters, you can almost guarantee it. We need to know how. I want to be clear, as a doula you are NOT in control of the outcomes of pregnancy and birth, including traumatic responses. It is impossible to control and should not be taken upon yourself. With that being said, as doulas it is of the utmost importance that we learn about supporting victims, doing our best to turn what could be a further traumatizing event (being pregnant and giving birth) to a healing experience. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463098776-IAI1XYZ7WZJEVF667H4F/image-asset.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: MOCSA with Lana Franco https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/celebrate-local-dr-jess-bohlke monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1597089027148-387VZKHJ2LO8ZOJPBZ2A/JC.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Dr. Jess Bohlke - But that wasn’t the end of Dr. Jess’s battle with her own health. At the age of 23, she was misdiagnosed with a false positive recurrence that ultimately lead her to have a hysterectomy. “I knew my purpose in all of the pain was to be found in the service of others. It became my mission to change healthcare for all people, but especially women and children.” Dr. Jess continued her education with a doctorate from Cleveland University. She has also studied with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association to specialize in prenatal, postpartum, and pediatric care, allowing her to practice her passion of holistic health care for her patients. Dr. Jess is incredibly passionate about the health of her patients, feeling a deep empathy for their struggles after her own health experiences. Journey Chiropractic is focused on the health of the individual and their family, with a focus in prenatal and pediatric care using the Webster technique and other ICPA methods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1597536270303-N0IGE7G2ZH9EMF0V64IR/Dr.+Jess+Ad+%281%29.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Dr. Jess Bohlke Dr. Jess grew up in LeMars Iowa, completing her undergraduate at the University of Iowa. It was during this time, that Dr. Jess was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. By following a self-created holistic lifestyle and healing practice, she was able to heal herself of ovarian cancer when she was only 20 years old! She describes this experience as “earth-shaking in more ways than one,” and ultimately where her passion for empowering women to be their own health advocates comes from. “For years, my symptoms were written off as “normal” until I eventually landed with a deadly diagnosis. It was at that time I had to change or I knew my life would end.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Dr. Jess Bohlke https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/celebrate-local-elise-umbarger-pt-dpt monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1596478314962-78QQJ5CIFE7MOWZ0XZ7B/KCWM+Logo.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Elise Umbarger, PT, DPT - Doulas are right with our clients, learning their aches, pains, and pregnancy related dysfunctions. Getting women in to work with physical therapists early is very important for their healing, making doulas a huge potential asset, connecting our clients with needed pelvic floor therapists. Elise and Addie taught us key phrases and questions to listen for in our clients while pregnant that may signal a need for pelvic therapy, such as “What can I do for this leg pain?” “What can I do to keep my stomach muscles from separating like my last pregnancy?” or “My lower back is killing me!” and situations after giving birth, such as back labor, episiotomy, vaginal tearing, C-section, etc. To view the full video, join the KC Women’s Ministry’s Members group on Facebook, then click here! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1603339310281-EL8THYQX5PP3HO1UJ60H/Preferred+Physical+Therapy.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Elise Umbarger, PT, DPT - Elise Umbarger is a physical therapist at Preferred Physical Therapy in Lenexa KS, specializing in pelvic floor PT. According to their website, their pelvic floor PTs are trained to treat a whole slew of pelvic floor dysfunction, including prolapse, urinary incontinence, chronic pelvic plain, and erectile dysfunction. When writing about her work, Elise claims, “The urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, back pain, and painful intercourse are common but not normal, and they can be fixed! Pelvic floor physical therapists have many tools in their box and can help you.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1596476149696-TLHRRKDIDA8016YZKE5S/0.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Elise Umbarger, PT, DPT - If you want to learn more about Elise’s work or book an appointment, click here! Or call 913-492-0333 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463098776-IAI1XYZ7WZJEVF667H4F/image-asset.