Pampered Pregnancy – Blissful Birth

Emily planned on being induced at 41 weeks, on Thursday, March 29.  I was the doula on call that Thursday, so I contacted Emily to make a plan.  She was going into the hospital on Wednesday night for cervidil, and they would start Pitocin on Thursday morning.  She said that she or her husband, Thomas, would call me when they were ready for some support.  At about 8 am Thursday morning, Thomas called me to let me know that they had started the Pitocin and that Emily was starting to feel her contractions but that she was managing fine.  They would call me again when they needed me.  At about 1:30, Thomas called to say that Emily’s doctor broke her water at 1, and Emily was ready for some support!  That AROM was bringing on some intense contractions.

When I arrived at the hospital at about 2, Emily was dealing with her contractions really well, supported lovingly by Thomas and her mom, Ann.  The contractions were short but pretty strong.  Luckily, Emily is a yogini and a master of deep, focused breathing.  The baby was having some heart rate decelerations, so her doctor wanted her to be in bed, but we tried different positions to make her more comfortable because side-lying was really doing a number on her hip.  She alternated side-lying with sitting on the edge of the bed and sitting upright in bed.  Thomas climbed onto the bed with her so that she could hold his hand and lean on him.  He was a steadfast support and a great cheerleader.

Emily’s doctor had limited her to ice chips, but she was hungry.  She hadn’t eaten since about 9 the evening before.  I suggested asking if she could have a popsicle.  They asked their nurse who said she would get approval, but Thomas took matters into his own hands.  As it turns out, Emily’s friend, Bree, is actually her OB’s nurse.  Going (almost) straight to the top, Thomas called Bree, and she said she would see what she could do.  In a couple of minutes, the nurse returned to ask what flavor popsicle Emily wanted.  It helps to have friends in high places!

After what Emily said was the best popsicle she’d ever had in her life, she got back to work dealing with those contractions.  We made a plan for her to get up and go to the bathroom and switch positions every hour or so.  Since she was attached to so many hospital contraptions, getting up to go to the bathroom was no easy feat.  Once she was in there, I suggested staying on the toilet for a contraction or two so that she could really relax her pelvis and encourage that baby to move down.

At about 3:30, Emily’s contractions started to get really strong.  Amusingly, this coincided with a visit from both Emily’s mom and Thomas’s mom, Diana.  They were respectful of Emily’s space, but they were also excited and full of their own memories of childbirth so they stood tittering in the corner for a while.  Eventually, they left, and Emily was at the point in her labor when she really needed quiet to focus and concentrate.  I told her that the great, deep, yoga breathing that she had done earlier would help her get through the tougher contractions, too.  And that’s what she did.  As they got closer and stronger, she tapped into her breath and focused on getting through each one as it came.  Thomas would hold her hand and cheer her on, and I would tell her when the peak of a contraction had come and when it would be receding.

Emily dealt with these intense contractions for several hours.  When her doctor checked on her at about 5:30 pm, he said that her baby had moved down a bit but that she was still dilated about 2 cm.  He suggested an epidural because it would help her relax and rest, which would hopefully allow her cervix to dilate more quickly.  Emily had planned for a natural birth, so this advice from her doctor came as  a bit of a surprise.  She and Thomas decided that they wanted some time alone, so I went to meet Ann in the waiting room.  After about an hour and a half, Thomas let us know that they had gotten the epidural.  When I returned to the room, Emily was no longer dealing with the contraction pain, but she was incredibly shaky from the epidural.  She said that right after the epidural, the new doctor on call came in and wanted Emily to know that if she didn’t dilate any more in the next hour or so, she would need to start thinking about a possible C-section.  Baby was having some decels that were concerning her.  Emily, Thomas, and I discussed their options.  We decided that Emily should spend the next hour or so resting and waiting for the next cervical check to make a decision.  Resting was hard for Emily because the epidural had made her so shaky.  Once her body adjusted, though, Emily was able to doze for a bit.  At about 8:40, twenty minutes earlier than the doctor had wanted to do her second cervical check, she came back in because she saw some decels that concerned her.  She suggested a C-section.

