I plan on being there the whole day, if I'm not at a birth.  Feel free to stop by and say hi!

You know when something crazy happens, like a terrible subway day, and you have to car pool, or walk, or some crazy storm, power outages...whatever it is that you realize whatever is was that you thought was so important, really isn't. And you stop and meet the moment as it unfolds. That is my life, all the time. Everything on the to-do list, grocery list, must be done by this and this date, gets to wait. And I step out of time and into labor land. I stay there as long as this force of nature called labor dictates. I ride those waves with a new family, and help to safely guide them to the new shore. At the other end, with big hugs, I go back to regular life. Regular life...yeah right!

The families! I am so deeply honored and respectful of how important this day is. This is the most important day. Everything counts. I get to become a part of your birth story. A part of your extended family, a part of the village for this new soul, and witness to another miracle.

Being myself! Feeling blessed! I am so grateful that I get to do this work. It's such a heavy thing to invite someone to your birth. Its also so amazing to me the gratitude I get from families for my presence at their birth. Its so special because I love being there, and I get so much love and appreciation in return. 

Community service is a high value for me. And its not all altruistic. My mother infused giving into me and it really does feel good to do it. I started volunteering as a teenager down the block at our local senior center. When I went in, they where bewildered why I wanted to be there, with no court mandate. They finally put me to work with their blind seniors. At first, at age 17, I was disappointed I was assigned to the "old blind people". But I actually ended up falling in love with them and learned that they were way more fun than the sighted seniors, and had way better (dirtier) jokes! More recently, I've worked with PET International with my children, helping to build and ship PETs to Benin click here for more info. PETs are off-road carts for the disabled in developing nations. My boys also like to volunteer dog walking at Barc shelter in Brooklyn, and they helped restore the mosaic tile Rolling Benches at Grants Tomb with City Arts.  I do volunteer work with a iVolunteer and make weekly visits to a Holocaust survivor. I chose to do that because after watching yet another documentary on the Holocaust one night, I just couldn't take it anymore. I just needed a place to put it. My weekly visits to Mrs. B keep me grounded. Keep me in perspective. Give me strength.  I am honored to support such a special person, and even more honored to be a friend and part of her extended family.

And all this community work relates to my doula work because birth in America is on Amnesty Internationals naughty list. Doula work is beyond helping women have  a beautiful birth, which I do, I also see it as human rights work. Before doing this work I was enraged by what was happening with birth in America. Now I am part of the solution. By the way, if you are pregnant now, don't read that report too much (too depressing).  Read the books on my recommended reading list on my resource page. Choose a good provider. And get a doula, preferably me!

I tell my clients they can decline the bathing of the baby in the hospital. Studies are coming out teaching us about the benefits of the vernix (cheesy stuff on their skin).  Vernix has shown to be a protective barrier against infection and bacteria. It also is the best "skin cream" for skin that is just transitioning to dry land. It has also shown to help prevent diaper rash. All my clients who requested no bathing in the hospital have had no problems having this request respected. Immediately after the birth they will dry the baby, but that is all they really need. When they poop, that can just be spot cleaned. When their umbilical stump falls off in about a week, then they can be bathed in a little baby tub. In addition to the medical reasons, when babies are bathed, their temperature drops and they need to be rewarmed under the "french fry lamps." Newborns are transitioning to regulating their own body temperature for the first time. It can take up to 45 minutes or longer under the baby heater to return to normal. That translates to more time in the nursery away from you!

It's been a wonderful, albeit HOT summer of babies. Fall has been a lovely time to give birth too! Now we are winding down to colder shorter days and getting ready for these winter babies. This fall I'm taking some classes and adding additional certifications to my credentials. Namely; the Yoga Birthing Method, Hypnobirthing and FEAR to FREEDOM. As their names imply, they will teach me some very specific techniques for supporting moms in labor.  I will be completing Yoga Birthing and Hyponobirthing certifications by the end of this November. FEAR to FREEDOM is a longer certification that will also enable me to teach childbirth preparation classes in addition to being a method of labor support.

Yoga Birthing Method 
From the Yoga Birthing Method website: The Yoga Birth Method is an 8 step birthing pathway that empowers women through a natural and mindful childbirth experience.   YBM's philosophy is for the mother to connect with her baby during childbirth and to engage in her labor as an experience of enlightenment.   A very specific sequence of breathing and postures adapted to the physical and emotional changes in the stages of labor enable women to manage contractions from a calm, meditative and controlled perspective.


I really wanted to take this because Yoga is such a great tool for health and well-being. I'm looking forward to learning about how to safely incorporate yoga breathing and exercises into labor and birth support.


Hypnobirthing
From the Hypnobirthing website: HypnoBirthing® - The Mongan Method - is a unique method of relaxed, natural childbirth education, enhanced by self-hypnosis techniques. HypnoBirthing® provides the missing link that allows women to use their natural instincts to bring about a safer, easier, more comfortable birthing. Emphasis is placed on pregnancy and childbirth, as well as on pre-birth parenting and the consciousness of the pre-born baby. As a birthing method, HypnoBirthing® is as new as tomorrow and as old as ancient times.


My mother became a certified hypnotherapist when I was in junior high school so I am already familiar with these philosophies. I have already had a few clients use the hypnobirthing techniques and I wanted to learn more about how to best support a mom using this method. 


FEAR to FREEDOM
From the Fear to Freedom website: Fear to Freedom is a method of childbirth education that is directed to helping women find their power that exists within them, helping them to connect to their own power.
It is based on Karen Brody's work with the BOLD movement and she is the originator of this course curriculum. We will be integrating Body, Voice and Action. 


I've just started the birth facilitator training for this certification and I'm really looking forward to incorporating these ideas into my practice. Not only will be able to use the method during birth, I will also be able to offer optional childbirth preparation classes in your home in addition to your regular prenatal appointments.




Happy birthdays,


Maiysha