Pregnancy often comes with the assumption that the care provider you choose early on will also be the one supporting you during labor and birth. For many families, that expectation holds true. But sometimes, especially near the end of pregnancy, circumstances change.

Learning that your provider cannot attend your birth can be emotionally overwhelming. It may happen only weeks, or even days, before your due date. Families often describe feeling surprised, disappointed, frustrated, or anxious about what happens next.  

Preparing for a new baby comes with a long list of decisions, and one question many expecting parents ask is: When should we take a childbirth education class? These classes are designed to help parents understand labor, delivery, and the early days with a newborn. But timing matters. Take the class too early, and you might forget important details. Take it too late and you risk missing it if the baby arrives early.

There is this horror story that follows birth.  Some women who have experienced it will shout with acknowledgment when she meets another who has suffered the same, "Yes!  That was the worst!  No one told me it was going to be like THAT!"

Ever heard of Back Labor?

You may have heard your provider mention Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening around the end of pregnancy. It’s a routine part of prenatal care, but many families aren’t exactly sure what it means or why it matters.

Let’s walk through it together.

Ever wonder why most women have their first postpartum checkup at 6 weeks after delivery?

Birth brings enormous change. A new baby. A healing body. Big emotions. Sleepless nights. New responsibilities. A completely new rhythm of life.

The six-week postpartum visit isn’t random; it’s rooted in the physiology of healing and the emotional transition into motherhood.

Let’s talk about what’s happening during this time and why support matters.

It was time to be done.

It was a good run while it lasted, but it was time.

Time to retire the nursing bra.

If we’re being honest, it was slightly embarrassing how many hours that thing had been worn. The snaps opening and closing were the quiet metronome of my days. A steady rhythm of need. Of nourishment. Of survival.

Full disclosure, my husband was not excited about having a doula at the birth of our daughter.  Ultimately it came down to this:

me:  I want to hire her. 

him:  Fine. 

And I think many families are in the same situation.  But now in hindsight, I wanted to know what really made moving forward with having a stranger in our intimate space alright. 

The first few contractions at the end of pregnancy often bring a rush of excitement and adrenaline. 

The baby is coming!

May you decide to call friends and family. Maybe you choose to message your boss.

But then the next part doesn’t happen.

The part where you keep contracting.  You start breathing in all the ways the movies have been showing you.  The part where you have a baby.

So what is going on?!

Welcome to the world of contractions, and to one of the most confusing parts of pregnancy and early labor. As a Chicago doula, I want to hear from you at this point and have conversations to offer reassurance and usable next steps. 

It’s easy to ascribe harm to bad actors. Easy to frame violence as the result of individual cruelty, incompetence, or rare moments that are later described as “out of context” or “blown out of proportion.” But the ongoing crisis in maternal health care tells a different story. When harm is patterned, predictable, and disproportionately experienced by the same groups, the issue is no longer behavior. It’s power.

Yes, the online world keeps harping on how it feels like 2016 again, with trends, milestones, and fashion getting numerous nods in social media. And perhaps that is enough to make you skip this blog, but as Miranda Pristly says, “Oh, okay, I see, you think this has nothing to do with you.”

I’m curious if we’ll see a resurgence of names that were popular in 2016. It was a great year for names, and keep reading to see what names are STILL in the top ten for 2025.

I was the last person in the circle, and having been a doula for 12 years at that point, I had my elevator speech down for why I had become a doula.  But today something different came out of me:

If you spend any time preparing for birth, you will likely hear the phrase “cascade of interventions.” For some parents, it is presented as a warning or something to avoid at all costs. For others, it is mentioned only after the fact and often layered with regret or self-blame.

But birth is not a moral test.
And learning about interventions is not meant to create fear or shame.

Movement is a simple but essential coping tool that helps a person in labor find relief and agency over their experience.  

If you are looking for movements to use at the end of your pregnancy, consider movements that help to strengthen, release, lengthen the pelvic floor, or offer rest for your body overall…

Even if your family didn’t welcome a new baby last year, it’s still worth checking in on your health insurance. Each year brings resets for things like deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, and policies can change. Taking a few minutes now can save headaches and money later.

Whether you’re giving birth at home, in a birth center, or in a hospital, affirmations can help you feel grounded, empowered, and supported. Here’s a curated list for all kinds of families, plus some silly ones to make you smile during those intense moments.

I have never aspired to sell the Santa story to my kids. Some members of my extended family swing in the opposite direction, with gift labels proudly declaring, “From Santa” under the tree.

Welcoming a baby into the world is a profound and life-changing experience. A well-prepared birth partner plays a vital role in creating a calm, supportive, and empowering birth experience. With the right preparation and guidance, birth partners can move swiftly from uncertainty to confidence.

Learn the difference between doulas and midwives, how they work together, and how Chicago families can find supportive birth care and childbirth education.

Knowing what to expect during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum can make a world of difference in how confident, prepared, and empowered families feel as they approach birth.