SloDoula

No longer a practicing Doula, BUT…. Student midwife & IBCLC (Lactation Consultant)
(1)

08/13/2024

03/13/2024

Looking for donor milk for a couple mamas

05/25/2023

Santa Lucia Birth Center and Home Birth families! Come celebrate summer with us & friends and family!

07/03/2022

NRP offered in house at Santa Lucia room for 4 more attendees. We are blessed to have CNM Michele Kazmier come and teach for us & for skills check offs. Register at: Lavendermoonmidwifery.com. or https://www.lavendermoonmidwifery.com/workshop-details.
Class will we offered Wednesday, July 13th, 10-6 pm at the birth center.

03/19/2021

Yes!!!!

Did you know that most physicians get ONE DAY at most of education in lactation/ breastfeeding? The infant sleep, mental health and nutrition training is usually 0.
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I hear this from parents all the time. I get DM's of screenshots and photos of fliers handed out in pediatrician's offices recommending CIO sleep training for babies as young as 2 months old.
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I want to empower you to push back. The outdated information, propaganda, the threats, the shame around how your baby sleeps has NO place in your doctor's office.
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If you are concerned about your baby's health, growth or development, of course most pediatricians are wonderful. They are there to keep your baby healthy. They are simply not trained enough in these areas to be considered sleep or lactation experts, and that’s not their fault.
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The trouble lies when they cross the line and go beyond their scope of practice, which can lead to harmful misinformation given to vulnerable parents.
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So what can you say or do?
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1. If your healthcare provider EVER makes you feel shamed or uncomfortable, seek other options. Your doctor works for you, not the other way around. You deserve to have a fit that feels supportive and you can fire your doctor at any time.
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2. If your doctor pushes sleep training, ask for the research supporting this is beneficial.
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3. If your doctor asks you about bed sharing or co sleeping, you can let them know "this works for us." Let them know that you are following the Safe Sleep Seven, and ask them if they know of other literature they can share. Often doctors are told they have to advise against bed sharing per the AAP recommendations, but they won't become more educated on the subject or feel incentivized to provide safety information unless enough people SPEAK UP and ASK for it.
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Have you had to do any of the above?

10/29/2020

Opinion | Dying in Your Mother’s Arms

Such an important topic
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/opinion/dying-in-your-mothers-arms-palliative.html

A palliative care doctor on finding a “good death” for children in the worst situations.

09/29/2020

Twin Cities and Sierra Vista are allowing Doulas! YES!!!

08/07/2020

Dear OB, it’s not your va**na

Vaginal exams during labor and the question of consent

05/18/2020

Fed ain't best it's expected

05/14/2020

Bradley Childbirth Classes SLO County

It’s a great time for Bradley Childbirth classes- with no Doulas or other people in the delivery room besides partner being allowed, this series thoroughly prepares partners to be the much needed solo support for mama!

Hi all! Due to COVID-19, no summer in person class at this time. Message me for private virtual childbirth ed or e-mail me at [email protected]. Available anytime!

04/17/2020

Knoxville Moms

One month ago, I was 38 weeks pregnant, full of anxiety, anger and fear. Hospital protocols were changing daily. Visitors were banned. Laboring women could only have one person with them. This isn't what I pictured delivering my third baby would look like.

Two weeks later, my husband and I walked into labor and delivery and were handed masks. We were told to wear those any time any one entered our room. The nurses were always masked, as was the doctor. This was my third baby and the whole process was so different than the other two.

During my first two deliveries we had guests in and out while I labored and more guests after delivery. There were no masks. No scary protocols. It was a celebration and everyone was invited.

This time, it was just my husband and I. The room was quiet. No chaos of visitors. The conversations were just him and I. Just the two of us for the first time in six and a half years.

I'm just going to say it: delivering during the pandemic was a blessing in disguise.

We delivered with quiet hallways in a quiet room filled with just the three of us. We welcomed this baby with no expectations of people rushing in during skin-to-skin. We established nursing without having to wear an awkward nursing cover.

It was just us and our little guy. It was perfect.

Twenty-four hours later we returned home. Due to social distancing, there were no visitors and no school. There was no early morning school drop offs or mid-day school pick ups. There was no "panic cleaning" for visitors. There was no schedule and low expectations.

Our girls have been able to bond with their little brother all day, everyday. Having no schedule with a newborn has been dreamy. We are all sleeping, nursing, and bonding with no interruptions. There's no pressure to get out of the house. There's no reason to try to squeeze into pre-pregnancy clothes.

If you are a pregnant momma set to deliver during all the chaos of the world right now, rest easy. Take a deep breath. While this is probably not how you imagined your delivery, find the blessing through this mess.

Enjoy this break from real life, snuggle up with your newborn and enjoy every last minute of the newborn stage. Too soon, that teeny tiny baby won't be teeny tiny anymore.

To read more from Stephanie: https://knoxvillemoms.com/author/slancaster/

04/09/2020

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Updated CDC guidelines for pregnant and postpartum mothers, babies and partners

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a virus (more specifically, a coronavirus) identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China.

04/09/2020

I know there is not a lot of hands on support available for postpartum moms right now. If you or anyone you know needs help with breastfeeding please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m so happy to help via FaceTime / phone etc in any way I’m able!!

03/30/2020

Central Coast Breastfeeding Coalition

“In response to some private hospitals’ decision to bar partners, New York will order all hospitals to allow partners in delivery rooms, despite the coronavirus risk.”

