A Swift Doula Blog, Chicago

Secure Decisions

4/30/2015

I had never heard of Heather B. Armstrong. But apparently I have been living under a rock because when I looked at her description on Mom 2.0 Summit 2015 it lists her as " widely acknowledged to be the most popular “mommyblogger” in the world"

Well I raise my glass to Heather B. Armstrong! Her words, shared with me by Rebecca Woolf on her Instagram, just rang and rang in my head all day.

Ms. Woolf quotes Ms. Armstrong as saying, "Defensiveness steals your energy and demands that you explain yourself to people who will deliberately and maliciously misinterpret you. It's a waste of time, like screaming into a vacuum."

As parents, daughters, humans, business owners...whatever you are out there... these words are a wonderful dose of honesty. We are all going to encounter people that are looking to ruffle feathers and poke parts that are tender. And for many of us, they are going to do a pretty good job of making us feel pretty horrible.

Feel horrible about what?

That's the crazy part, there is a troll for everything out there. For instance...

You are going to have an epidural? Crazy!
You are going to have an unmedicated birth? Crazy!

You are going to have a planned Cesarean? That's horrible!
You are going to agree to an induction? That's horrible!
You are going to go past your due date? You're crazy!

But instead of feeling defensive, what if we respond securely and respectfully?

Recent Placenta Service Announcement
Recently I posted about a new service offering: Placenta Encapsulation as a Postpartum Placenta Specialist. I wanted to be extremely clear about the standard and reasons why my offerings are structured in a particular way.

(It all comes down to eliminating risk and operating safely while working with a woman's organ.)

There was some backlash - not from clients, but from other women in this field. You are welcome to look through the comments.

Just like some of the decisions I have made in my parenting life were not looked upon fondly, some of my business decision have/will endure the same negative energy.

Regardless of what other doulas think I should do, I want my clients to know I will not sacrifice my safety, or theirs, for my personal convenience or as a reaction of shame.

I support your decisions for your birth and your postpartum period. I hope my stance on placenta service shows my dedication to a woman's safety as she moves through the early transition of life with a newborn.

I took strength from Heather B. Armstrong's words. If you need help to find strength in your labor or postpartum time, perhaps I can help you.

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Benefits of A Placenta University Graduate

4/29/2015

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Working in Chicago helping women through labor, birth, and their postpartum transition has allowed me a great view of one other industry close to doulas: Placenta Encapsulation. Until now, I have not offered this service myself, and have instead tried to find placenta specialists in Chicago that were both safe, and reliable in their methods of processing and business.

Just like doulas do not need a license or training to practice as a profession, placenta specialists are not required to have a license or training either.

There HAVE been sporadic trainings available, and many placenta specialists have been taught by someone they view as reliable.

However, it has not been until this week that an organization has taken a stand on how, where, and in what manner a placenta should be handled, transported, and processed for human consumption.

This week, Placenta Prep* has had its inaugural training, and the placenta industry now has a new standard of excellence. I am proud and honored to say that I was invited to attend this training and am moving forward to help raise the standard and safety of placenta consumption.

Not all women will choose to use this aid for their postpartum recovery, however, those that do should be offered a method and option to do so in such a way that reduces possible risks.

As a graduate of Placenta Prep* I agree to the following standards of practice for my business:

I will never transport a placenta for another person
This has nothing to do with convenience, and everything to do with doubt, uncertainty, and trust.

I want there to be absolutely zero doubt in a client's mind that the placenta I process is the placenta that came out of her body. To ensure that everyone involved agrees that the placenta is indeed the property of my client, I will never transport her placenta, even if it is directly from the hospital to her home.

I am not licensed to transport a human organ, and to protect my business and your trust, I will supply you with the necessary materials and information to safely transport your placenta to your home after the birth.

I will service a placenta in the home of the person who will consume it
We live in a world full of bacteria. Good bacteria and bad bacteria are everywhere. When a woman gives birth, she and (especially) her baby are in a delicate healing period where her immune system may be compromised or fragile.

To reduce any negative side effects of bad bacteria consumption, I will only process a woman's placenta in an environment her body is used to.

By processing a placenta in the client's space, I am able to ensure that the placenta is hers, that the space is free of debris from other processed placentas, and is free from any potentially harmful bacteria that may reside in my home. As safe as my bacteria is to me, it may be harmful to the delicate system of a newly delivered mother and her infant.

The only way to ensure that there is as few harmful bacteria present, the client's home is the safest location for this service to take place.

I will stay current on my Blood Borne Pathogens certification
This industry does not require a license, and does not require Blood Borne Pathogens Certification.

