This is a full on rant. I’m not going to lie. This episode is born of my frustration with the copious amounts of misinformation on this topic across the internet. If you were to search “signs of labor” or some such thing you will find a number of articles all saying something along the lines of “17 signs that labor is coming in the next 24-48 hrs”. Every time I see these I roll my eyes. Because if there were truly signs that labor is absolutely guaranteed to happen in the next 24-48 hrs that would be worth all the money in the world. But there is no such thing.

Doulas and Midwives have been confused for a long time by various people. One major misconception is that we are the same or that you only need one or the other if you’re giving birth. Midwives are not the same as doulas, we each play very distinct roles on the birth team. Today’s episode goes into the differences between midwives and doulas and how our different roles complement each other on a birth team.

Happy New Year! Learn about all the options for you this year with Harrod Doula Services. From Birth Preparation Courses to Birth Planning Sessions We are ready to get you in a confidence place for birth and postpartum!

It’s our last episode of 2022!!! How did this year both go SOOO slow and also completely zoom past? I feel like I’m settling into my old age of 36 when I say “how is it already (insert month or year here)!” To wrap up this year and this Postpartum series I want to answer a question that’s super important to me. That question is: does my body change after giving birth? The short answer is yes! Yes, it changes, but how does it change? What does that look and feel like for different people? You’ll have to listen to the episode to hear some of those glorious nuances.

Preparation for feeding your baby can feel a bit daunting because if your baby’s not here yet it’s very theoretical. However, depending on your feeding plan there are a few things you can prepare in advance and just know in advance to ease that journey. Today’s question is What are the top 5 tips every postpartum parent needs to know about infant feeding and it’s answered by our last Special Guest of 2022 Jess Morlan.

When and how do you know if you are struggling with a postpartum mental health disorder? What’s considered postpartum depression vs baby blues? These are common questions people have and questions I hear all the time from clients, so today we are talking all about that.

You’ve likely heard that your hormones go just a touch bananas in the postpartum time. That is true, but how does that feel and look? What is normal? When should you be concerned? That’s what this episode is all about. From postpartum night sweats to weepiness what might you feel in the early weeks postpartum and how to prepare for those things!

Herbs have been incorporated into pregnancy, labor and postpartum for all of human history. Today we are joined by a beautiful human, Kay'aleya Hunnybee, who is an herbalist and integrative health educator that focuses on perinatal and postpartum timeframes. She joins us today to talk about herbal safety and use in the postpartum period. Herbs carry so many diverse benefits and can be incorporated in a way that feels right for your family.

Snacks are vital to all parts of life in my opinion. They are quick fuel for tired days, they stabilize blood sugar, they lift mood, they are just generally magic. In the postpartum period you need to eat sufficient amounts of food. It takes a great deal of work for your body to heal after giving birth and eating enough food helps your body do that. The 4th Trimester is not a time to try to limit your caloric intake or your food groups unless medically necessary. This episode contains some snack tips to help you plan out your food plan for the postpartum time!

As fun as it is to buy cute outfits for baby, it is vital for you to have some practical things on hand for YOURSELF in the postpartum time! Now this ranges from things that literally everyone needs - like a plan to handle bleeding - to things that might make your postpartum time more lovely. Today we’re tackling the practical side of things. What types of essentials do you need for the postpartum period.

How long bleeding may last after birth is a common question. In part for logistical reasons, preparing pads, etc. we want to know that information. In part as a mental preparation to have realistic expectations of what the postpartum time might be like! Lochia is the name of the postpartum bleeding and this episode dives into how long to expect it, what’s normal and how to know if you should be concerned!

As you prepare for the postpartum time it may seem overwhelming thinking about where to start. The postpartum time looks a little different for everybody. So it’s not that there's just one list of things. So while there aren’t just 4 things to check off your list, there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help prepare in a way that feels right for you and your family.

There are many helpful professionals that can be a part of your postpartum time. This list is not exhaustive, but it is a good starting place to consider who you may want to have on your team. In coming episodes we will be hearing from a number of these professionals so stay tuned for that!

At the end of pregnancy many people ask themselves if they are feeling the often-discussed Braxton Hicks contractions. It can be tricky to know if you’re feeling them when you haven’t felt them before! Especially if your baby is an active one! Braxton hicks are classified as tightening of the uterus so oftentimes feeling for soft parts of the uterus help to distinguish between the two.

Fast labor is something that comes up frequently when pregnant families are preparing for birth. If you’ve seen videos of babies being born in cars that’s a natural line of questioning! The reality is that some labors are super fast. Some labors are slow. Both are within the range of normal, but understandably fast labors are more intimidating to families who are looking at the journey for the first time.

Doula Mentoring: empowering you to walk your doula journey out with confidence.

Announcing the launch of my Doula Mentoring Program starting in January 2023!!

So you know you want a doula…what now? Where do you find a doula? What type of doula should you look for? What if there aren’t doulas in your area? Finding a doula near you can be an overwhelming task, so this episode breaks down how to do that. Where to start searching (see a few helpful links for this below!), when to search and how to go about finding a doula who is a great fit for your family.

A Birth Doula plays a unique and important role on a birth team. Across all birthing locations a birth doula is providing a level of support and education that, when done well, allows the rest of the medical team to focus on their jobs well knowing that the patient is well cared for. That is the dream, when a team works together like magic helping a whole family be born in the process

If you’re on the search for a doula and feeling a bit late to the game it may give you hope to know that it’s rarely truly too late to hire a doula. If you’re still pregnant you can hire a birth doula (again, in most cases!) and if you’re within a few years postpartum you can hire a postpartum journey.

You may have a shorter list of available doulas, so be sure to reach out as soon as possible so you can get on with hiring.

Hiring a birth or postpartum doula typically starts with a doula consultation. During that consultation there’s an interview of sorts between the doula (or doulas) and prospective client(s). It should include a back and forth including getting to know each other as well as asking a variety of questions that are relevant to what you’re looking for in a doula.

This episode outlines some questions that can be asked during that interview if you find them helpful.