It’s never easy to hear a doctor mention a C-section, and Emily and Thomas were understandably upset.  They wanted to speak with their doctor, and they wanted to have some time together to discuss it.  They ultimately decided that it was the best option for them, and everyone started getting prepared.  Thomas and I suited up so that he could be with Emily in the OR, and so I could swap out when he went to be with the baby.

Things move fast when C-section preparations are underway, and in a little while, as I was waiting outside the OR to swap in, I heard a loud cry and knew that baby Max had been born!  After seeing her baby for the first time, Emily felt much better.  In the OR, she was a trooper, brave and peaceful.  She even fell asleep for a bit after Thomas left to be with Max.  When they were reunited, after Thomas spent time with Max in the nursery during his assessments and bath (which Thomas even helped out with), it was a beautiful moment.  Max snuggled right up on his mom, so happy to finally be there.  Thomas and Emily snuggled him and hugged each other, and it was just such a beautiful family moment.  Congratulations, Emily and Thomas!  It was not an easy labor, but you managed it with strength and grace.  Good work!  Now go enjoy that adorable little man!

Stretchy Max!

Burrito Max!

Did you know that all children are musical?

Have you ever wondered what you can do to nurture the musical growth of your child, regardless of your own musical ability?

Experience Music Together^® and find out how important–and how fun–your role can be! Our Music Together® classes build on your child’s natural enthusiasm for music and movement.

From infancy and throughout early childhood we’ll help you provide your little one with the basic musical skills needed to enjoy school and social musical activities, and to study an instrument should he or she choose to do so.  Even little babies are great percussionists and vocalists, so come join the fun!!

Wednesday 5/23 at GET BABIED – email noelle@getbabied.com for further details or visit www.thesingingtree.net!

Mixed ages 9am

Babies 10am

Katie woke up with what she thought was a broken bag of water on May 5th 2012. Katie emailed the doulas about what to do, and we encouraged her to go in and get checked to make sure it was really broken, but the advocate for going home. That is just what she did. Katie and her husband Hunter were “allowed” to go home to try to get labor started in their own space on their own time. They just had to be back by 10pm if contractions didn’t bring them in sooner.

Katie was contracting all day, but they weren’t big enough to bring her in early. I met her and Hunter at the hospital just before ten to talk about what to expect and make a game plan. After a quick pep talk, we walked upstairs and were put into labor room two. Katie’s contractions slowed down while she was getting checked in, which was totally normal for a laboring mama thrust into a new birthing space. Over the next hour and a half, several nurses tried unsuccessfully to start an IV in Katie’s fortress-like veins. They gave up for a bit and did a cervical check while they waited for someone fancier to try the IV. Katie was 1 cm dilated and 40% effaced, a big change from earlier in the week, but according to the doc she still had a long way to go and told her that even with pitocin, it might be a long time before we saw a baby. I reminded her that when a body is ready to open it will and not to worry about the time that it takes.

While we waited for the IV that would eventually bring the pitocin, Katie, Hunter, and I walked the halls. We enjoyed the storm and the super moon that were both raging outside. Around 2am, we aquired a new nurse who was able to place the IV (finally!). Katie was given a pole with fluids, a wireless monitor, and we set out into the halls for some more walking and squatting. I admitted to Katie, that I had a feeling about her birth. I had this nagging feeling that once her bag of waters truly burst, the baby would come and come quickly. We all hoped that would be true!

After what seemed like forever, I think somebody somewhere out in hospital land got in trouble for not already starting the pitocin and it was administered. Katie’s labor had already really picked up even before the pitocin, so it brought the contractions on with a fury. Katie labored fantastically. She listened to her body and changed positions a lot. Hands and knees was very productive for her, as was squatting. Hunter was the best labor support person I have ever witnessed (and I have been at some amazing births!). He gave her some much emotional support. He said all the right things. Their love filled the room. I know it helped Katie through some of the challenging parts of her labor.

Once Katie started to get tired, her and Hunter had some time in the shower. The shower was short, but it rejuvenated her spirits and relaxed her. Soon after at 6:30am, while laboring in hands and knees Katie had a super intense contraction that broke her fore bag with a POP. Labor progressed very quickly after that. At about 6:45am they did the second cervical check. Katie was 80% effaced and 7 cm dilated!