However, to reduce the risk to clients and to myself, I will follow guidelines outlined in this training to ensure every placenta, regardless of origin, will be treated with the respect and care that it deserves. To do this, I will always have a current Blood Borne Pathogens certificate while processing placentas.

Benefits of a Postpartum Placenta Specialist
As a Postpartum Placenta Specialist, a great concern is that I am able to be present and available to my clients while they are transitioning from pregnancy to postpartum.

By offering my services in this way, and by abiding by these guidelines, I also make myself available to my clients to offer support IN PERSON! I am trained and certified as a Postpartum Doula, and if you engage in my placenta services, you are able to reap the full benefit of my knowledge, care, and attention during my time in your home.

You can benefit from having your placenta processed in the safest possible way, with as many risks reduced along the way, AND benefit from time with a professional postpartum doula.

I look forward to elevating the profession of placenta specialists in the Chicago area!

Authored by: A Swift Doula
*Edited to update name

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Flipping Eggs: Fear and Doubt

4/24/2015

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The other I got an itch to try doing that seemingly simple act of tossing food in a pan without a spatula.
(This dude makes it look like a piece of cake. )

I try it. I make a mess. I psych myself out. I get nervous. My heart starts racing, I am both stressed and a little edgy.

But since that first attempt, I've been committed. I am eating more eggs so I can practice.

I have now successfully flipped an egg. Twice.

I've realized that there is a moment every time I flip where I have to turn off my doubt and fear, and go all in. I have to put in the extra umph, and then trust that I've given it enough.

I have to believe I am going to actually flip that silly egg. The times I question my ability, (the hold of the pan in my hand, the amount of butter in the bottom, or if the egg is ready to flip,) inevitably, I mess it up.

Fear and doubt. They are there. In many parts of our life, and especially in birth and parenthood. But there too we have to walk up to that big scary thing (eggs, or labor) nod hello, then just keep going. Do it.

Our bodies are amazing, in that if a fear is real (a bear chasing you) or perceived (being startled as a joke), we respond the same way with a flood of adrenaline. Our bodies is prepped to save our life, but is that necessary for flipping an egg?! Seems a little over dramatic. C'mon! So...

Feel the fear. Then do it anyway.

Everything you want is on the other side of fear. Breakfast or something so much, much bigger.

When have you felt that buzz of fear? How did you react? What helped you through it?

Authored by A Swift Doula

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DIY Parenting

4/10/2015

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DIY is great! There is so much excitement. So much anticipation! You have the dream vision, plans, and you put in the work. And then maybe more work...

I love DIY (check out a few past projects). I love figuring stuff out. I love demolition. I love the way my body feels after a great day of hard work.

My husband and I are beginning the search for a home, and we are talking about a fixer-upper, but …
Do we have the time?
Do we have the patience?
Do we love each other enough to make it through the process?

In the very limited time I’ve been a parent, I have come to the conclusion that raising a child is the ultimate DIY project. It is, in fact, one of the biggest DIYs one can take on.

So get your gear, and load up your tool box. Let’s dive in:

1. Designs can change

You see it on shows all the time. They were going to take out this wall, or leave that element in place, but then there is a load bearing beam, or mold behind the bead board. Ah! Designs change.

If you are planning a huge family gathering after you come home from the hospital, but you realize only after you’ve sent out the invites that…
…wow, you just had a baby!
You need to heal!
You can’t take your infant grocery shopping! You can't even put pants on yet.

Change the plan. Cancel the party, or have it catered – but you don’t have to be the host with the most. It is okay.

2. Measure twice, cut once

Whether it’s a board or a piece of drywall, materials cost money, so before you decide to make a piece of anything smaller, measure your space twice so you know your cut is perfect.

With babies, you never know when they are going to have a diaper blow out, or a puke explosion.

Take stock of your supplies.

Do you have enough diapers? Wipes?
Do you have a burp rag?
Do you need to throw in a snack for you or dad if someone starts to get grumpy?

Check it out so you won’t be marooned with poop up your baby’s back, or puke down yours.

3. Clean as you go

Demolition may be fun – the smashing, crashing, and physical nature of tearing something out. But then you have to clean it all up before you can move on to the next project.

Just like you have to get the rubble to the dumpster, when your baby starts to grow...
it may be helpful to clean out their things as you go.

Do you have a plan for what to do when clothes get too small?
Are you keeping them in storage? Donating them? Passing them to a friend?

Think out where these items will go, because your baby is going to grow faster than you think!

4. Ask for help when you’re over your head

As brilliant YouTube is, some things require extra physical help. Are you trying to hang a ceiling fan? You might need a second set of hands.

