Living Life in Bloom

You've hired your birth doula and have scheduled your first prenatal visit together at your home. Now you're wondering what to expect! A doula provides emotional, physical, and informational support before, during, and after birth. Before birth, doulas work to bond with their clients, plan, and provide education in preparation for birth and postpartum. Here's a general outline I use when working with my clients during prenatal visits. I customize the discussion based on each client's needs and follow the conversation wherever it flows. Most of my prenatal visits last an hour and a half, while some can go longer (and some seasoned parents don't feel they need the full time). Because there is so much to cover in a prenatal visit, the items in the outline below are usually broken out between two-three visits with families. Welcome and introductions Doula, client, client partner, kids, family and pets Guess date and other basic details about the pregnancy (OB, midwife, ...

  Birth is an intense experience that can sometimes be overwhelming. Grounding ourselves in our senses helps facilitate birth and can enhance our capacity to navigate and cope. In crafting birth plans and preferences, I like to consider sensory input based on each birthing mother and person’s unique nervous system. Here are some ways to think about how each of the five senses can inform the structure of a birth plan. Sight. Candles (LED if at a birth center or hospital), twinkle lights, and photos to focus on can help provide a calming environment or a grounding visual. Some people find it helpful to hone in on a focal point in the room or outside the window during intense contractions. Dim lighting can help encourage the hormones of birth to flow naturally. Sound. Some people might prefer to have absolute quiet during their birth. Some might prefer to play a playlist – either with earbuds or out loud on a speaker. Different types of sound might be more preferable during differen...