Katie transitioned like a warrior! She truly surrendered to her labor and let her contractions come. They were big and intense and beautiful. Hunter and I praised and applauded her while she vocalized through them. The doctor came in to check-in a little bit later, heard the vocalizing and checked Katie. She was 9cm! Katie headed over to the toilet to let her cervix finish opening.

Just around 8am, Katie was ready to birth her baby. She tried a variety of positions on the bed. Settling on changing from side to side, since baby girl hadn’t like moving down so low, so fast. With Hunter and I helping to hold legs and offering encouragement, Katie birthed Coriander June Cohen just before 9am on May 6th. It was beautiful. The new Cohen family were given space by the hospital staff. Once the baby nurse had the apgars, she said to just call her when they were ready to have her weighed. They got to hold and snuggle their sweet Cora for a good long while. Cora even latched on to the breast quickly and with no assistance. We even heard her loud swallows!

This was hands down, the most powerful birth I have ever been to. In spite of the inconvenience of her water breaking before labor, Katie toughed it out and got the birth and the baby she wanted. Congratulations Katie and Hunter! It was a huge honor to be at your birth!

The Happy Cohen Family!

May is here, and Mother’s Day is just around the corner!  At Get Babied, we’re big fans of moms and moms-to-be, and we’re devoting the month of May to pampering moms and future moms.  If you are expecting and interested in having a blissful birth and pampered pregnancy, please stop by one of our Meet the Doulas Nights this month!  This is also perfect for moms with little ones looking for postpartum support to come find out more about what our postpartum doula team has to offer and how they can spoil you a bit this month.  Our Meet the Doulas Nights are always a lot of fun, and they are a great opportunity to meet all of us face to face, take a load off, have some yummy food and soothing tea, and find out more about our services.

We will hold our Meet the Doulas Tea on Tuesday, May 8, from 7-9 pm.  This is a casual Meet the Doulas Night with tea and light snacks.  We won’t have a guest speaker, but we will have a birth testimonial from previous clients, Christine and Jay, and then we’ll break up and do a speed-dating session so that you can meet all of the doulas, and we can all meet you!

Our second Meet the Doulas Night this month will be on Saturday, May 19, from 7-9 pm.  Please note that we are moving it up a week this month in order to avoid Memorial Day conflicts.  Sleep consultant, Bruce W. Meleski, Ph.D., will be speaking about the importance of sleep and suggesting ways to help new parents get some much-needed rest.  And, as always, we will have a birth testimonial from a previous client.  It will be a fun and informative evening!  You won’t want to miss it!

All of our Meet the Doulas Nights are held in our office at 1825 38 ½ Street.  You don’t need to RSVP.  Just show up!  We look forward to seeing you!

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And in honor of Mother’s Day, let us pamper you at the Get Babied! Spa Fest at Baby Earth in Round Rock on May 12!  Admission is free, and there will be tons of giveaways, free massages, speakers, lots of awesome vendors, and all kinds of goodies.  If you came to our Baby Expo this past January, then you know that the Get Babied! doulas know how to throw a party.  Mark your calendars, and join us Mother’s Day weekend for some extreme pampering!

Check out our deal on LivingSocial and save on classes!

http://www.livingsocial.com/cities/18-austin/deals/332756-four-new-parent-prep-classes

I wrote the following story of Valerie’s birth in March, and when I sent it to her, she said that she would be happy to have it posted on our blog and that she wanted to include a note with it.  She said, “I really wanted to share my story with all the mamas and mamas to be out there to show that there are all kinds of births, whether we want them to be or not, and that’s okay.”  This is the story of Valerie’s birth.

Valerie’s whirlwind labor

Valerie had read all the books about labor, watched some videos about labor, saw the requisite “The Business of Being Born,” and even its sequel, “More Business of Being Born.”  She had even taken an online Hypnobabies workshop, listening to the CD’s at home on her own.  In her hospital bag, she had a very neatly organized binder with her Hypnobabies CD’s, comfort positions for labor, information of the different stages of labor, etc.  The lady was prepared!

