Supporting You Every Step of the Way

Frequently Asked Questions

By contentment, the highest happiness is attained.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanajli, Sutra 11.42

what does “Santosha” mean?

Santosha means contentment. I like to think of it as an action, the continuous practice of being at ease in each moment. Santosha invites us to seek contentment from within, rather than from outside sources; to embrace what is right in front of us and stop yearning for something more or something different. We can achieve this through appreciation and acceptance. I try to bring the spirit of santosha into my personal and work life, for the benefit of myself and my clients.

WHAT DOES A DOULA DO?

Provides pre and post-partum emotional support, including explanation and discussion of practices and procedures, and assistance in acquiring the knowledge necessary for the client to make informed decisions about their own care

Accompanies the client in labor, offering emotional and physical support and suggesting comfort measures
Provides support and suggestions for the partner
Advocates for the client’s wishes as expressed in their birth plan, prenatal conversations and intrapartum discussion by encouraging their client to ask questions of their care provider and to express their concerns and preferences
Helps incorporate changes to the plan if and when the need arises
Enhances the communication between client and care provider

WHAT DOES A DOULA NOT DO?

Prescribe treatments or medication

Perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking temperature or blood-pressure, fetal heart tone checks, vagical examinations and postpartum clinical care
Diagnose or treat in any modality
Make decisions for her client
www.dona.org

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A DOULA?

“The quality of emotional care received by a person during labor, birth and immediately afterwards is one vital factor that can strengthen or weaken the emotional ties between them and their child. Furthermore, when people receive continuous emotional support and physical comfort throughout childbirth, their obstetric outcomes may improve”. Dona International cited from Klaus and Hodnett

28% less likely to have a c-section
31% less likey to use synthetic oxytocin to speed up labor
9% less likely to use any pain medication
34% less likely to rate their childbirth experience negatively

DONA International via Cochran database

Shorter Labor
- The body will naturally release oxytocin and other hormones that cause contractions and keep labor progressing
- Without medication, the urge to push is stronger and you can work more efficiently with your body’s contractions
- You can move around freely and are able to try different positions that will help get baby into the optimal birthing position
Unmedicated Infant
- Infants born without the use of an epidural are more aware and may take to breastfeeding more easily
Faster Recovery
- Less swelling due to IV fluids required during an epidural procedure
- Release of natural endorphins
- No risk of epidural side-effects
- Ability to move freely during and immediately after labor
Empowerment and Confidence
- Working in harmony with your body’s natural rhythm
- Feeling connected and in control of the experience
Source
Directed pushing is a technique in which the caregiver tells the birthing person when to push and coaches them through their contractions, usually asked to bear down and hold their breath for 10 seconds at a time throughout the contraction. Spontaneous pushing happens when the birthing person feels ready to push and is fully dilated. They use rhythmic breathing to work with the waves of their contraction and will bear down when they feel the urge to push, about 3-6 times per contraction.
Research has shown that the strain and forceful prolonged breath holding during directed pushing may exhaust the birthing person, cause distress in the baby and cause extreme stretching of the pelvic floor muscles and ligaments supporting the bladder and uterus.
Source: The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin
I suggest the 4-1-1 rule for most patients. You want your contractions to be about 4 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute each, in this continuous pattern for 1 hour. If you have already given birth, you may want to follow a 5-1-1 rule since second babies and so forth may come faster.
We will discuss this during our prenatal visit/s. I will most likely meet you as you enter active labor (4-1-1). However we will take into consideration logistics, what number birth this is for you, and how labor is progressing at that time. If you would like me to meet you during early labor, that is always an option.
Yes! I love home births. I provide service in St. Louis County and some surrounding areas.
Currently, I will work at Missouri Baptist, Mercy, St. Lukes and the Mercy Birthing Center.
I will do everything in my power to be there! We will discuss the use of a backup doula, any obligations I have during your delivery period (38 weeks until birth), when and how to contact me in labor, etc, prior to booking. This is all covered in detail in my Service Agreement.
Absolutely! Having a doula can help you prepare for labor and delivery, create a birth plan, gather information, feel emotionally supported and help enhance your care team. It’s also important to consider that your labor may progress more rapidly than you anticipate, so it is wise to be prepared to deliver without medication just in case.
Informed Consent Link
Optimal cord management, also referred to as delayed cord clamping, is the delayed clamping of a baby's umbilical cord after birth. It helps prevent a sudden drop in the baby's blood pressure by allowing extra blood from the placenta to replace the blood that flows into the baby's lungs when they take their first breaths. This can take up to several minutes and is done once the cord stops pulsing or turns white. The benefits include better iron status in the infant, easier transition outside the womb and improved lung health.
Source