Same with parenting.

Some days you just need more help.
Call your friends or make a new one. Family is a great resource too. Don’t fell like you have to do it all yourself! It is DIY, but perhaps it should be DIYS – Do It Yourself, Sometimes.

5. Sometimes you need the help of the professionals

Perhaps your friends just aren't enough. You are just in over your head. Thinking you could re-wire your whole house was a bit much for a first timer. Call the electrician.
Perhaps you really would benefit from a landscape architect coming to help you with a long term plan. Perhaps you need a contractor.

Same for parenting. Sometimes calling a professional isn’t giving up, but instead just getting over a few speed bumps.
For parents, many would benefit from hiring a postpartum doula.

A person that can help design a plan, or get you over a rough spot. I am happy to provide this service to parents looking for just a few hours, or a few days of care. Looking for long term? I can help there too.

Need some rest? I can come for over nights.
Need help for those hours when it seems your child has been bewitched?
Do you have logistical questions about equipment, organizing a nursery, or breastfeeding with work?
Let me help you.

Adding professional care to your DIY plan isn’t you throwing in the towel – I promise. You will be an incredible parent, and sometimes that means knowing when to call in the reinforcements.

Authored by A Swift Doula.

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Birth Is A Pain In the Back!

4/5/2015

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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?

Back Labor. The American Pregnancy Association refers to it blandly as, "the pain and discomfort that laboring women experience in their lower back."

Although women can experience sensations of pain and discomfort that vary widely, back labor is usually talked about in connection with the position of the baby. Some cramping or pressure is often felt at some point in labor. Back labor, however, is usually felt more consistently through labor, with contractions and without contractions.

What is back Labor? Why is it so bad? Why is there no break?
Back labor typically has some connection to how a baby is positioned. A woman has greater chances of experiencing back labor if the baby is OP, or occiput posterior. Posterior babies are sometimes called a "sunny side up baby," meaning the baby face is looking towards a woman's belly button.

The "ideal position" for a baby to be is head down and anterior - or the baby facing a woman's spine. Because the baby is flipped when posterior, the hard part of the baby's head - the back - is now close to the mother's back bone. Because of this close proximity, it is common for there to be pain, or back labor.

But if a baby is posterior, or even just not "ideal", there is an increased chance for pain, even if contractions are not yet started. Positioning is often the reason for pain.

Can back labor be prevented?

The short answer is no. It is not known beforehand if a woman will experience back labor. Even if a woman knows her baby is posterior, that does not mean she will feel back labor.

Just like every baby is different, every labor is different.

Some things that have been shown to help before labor begins to encourage "better" positioning are:

squats
sitting so a woman's knees are below her hips
sitting on a large exercise ball, or a "birth ball"
having chiropractic or massage therapy throughout pregnancy

What helps back labor pain?

"What do I do if this is me? What if I get back labor?!"

So what if you are the woman who get back labor? There is no guarantee that posterior babies mean back pain, or that anterior babies don't, so having skilled support and tools that encourage relaxation are things you can have some control over.

If you are in labor and experiencing back pain:

Positions to try

get off your back. If you are required to be in bed for medical reasons, try lying on your side, or even on hands and knees. A modified hands and knees position is better than laying on ones back.
walking, swaying movements
squatting or lunging with one foot propped up just a bit from the floor

Other methods of relief

use heat or cold on the areas of pain
applying counter pressure
hydrotherapy, such as laboring in a bathtub or shower

A challenging task for a laboring woman is relaxing, but having relaxed muscles and mind is a well known way to encourage labor to progress and ease pain. If you are concerned with back labor, having a support person that is able to aid with each contraction in the way that best suits you is priceless.

Support

Often times, women who have babies that are posterior also have labors that are longer and/or have erratic contraction patterns. This can mean many of the techniques described above will need to be used. This also means your partner may start to feel exhausted far before you are ready to deliver.

If you are concerned about coping with back labor, using a labor doula can be a great help, not just for you, but for your partner. If you are having contractions every 2-3 minutes, and require forceful counter pressure for the length of every contraction, your partner really is doing labor with you.

Although you cannot tap out and have someone else have contractions for you, giving your partner the chance to take breaks and alternate with your labor doula means you will have fresh support for your entire labor.

Doulas are able to provide educational support, emotional support, and especially physical support. And you deserve to have support that is there when you need it.

Because labor can be a pain in your back!

Authored by A Swift Doula

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Secure Decisions

Benefits of A Placenta University Graduate

Flipping Eggs: Fear and Doubt

DIY Parenting

Birth Is A Pain In the Back!

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