YourWaterBirth.com Discount

I now have a doula account with:

If you are interested in purchasing a birth pool or one of their many systems or kits, please contact me for my discount code to get 10% off your order.

I just bought this pool for my own upcoming birth in July:

I got the set that comes with a liner and a cover.  I'm very excited since the fishy pool I used last time left a lot to be desired.  I know I'll definitely appreciate the handles on this one as well as the narrow shape when it comes time to push.

Yay for water birth!  :-D

There are no coincidences

The more I walk down this path the more I believe this to be true.  What’s going to follow is a bit sappy, but this is what is flowing through my mind and body.  It's a bit personal, but I feel led to share the honesty that is overpowering me at the moment.

When I set off on this path of change there were many choices I made that were within my own power.  We paid off debt and saved so that I could stay home with the kids and then make a career change.  Except when it came down to it, I wasn’t so comfy with dropping my safety net.  I’m not sure I would have gone through with any of it if I had not been laid off from my job.  That was a little over two years ago, and it has been anything but easy. 

Fast forward to a few months ago, despite my efforts of certifying and wanting to attend births as a doula not much was happening.  We needed money, so I did my best to get hired by Whole Foods.  I even went in and charmed them the way I always have when seeking jobs.  Only this time the puzzle didn’t fit.  I wondered why and thought that maybe I might never get a paying job again (oh, the thoughts that go through our minds).

Fast forward to a few months ago, I joined up with Amazing Births & Beyond.  It must have done something to my confidence, because shortly after signing with them I heard from others who were interested in my services in addition to the leads I've enjoyed from them.  The fact that this is working so well now is a testament to how I am finally on the right path. 

Which brings me back to my path before I got here.  I've wondered recently if perhaps some of it was a fluke?  Then I met Gena Kirby at a Rebozo workshop.  I learned how she too went through somewhat of a life cleansing where her whole world was turned upside down when she set out to live her passion.  They lived like Buddhists, as she put it, with very little possessions to their name. 

Later on I read in her blog that her path to doula care started as a server in high end restaurants.  She shared how she had always been on the path of serving others.  It was right then and there that I realized that my five years as a server had prepared me in the same way.  I also don’t think that my business degree or work in that realm was in vain either, since I find myself using even those skills too in my every day dealings.

It’s just so fascinating how all this has played out.   I love sitting here pondering how all the right pieces have fit together at the right time, even if I didn't realize why some of my other efforts wouldn't work no matter what I did.

Which brings me to people….I really feel that every person I have had the pleasure of knowing has served some purpose in my life.  Whether it was as a mentor, a helper, or a person offering confirmation or encouragement to my journey, I’m extremely grateful that I allowed it to happen even when I was unaware of what was unfolding. 

Then there are the clients who I have been drawn to even before they chose me to support them during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and/or adjusting to another baby being added to the family.  I definitely believe that there is an energy force that draws and connects us.  It's no coincidence either, because I always leave these experiences with a much needed shift in perspective.  It seems that I'm always being put in situations that aim to restore me back to balance in some way.  

I honestly am so happy that I am doing what I love and am so appreciative that it has been becoming a reality more and more.  Even if another baby is added to our own family, I know this is the work that I will continue to do until my days on earth are done.  

Does opting out of hard work put us at a disadvantage?

Pain, discomfort, suffering...

Many see these words and want to run the other way.  Who in their right mind would want to suffer when there are ways to bypass it?

Let's consider the word "pain".  The English language does not distinguish between varying levels of pain as opposed to other languages that have multiple variations for the sensations we experience (or so I've been told by my foreign friends).  It's a valid word for experiences that are traumatic in nature, but I question whether it's the right word to use for all sensations felt during normal physiological experiences such as pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.  After all, the discomforts felt during these processes is much different from breaking an arm or getting a root canal done.

I think that it's more accurate to recognize that the sensations that women experience during these processes have a purpose and that much learning can happen when women learn to navigate accordingly.  The pain that surfaces during these processes is our body's way of telling us to do something different.  That there's an imbalance present.  I believe that suffering happens when we do not respond to the messages our body sends us.  Therefore, if we listen and respond we can avoid unnecessary suffering.    

It's been my observation that many in our society tend to run from pain when given the option.  Look at how people respond when a woman shares that she will be aiming for a birth free of pain medication.  I can speak to that personally as many thought I was crazy for considering such things.  The general attitude from conventional thinking is that it's silly to have a medication free birth since there are ways to numb the pain.  Some even choose not to breastfeed for this reason.  It's been these observations that have caused me to call these behaviors into question.  Particularly, what the consequences are of choosing to bypass the discomfort that life throws our way.  