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Elise Umbarger, PT, DPT https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1596475127772-VKJWG62KVW592273BDWT/Elise+Quote.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Elise Umbarger, PT, DPT - Elise and her husband, Austin, love to exercise together, though Elise has never developed a love for cardio (who can blame her) and focuses more on weight lifting. She is driven and goal oriented, working to improve herself just as she does her patients. For example, when Elise set the goal for herself to do a pull-up on the morning of her 30th birthday, she was able to do two in a row! Elise is certified in Astym therapy, as are many of her coworkers, two of which also preform dry needling. She strives to consistently change up her therapy, using complementary exercises to keep your sessions engaging while getting you to your goals. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Elise Umbarger, PT, DPT https://www.childbirthtogether.com/highlight-blog/h61fmdhh2av7zjimgrywj5b22lgzd9 monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588203010931-8KA13DP9XTXA6M0O7Z2Q/heatherphoto2.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Heather Sears - “There will be many little details about your birth that you'll forget or be so busy laboring that you won't notice. Capturing all these first moments and being able to look back time and time again is something you and your child will cherish forever.” —Heather Sears https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588205282258-L27SP0WO9EV0BFKAJEQW/heaterphoto1.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Heather Sears https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588205282138-53QDL0DSWQ9ER44MLR1S/heatherphoto3.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Heather Sears https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588205283209-0HOF6RMO3W04AC5WJONA/heatherphoto4.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Heather Sears https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1588205283269-5BRL8924ITUNUKEDF1IG/heatherphoto5.jpg Local Highlights - Celebrate Local: Heather Sears https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events daily 0.75 2021-03-08 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/whats-happening-websites-and-disabilities monthly 0.5 2021-03-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607454286508-8VKLIABGBHSXFQ7BSMLP/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: Websites and Disabilities with Jaime Mackey https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1615338662663-Z8CSQ0OBFTRIJXGUH4JR/Designing%2Baccessible%2Bwebpages%2Bcreates%2Ba%2Bmore%2Buser%2Bfriendly%2Bexperience%2Bfor%2Ball%2Bpeople.jpg News and Events - What’s Happening: Websites and Disabilities with Jaime Mackey - There are a lot of small business owners here in the United States. 30.2 million of them according to 99 Firms. Many of these businesses depend on online sales and/or marketing. In fact, e-commerce is projected to grow by 20% in 2021 according to SBA.gov. These businesses, unable to afford purchasing an expensive website design, build themselves pretty websites with pretty pictures and stylish font. A mistake, according to Jaime Mackey, that leaves many potential customers simply unable to interact with their websites. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1615248419355-4IZUXU6P0RVSAHHLEK2X/websites+and+disabilities.png News and Events - What’s Happening: Websites and Disabilities with Jaime Mackey - You may be thinking, ‘okay, that sounds good. I’m all for inclusivity, but what does building an accessible website really mean?’ “So you've heard the buzzwords "Inclusivity" and "Accessibility" in a broad scope, but what does it have to do with building a website? I'm going to talk with you about inclusion in relation to web design and how the design of your website can make it more or less usable for people with short or long-term disabilities as well as those in particular environments and situations. You will learn how to evaluate the accessibility of your website and gain helpful tips to start making it usable for more people! ” https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/jasmine-braun-rn monthly 0.5 2021-02-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1612298105954-T36AYBLDBK6OBJJ8ZG3O/_CBT+Banners.png News and Events - What’s Happening: NICU Basics with Jasmine Braun RN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607454286508-8VKLIABGBHSXFQ7BSMLP/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: NICU Basics with Jasmine Braun RN https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1612292105086-5M66NLLP1K06AZ55MIMF/Jasmine+Braun.png News and Events - What’s Happening: NICU Basics with Jasmine Braun RN - Childbirth in an incredibly unique experience each and every time for each and every parent. A woman giving birth for the second time often finds the second pregnancy to be easier or harder, with more or less morning sickness, or