So, when she went into labor very suddenly about 10 days before her due date, it came as a big surprise.  She was a first-time mom, after all, and she hadn’t had any warning signs that labor was impending other than some bloody show.  She called the GB hotline about the bloody show at about 1:30 pm on March 21, and I answered.  I didn’t think there was anything to worry about and suggested just going about her business as usual since she wasn’t having any contractions.  Valerie said she wasn’t concerned either and decided that she was just going to go back to getting her house ready for baby.

A couple of hours later, Valerie reported that she was having some cramping, which she would describe as contractions, though they were very mild.  But by 7 pm, Valerie was getting really uncomfortable.  She called me to say that her contractions were about 4 minutes apart and had been for a while.  She definitely needed some help coping.  I suggested getting in the bath, and I grabbed my things and headed to her house.

When I got to Valerie’s, she was in the tub, which was soothing between contractions, but during contractions, it was really uncomfortable for Valerie to sit with her legs out in front of her.  After a few contractions, I suggested getting out of the tub and taking a few contractions while standing up and leaning on the birth ball on the bed.  Valerie was so surprised that labor had gotten so intense so fast.  Since she had read so much about labor and birth, she was expecting a long early labor, with contractions 10-15 minutes apart for a while, during which she could leisurely go about doing calming activities to distract herself.  “I thought I would be baking cookies in early labor!” she said.  She wasn’t expecting to be dealing with contractions this intense so quickly.

Still, Valerie was handling these contractions like a champ, even though they snuck up on her.  It was clear that she was working hard on getting through each one, but all she needed was a reminder to breathe, and she slipped into deep, calming breaths.  She quickly realized that even though the hospital was close by she was getting to the point where the thought of a car ride seemed horrible, so we started making tracks toward the car.  Valerie’s husband, Jim, started getting everything ready and called Valerie’s doctor to give her a heads up.  It took a while to get to the car because those contractions were close and fast, and Valerie needed to stop what she was doing to concentrate.  But she was doing great!

We got to the hospital at about 8:40 pm, and the triage nurse determined that Valerie was 4-5 cm.  That’s a pretty good place to enter the hospital.  Once she got settled into her room, she decided that she wanted an epidural.  It seemed like the perfect time for it.  She was already dilated enough that it didn’t seem like it would slow down labor, and Valerie was exhausted not just from the intensity of the contractions but by the ferocity with which they came on.  Once she had the epidural, she felt much better and took advantage of being able to rest.  Her baby had been having some decels, but the doctor wasn’t too worried.  A different position usually helped.  As Valerie rested, we chatted about work and family and some of the celebrity birth stories in “More Business of Being Born.”  Some of the celebrities had awesome, empowering stories (Christy Turlington), whereas some were just annoying (Alanis Morissette).  Valerie had me cracking up as she related some of the funny things these celebrities said.

By 1:20 am, after some good rest, Valerie was complete and a +2 station, so she got ready to start pushing.  She didn’t want to use the stirrups, so we tried side-lying pushing for a while.  She was making progress, but with every push, baby would have decels.  After about an hour and a half, her doctor decided to use the vacuum to help Valerie’s baby descend a bit, but that little boy was not having it.  After more decels, some of which were concerning, Valerie’s doctor suggested a C-section.  This was the last thing Valerie wanted, but, not surprisingly, she handled this scary turn of events like a champ, too.  The decels were alarming enough that the delivery room became panicky and hectic as everyone rushed around to get Valerie ready for the OR.  Jim was suited up so that he could join her, and I sat down to wait.

After about 10 minutes, the charge nurse came in to tell me that the anesthesiologist was having trouble increasing Valerie’s epidural so they had to put her under general anesthesia, meaning that Jim couldn’t stay in the OR with her.  It was a scary moment, but not long thereafter, another nurse reported that baby was born healthy and vibrant, screaming and crying and having a lot to say!  It took a while for the anesthesia to wear off, and even so, Valerie was pretty groggy when I finally got to see her.  It had been a crazy day, and she was still kind of shell-shocked from it all, understandably.  When she finally got to hold baby Will in her arms, she felt much better.  Valerie is a strong mama.  Labor is one thing; that’s enough of a challenge on its own.  A surprisingly fast labor ending up in an emergency C-section is a whole other ball game, and Valerie handled it with strength and grace.  It was an honor to be with you during your labor, Valerie.  Congratulations on your new, beautiful family!