Ask anyone who has breastfed or given birth without pain medication and I'm sure they will tell you it was hard work.  Work that took a lot of faith in oneself, effort, and perseverance.  There are walls that need to be scaled, whether it's opposition from people who do not understand the nursing relationship or the intense surges that come when a laboring woman enters into transition.  It's these experiences that test our limits and push us to find our way to the other side.  Then when confronted with these experiences again, we use our history and what we have learned to navigate through the situations better.  Usually this results in boosted confidence.  

The realization I had after pondering all this is that there is a reason we have been given these natural experiences.  The more experience we have with connecting to our discomfort, confronting it, & overcoming it the better prepared we will be to take on future endeavors.  Because let's face it, parenting (and life) is hard!  Given how modern family units operate nowadays many of us don't get much hands on experience with the demands of being a mother until the task is upon us.  It's been my observation that the challenges we go through during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding re-connect us to our body and the natural lessons it offers.  

When we opt out of life experiences we miss out on the lessons that are learned through these relationships.  It's understandable why this happens since we have more options available to us with all the innovations we've made in these areas over the years.  Except that there's a price to pay when things swing out of balance.  The more we disconnect our self from what we were made to do the more disconnected we will find our self from the internal wisdom that we have within us.  Childbirth and breastfeeding are only the beginning, but still set a pattern for future behaviors and decision making.

What do you think?  A stretch, or have you observed the same?

300 Fan Giveaway!

Nurturing Notion's Facebook page as reached 300 fans!  As promised, I'm hosting a giveaway.

Up for grabs is an Orange PUL One Size Diaper Cover with Gussets.  It has yellow fold over elastic and yellow snaps against bold orange fabric.  

It's a personal favorite of mine, but if the style or cloth diapering is not your thing we can work out a different prize valued at the same value ($16) or less after the raffle is through.  It must come from my shop, of course. 

To enter to win, check out the nifty Rafflecopter widget you see below after midnight tonight.

You must like my Facebook page to enter the contest.  All the other options you choose to partake in will increase your odds of winning.  So get all the points you can!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Choosing a Doula

Choosing the right doula for you may seem like a daunting task.  So many personalities and experience levels to choose from.  For some, knowing where to start can be a barrier to starting the search at all.

Once you get started you may wonder how many people you need to interview before you find the right one.  I don't think there's a formula for how the search should be done, but do think that there are universal indicators that might help you sense whether you have found the right one for you.

For one, there has to be chemistry.  You'll recognize this by how easily you click with the person.  This is something that could totally happen with the first doula you consult! You'll know when you feel it. 

Second, really feel out what's important to you.  Do you want a doula who can give you her undivided attention?  Is the training a doula receives important to you?  How about the length or type of experience she has?  Do you want a doula with similar beliefs?

Probably most importantly, you will want to be comfortable with this person.  Birth works best when women feel safe.  Which means that you will benefit the greatest by having a doula present that has that effect on you.

Here's a handout written by Childbirth International that has some additional insights:

Choosing a Doula

When you are ready to start searching for a doula, how you do that will depend on your preferences and resources.

Local mom groups are a great way to get suggestions and also hear/read testimonials.  Either general mom forums or ones that target a particular parenting style will both work.  Social media outlets like Meetup.com, Cafemom, and Facebook all have groups like this.

If you are not part of a local group, there are meet ups that are hosted by organizations like Amazing Births and Beyond.  Amazing Births and Beyond is local to my area, but I'm sure a quick Google map search will get you well on your way.

If that's not your style, then see below for a list of accrediting organizations that offer "doula finders".  It might help to do a little research and get a feel for what the organization is about.  While that won't define how a doula practices, it's a good place to start.  It will give you a glimpse into what her course work was like and what ideals she identifies with as far as birth and support goes.             
 
Childbirth International - Find a Doula 

Dona - Find a Doula

Birth Arts - Find a Doula

Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association - Member Search

The International Childbirth Education Association- Member Directory

The Association of Labor Assistants and Childbirth Educators - Find a Doula

This list is not exhaustive.  If you know of an organization I have not listed then let me know and I'll add it.

If you hired a doula for your birth, I'd love to learn about how you went about it.