completely different cravings. The baby may be bigger, smaller, or sitting in a different position. There are just so many variables, it is nearly impossible to walk into a birth 100% prepared. Sometimes these variations are as small as a 6 hour labor versus a 8 hour labor, but sometimes the changes are quite large. Childbirth education teachers, doulas, and other education/preparation based professionals often combat this uncertainty with malleable birth plans and general preparation on a variety of possibilities. This often includes showing our clients forceps, walking them through their options for c-section births, and other basic exposures to tools that might become necessary in their pregnancies and births. There is, however, a large knowledge gap that many birth professionals aren’t addressing, NICU preparation. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1612291620922-V8YAKGIMHP4BA21RA34E/NICU+Basics.png News and Events - What’s Happening: NICU Basics with Jasmine Braun RN - As a NICU nurse, Jasmine has seen far too many parents coming into her NICU with zero preparation. We sat down to talk about it, collaborating for my CBE class. We weren’t even halfway through the information before realizing this needed to be a class of it’s own available to the birth world in general through KC Women’s Ministry’s Enrichment Workshops. So, she put together an amazing training, teaching birth workers how to best prepare our clients for potential NICU stays, whether it is an expected or unexpected stay. When asked about what she hopes to pass onto her audience, Jasmine answered that “No parent wants their baby to end up in the NICU, so even with babies that are doing great and just need a little extra help, it can feel completely overwhelming and exhausting to a new family. We try to help the most vulnerable population and support the family unit at the same time, because the NICU is typically the most difficult for everyone involved.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png News and Events - What’s Happening: NICU Basics with Jasmine Braun RN https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/whats-happening-covid19-and-breastfeeding monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466020211-5BV9LZRAQ5FEFAXA5FIR/image-asset.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Breastfeeding - There is a lot of misinformation around the safety of breastfeeding. People worry about breastfeeding after consuming specific foods or drinks, and of course, when sick. Now with the global pandemic, parents that feed their babies with breastmilk worry about what to do if they become ill. People worry that they will get the baby sick by being close to them or that they will pass the sickness through their breastmilk. If you are one of these people, or caring for someone who feels this way, I have great news! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607484487213-XHJM7HS0D1H4A1SNGUKZ/4.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Breastfeeding - While the World Health Organization does NOT recommend separating newborns from their mothers, regardless of COVID-19, that doesn’t stop it from happening. The CDC has tips for continuing breastfeeding despite being separated from your newborn should it occur. Frequent Pumping, feeding or pumping every 2-3 hours, or 8-10 times in 24hours Consulting a lactation consultant if you find yourself not feeling well enough to pump for feed frequently, and Keeping good hygiene while breastfeeding by washing your hands https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Breastfeeding https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607454286508-8VKLIABGBHSXFQ7BSMLP/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Breastfeeding https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/whats-happening-how-vitamins-d-a-and-k2-can-help-fight-covid19 monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607454286508-8VKLIABGBHSXFQ7BSMLP/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: How vitamins D, A, and K2 can help Fight COVID19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607473032261-ZR5DG5C9VK9HP5GLR2VW/DAK2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: How vitamins D, A, and K2 can help Fight COVID19 - There is a lot of advice out there for how to best stay healthy in the middle of a global pandemic. Wearing masks while around others, washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap, sneezing into your elbow instead of your hands, ect. the list is a long one. Something they all seem to have in common, they all focus on preventing disease instead of improving health. A new study published in Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, presented by Dr. Mobeen Syed changes this, supporting high doses of vitamins D, A, and K2 as a COVID 19 treatment. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png News and Events - What’s Happening: How vitamins D, A, and K2 can help Fight COVID19 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/whats-happening-kcwm-workshop-with-moriah-barr-lmfta monthly 0.5 2020-12-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463007519-GW7X7WE3KO4ZT8RVQ3JZ/1.png News and Events - What’s Happening: KCWM Workshop with Moriah Barr, LMFTA https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607465102833-VABYTOIT29AO9UUS52OE/CBT+Thumbnail.png News and Events - What’s Happening: KCWM Workshop with Moriah Barr, LMFTA - Life is full of events and circumstances that can be really hard to experience, especially in a healthy way. This statement is particularly true when it comes to the both amazing and challenging process of bringing a child into the world. For pregnant people, their partners, and their birth teams, there are many instances where this beautiful process can bring both joy and trauma. “I like to say, you either work hard healing for a short time or work hard coping forever,” Moriah Barr writes. “Life can be so hard, and there is no reason to struggle more than you have to.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607450326025-4BE94HD0OGWY24VL1XIE/Secondary+Trauma.png News and Events - What’s Happening: KCWM Workshop with Moriah Barr, LMFTA - Doula “burnout” is a well-known phrase to many birth-workers. A quick internet search shows hundreds of blogs giving tips to doulas facing exhaustion. Doulas are essential. We bring much needed support to our clients and their birth teams. We cannot continue to burn out at the rates that we are. As birth doulas, we are in the thick of the birth space, experiencing the extraordinary and the horrifying. We tell our clients to take care of themselves while running on empty. If you walk into a birth space while carrying trauma, that negative energy and exhaustion comes with you. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607454286508-8VKLIABGBHSXFQ7BSMLP/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: KCWM Workshop with Moriah Barr, LMFTA https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/whats-happening-covid19-and-pregnancy monthly 0.5 2020-12-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607454286508-8VKLIABGBHSXFQ7BSMLP/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Pregnancy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607463040077-6LFKD3M32L4IM4GR4LIR/1.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Pregnancy https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607456577447-AKHQ7KF5WA8Z6K23EUTW/CDC.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Pregnancy - For anyone who is experiencing pregnancy during this pandemic, I wish you all of the calm and reassurances in the world. There are so many researchers, health professionals, and birth-workers ready to help you at every step of your journey. I want to talk about a specific news release by the CDC covering pregnancy, breastfeeding, and newborn care (breastfeeding and newborn care to be covered in my next blogs!). Some of the recommendations are familiar; such as wearing a mask, staying home when possible, and washing our hands for 20 seconds. For the purposes of this blog, I want to focus on the pregnancy specific recommendations that some may not be as familiar with. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607465958996-27XE31CQMO8D47PCSA6H/2.png News and Events - What’s Happening: COVID19 and Pregnancy - The recommendation to not delay or skip medical appointments extends to emergency care. The CDC writes “Don’t delay getting emergency care because of COVID-19. Call 911 or go to your local emergency department … tell them that you are pregnant and are having an emergency.” According to the CDC, emergency services should “have a plan to protect you from getting COVID-19” just like your medical providers. As always, if you plan to drive yourself to the hospital, call before you start driving to let emergency services know you are on your way. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/COVID19 monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/CDC monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/ACOG monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/therapy monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/SecondaryTrauma monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/pregnancy monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/EnrichmentWorkshop monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/birth monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/CompassionFatique monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/doula monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/pandemic monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/KCWM monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/mentalhealth monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/baby monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/news-events/tag/WHO monthly 0.5 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/tips-tricks-and-tools daily 0.75 2022-09-23 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/tips-tricks-and-tools/whats-in-my-doula-bag monthly 0.5 2022-09-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/f7a7f4f8-e839-4342-9ae5-48e94ded84f3/PXL_20220923_164847089.