Happy family

Happy Baby Will

Today is your last chance to register for our next CPR class on APRIL 26th 6-8:30pm!

We offer a new class from the AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (AHA) where anyone can learn CPR.  This is a 2.5-hour CPR orientation class with lots of skills practice and one-on-one guidance from a certified AHA instructor, with a little babyproofing and infant/child safety on the side from one of our postpartum doulas.  This fun, yet educational class covers all the basic infant, child, and adult CPR skills parents (and grandparents) might need to know to help keep family members safe and sound.  Class sizes are purposely kept small in order to allow couples plenty of hands-on training.  You will finish class with the confidence and knowledge to handle the little emergencies that parenthood can throw your way.  Light refreshments, air conditioning/heat, and comfy atmosphere.  ($25/person, $50/couple) Must register at least two weeks prior to class date. Please click here to register.

As I finish up my Dr. Sears LEAN Expectations Certification I find myself needing some guinea pigs… Any takers?

I will be offering the following class on April 19th from 6:30-8:30. I need a minimum of 3 mama’s who are willing to fill out an evaluation in exchange for some valuable information on Living a LEAN life. What you will get is the real deal holyfield class, just taught for my first time.

Prepare RIGHT Now – Turn your pregnancy into a healthy new beginning: This class focuses on the lifestyle, exercise and attitude choices vital for a healthy pregnancy and covers what to avoid during pregnancy and what expectant mothers should start doing to prepare their body for a healthy birth. In addition, expectant mothers will learn about the importance of attitude (good mental health) throughout the pregnancy and strategies for coping with stress. The practical strategies taught during this class will assist expectant mothers throughout their pregnancy, and even beyond, as they create and maintain a healthy, satisfying lifestyle. www.askdrsears.com

Please email me directly if you are interested in this class or one in the future: tif@getbabied.com

Cheers!

Tif

It’s time to sign up for a childbirth education series if you are having  a little one at the end of May or in June!

Join De’Andrea Jones, Childbirth Educator and Certified Doula,  for a 5 week series of classes starting Monday, April 16 at 7pm.

Get Hyp! covers the basic information of anatomy and nutrition of pregnancy and also delves into advanced techniques for coping from the most well known education methods: Lamaze, Hypnobirthing and the Bradley Method.  There will be discussion, video and a great workbook to help you soak up all of the info you can on the consumer aspects of birth including pain relief options, communicating with your team, natural induction, and postpartum self care. You will learn relaxation techniques  to strengthen your intuitive connection to birth!

Making informed choices and gaining excellent skills for coping are at the center of this series!  Bring your partner!

Register today!

Spring has sprung, offering all kinds of new beginnings!  For Get Babied, it’s brought a new and bigger office!  We’re still in the same centrally located building, but our new office space is beautiful, and the larger space is allowing us to expand our offerings at the collective.  We’d love for you to come meet us and check out our new digs!  If you’re curious about what doulas do or how a birth and/or postpartum doula can help you during and after your pregnancy, come on down to our Meet the Doulas Nights this month.  Our Meet the Doulas Nights are always a lot of fun, and they are a great opportunity to meet all of us face to face, take a load off, have some yummy food and soothing tea, and find out more about our services.

We will hold our Meet the Doulas Tea on Tuesday, April 10, from 7-9 pm.  This is a casual Meet the Doulas Night with tea and light snacks.  We won’t have a guest speaker, but we will have a birth testimonial from new parents, Kim and Mike, and then we’ll break up and do a speed-dating session so that you can meet all of the doulas, and we can all meet you!

Our second Meet the Doulas Night this month will be on Saturday, April 28, from 7-9 pm.  Former doula client and tech guru Avi Hyman will be discussing iPhone gadgets for labor, delivery, and beyond!  Come get schooled in the ways of iPhone technology!  And as always, we will have a birth testimonial from a previous client.  It will be a fun and informative evening!  You won’t want to miss it!

All of our Meet the Doulas Nights are held in our office at 1825 38 ½ Street.  You don’t need to RSVP.  Just show up!  We look forward to seeing you!