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/06efe53b-bd9e-4dab-b81f-ab6572a4670a/PXL_20220923_164307066.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/d1ea2636-2fb7-4a6b-ace1-d7ca7e25816a/PXL_20220923_164157457.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/6576d938-ed21-4000-86fb-8d87c18cc5c3/PXL_20220923_163944552.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/47a99856-47a4-4eb9-add6-cc17b57f3073/PXL_20220923_165000061.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/50c8ce5b-73b2-4a4b-ae64-9260033aa1d9/PXL_20220923_165310069.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/fba0a761-dac8-4232-ab28-a7777949d8e3/PXL_20220923_163822584.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/b42c28c6-0402-4f17-a5f5-e6dc1b1cb953/PXL_20220923_165119169.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/5422a349-273e-4b57-b0c1-1a0e0a3b57e8/PXL_20220923_163619396.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out READY TO GO! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1609090845424-7AVUIKX9ARZIRIGDFNEU/CBT+Banners.png Tips, Tricks, and Tools - What’s in my Doula Bag? - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/tips-tricks-and-tools/get-your-insurance-to-cover-your-doula monthly 0.5 2020-12-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607466714860-PN8KMMBHNVLW1OOKWXTQ/1.png Tips, Tricks, and Tools - Get your Insurance to Cover your Doula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1609090845424-7AVUIKX9ARZIRIGDFNEU/CBT+Banners.png Tips, Tricks, and Tools - Get your Insurance to Cover your Doula https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1609093608921-9ZVK9C6MTVM4X6FHQTWO/Website%2BFliers%25282%2529.jpg Tips, Tricks, and Tools - Get your Insurance to Cover your Doula - Now, I know this is may be a bit awkward. After all, I am a doula who charges my worth and I highly encourage other doulas to do so. A quality doula puts in an incredible amount of work into each and every client, not only spending most of their lives on-call and therefore unable to travel or go out with friends, but also keeping up with the latest trainings and evidence based research. They are available to drop everything at anytime to meet you in your birth space and stay until you feel ready for them to leave, weather that be a few hours or a few days. If this level of dedication sounds like something you want, you are going to need to pay for it. Or do you? KC Women’s Ministry just wrote a great piece called “Get your Doula Services Covered by Insurance” and I have to say, this is an incredible win-win. Your doula gets a living wage and you just might at least some of the costs covered by a company you are paying premiums to anyway! Just how much your doula is covered, if at all, is going to greatly depend on your insurance company. Lindsey Britton of KCWM writes, “Please note all insurance companies are different and policies within each company are different. So, while you and someone you know may both have Insurance Company A, more than likely you are both covered under different policies so their plan’s coverage of doula’s may look different than yours.” According to SBD (Kelli Way, ICCE, CD(DONA) 1998, the source Lindsey quotes in her guide, your journey to getting covered could take as little as three steps! Call your insurance company while still pregnant to see if they routinely cover doulas. Regardless of if they say yes or no, you can move onto step two. Have your doula send you an invoice and pay it in full. Now, I know this feels counterintuitive, but stick with me. Submit your invoice to your insurance company for reimbursement. If your insurance company routinely covers doulas, you should be done here and receive your answer within a month. If you are denied, this is where the real work gets going. Get out your typing fingers and write some letters! Your doula and practitioner (Midwife, OB, ect) can submit letters with you! https://www.childbirthtogether.com/contact daily 0.75 2021-09-20 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/about daily 0.75 2024-07-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1615566732584-OK5XIQYPU2JSZAILYN8M/headshot%252Btemplate.jpg Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1584633946289-Z743DTIA6MZUOATKR0U9/gavinbirth.jpg Contact - It was nothing like what we talked about. The staff simply didn’t respect her wishes and kept trying to force their idea of what birth should look like on her. I distinctly remember one nurse turning to another with a tight smile mockingly saying “this one wants a natural birth.” To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I want to emphasize that they were not bad people, the “enemy”, or anything short of an integral part of her birth team. They simply weren’t the right fit for her. After that experience, I wanted to learn everything I could about building a birth support team. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1584634473408-USTTNUZ4U4R01QH1HQ30/benbirth.jpg Contact - After an exhaustive search, I found a certification organization that was full of information I had never been exposed to before called Bebo Mia. I learned to support births in its many forms and the importance of respect in a birth room. My instructors emphasized working with doctors, midwives, nurses, husbands, partners, mothers, friends, any and every person in that birthing space. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/c09c57c6-efcb-4603-b6f7-4c75aed92ffa/2.png Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/fe7637f4-18ad-4029-8b7e-a3b1bcb54282/SBD+Badge%281%29.png Contact https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/37c657e6-80ad-46f1-9a55-b7d8419a601a/SBD+Badge%281%29.png Contact Certified Birth and Bereavement Doula through Stillbirthday https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1597091427615-V9OV2KVXM8F90C4ZO5RY/0.jpg Contact Certified Childbirth Educator through Milestones Midwifery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1582602708614-YX0WTKQLP311PLTN063H/MSP_BADGE_2020.png Contact Certified Maternal Support Practitioner (full spectrum doula) through Bebo Mia Inc. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1583842211300-DEX94Y80U11BQV6NLJ04/Screenshot_20200309-214555.png Contact CRP Certified through American Safety & Health Institute https://www.childbirthtogether.com/faq daily 0.75 2020-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1582588039483-6K1HHKXBJHRQ6X7EYQEI/cassielabor.jpg FAQ: Why Use a Doula? - I understand what a doula is, but do they really make a difference? Absolutely… https://www.childbirthtogether.com/blog daily 0.75 2022-09-23 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/stats daily 0.75 2020-04-15 https://www.childbirthtogether.com/bif daily 0.75 2020-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1593209676001-IA9AC3QZWKZFJJKM3R2L/BIF.jpg BIF https://www.childbirthtogether.com/events-1 daily 0.75 2020-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1605150746950-DK50EZ7N79UZF8KIZOX0/EVENTS%2BAND%2BANNOUNCEMENTS%2B%25282%2529.jpg Events https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1598328719970-K7CP8FKNF5UZRMVPL0LD/New+Partnership%21.png Events - Childbirth Together is a proud partner of KC Women’s Ministry, a non-profit that provides birth services to women in homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, and more in the KC Metro Area at NO COST to them! https://www.childbirthtogether.com/services daily 1.0 2024-12-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607470132852-1RVKWJYEKNW1IV6ZVPMM/CassieFertiltiy.jpg Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1584635709311-JOJJKYYXW4JRYA38XRXV/addietubbirth.jpg Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/e388fb4d-b6a5-46fa-8181-5c19a54221d8/PXL_20220502_113618078.MP.jpg Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/fd1012b9-e05f-403c-b94f-a52d8e290065/Light+Blue.png Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1607476123632-ICDFOSDVHVMM48T5LFER/Alicia.jpg Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/f517d755-53b5-4935-a7ec-964b65d801ea/Copy+of+PXL_20220129_162334204.MP.jpg Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/fd1012b9-e05f-403c-b94f-a52d8e290065/Light+Blue.png Services https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/fd1012b9-e05f-403c-b94f-a52d8e290065/Light+Blue.png Services https://www.childbirthtogether.com/services/classes monthly 0.5 2024-12-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/6b466d6e-a27e-4788-863c-fb06d6573302/Full+CBE.png Services - Childbirth Education Classes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/c041104d-3ffa-45a5-80a6-d62ac8ab3ac7/Homebirth.png Services - Childbirth Education Classes https://www.childbirthtogether.com/services/childbirth-library monthly 0.5 2020-04-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1587083212542-ZBMEVOCPL5CH5FNSX7OQ/IMG_20200416_192101315.jpg Services - Childbirth Library - Childbirth Library The Childbirth Together Library has over 30 fertility, labor, and postpartum books available for check out to students and doula clients. Please return the books in a timely manner! Click Here to contact about book availability https://www.childbirthtogether.com/services/postpartum-doula-support monthly 0.5 2020-04-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1581980048206-SOT8UFU8K1QOPR5KKWR9/sleepybabies.jpg Services - Postpartum Doula Support - Your bundle(s) of joy are here. Now its time to get some sleep. https://www.childbirthtogether.com/services/new-portfolio-item monthly 0.5 2020-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e41f8e512285d4eccc875b7/1584551210207-0IAMG1SYZ9QHJ33J6YVX/supportedlabor.jpg Services - Doula Labor Support - Women Are Strong. Labor is your decision. Your body autonomy matters. Let’s do it Together