03/29/2020

California Breastfeeding Coalition

IBCLC Tanefer L Camara is hosting virtual infant-toddler feeding and pregnancy support groups twice a week. The Midnight Milk Club™️ provides infant feeding and breastfeeding support at night to parents who are breastfeeding, chest feeding, pumping, bottle feeding or weaning their babies or toddlers.
Meetings take place on Zoom at 8 p.m. PDT Wednesdays and 10 p.m. PDT Fridays. Next session starts in just 2 hours...
https://zoom.us/j/5817049075

03/29/2020

Photos from SloDoula's post

03/28/2020

Clinical characteristics and intrauterine vertical transmission potential of COVID-19 infection in nine pregnant women: a retrospective review of medical records

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30360-3/fulltext

The clinical characteristics of COVID-19 pneumonia in pregnant women were similar to those reported for non-pregnant adult patients who developed COVID-19 pneumonia. Findings from this small group of cases suggest that there is currently no evidence for intrauterine infection caused by vertical tran...

03/28/2020

In response to COVID-19, we're making our Becoming Mama™ Online Birth Class free

We want to support you in the best way we know how, and that is to provide you with evidence-based, nurturing, women-centered support.

03/26/2020

The Leaky B**b

Disrupting breastfeeding puts babies at risk.

From the World Health Organization:

Lactating parents with can breastfeed if they wish to do so.

They should:

Practice respiratory hygiene and wear a mask
Wash before and after touching the baby
Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces

For more on pregnancy and lactation and COVID-19, see this from the WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-pregnancy-childbirth-and-breastfeeding?fbclid=IwAR2Mp8eXTgRlB9HDAZHuOw_daDIXXuk8G5rXEVgbIZYplkUDAWi3PXO4-y4

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03/26/2020

Pacific Midwifery

In this time of uncertainty, we are all trying to wrest control where we can. Limiting variables of exposure in the hospital has meant that women are being restricted to one (in some New York hospitals, zero!) support person in labor. No woman should be forced to birth alone. Partners should be considered a vital asset to a birthing woman’s support team. As care is a recognized way to improve birth outcomes, they, too, should be considered as a vital part of a woman’s care team in labor. The World Health Organization recognizes the importance of respectful and dignified care in . If your hospital is imposing limits, please discuss the guidelines with them. Remind them of the importance of emotional security during labor and birth. and are spearheading a movement to ensure that no woman births alone, that partners and doulas are recognized for the important part they play in labor and birth. Head over and support the effort.

03/23/2020

Thank you Megan!!!!!

I know a lot of pregnant women are struggling with the changing landscape of maternity care in light of COVID-19. I’m speaking here specifically of women planning hospital births. I have talked to so many women worried about the hospital, their birth teams, the plans they had carefully crafted. They are worried for their babies. They are just plain worried. *I can’t magically erase that for you. But I can tell you this: You were made for this day. Your body and your baby were made for this trying time. You have been gifted innate understanding & knowledge that will NOT fail you at this time. You are strong enough. You are healthy enough. You are wise enough. You will get through. *It might look different than you imagined. And you know what? It is going to be okay. You are going to be okay. Because the truth is, we women, we will ALL be with you. *Everyday, those of us not facing birth in this trying time are holding you up. You have the strength & wisdom & collective experience of millions of sisters on this journey. We will not leave you. We will not let you fall. We will help carry you through to meeting your baby face-to-face. We will be holding you close. We will be singing your baby into this world, a chorus of voices, a lullaby of birth. *The nurses & doctor who will be taking care of you, they will be working to keep you safe & healthy in trying times. It can be done with love & understanding. And I believe it will be done with generous hearts & deep compassion. You will share a bond that comes from doing hard things in difficult times. *And your baby will be okay. Your baby will get to experience the fierceness of your mother-love. Your baby will get to experience the feelings you feel - how you are taking your anxiety & transforming it into quiet resolve & peaceful reconciliation. Your baby will make her way earthside with the understanding of a new generation, not easily shaken, determined, strong. *And you will be okay. You will not only survive, you will thrive. You will be able to call on that wisdom deep inside. You will be able to trust your body & your baby. You will be overcome by the quiet knowing of intuition & insight. You will be okay. Photo credit

PS If you don't follow , might I suggest you do? She is an incredible artist and mother-warrior.

02/16/2020

TEACH through Love

"Draw a circle. This is the center ring. In it, put the name of the person at the center of the current trauma. For Katie’s aneurysm, that’s Katie. Now draw a larger circle around the first one. In that ring put the name of the person next closest to the trauma. In the case of Katie’s aneurysm, that was Katie’s husband, Pat. Repeat the process as many times as you need to. In each larger ring put the next closest people. Parents and children before more distant relatives. Intimate friends in smaller rings, less intimate friends in larger ones. When you are done you have a Kvetching Order. One of Susan’s patients found it useful to tape it to her refrigerator.

Here are the rules. The person in the center ring can say anything she wants to anyone, anywhere. She can kvetch and complain and whine and moan and curse the heavens and say, “Life is unfair” and “Why me?” That’s the one payoff for being in the center ring.

Everyone else can say those things too, but only to people in larger rings.

When you are talking to a person in a ring smaller than yours, someone closer to the center of the crisis, the goal is to help. Listening is often more helpful than talking. But if you’re going to open your mouth, ask yourself if what you are about to say is likely to provide comfort and support. If it isn’t, don’t say it. Don’t, for example, give advice. People who are suffering from trauma don’t need advice. They need comfort and support. So say, “I’m sorry” or “This must really be hard for you” or “Can I bring you a pot roast?” Don’t say, “You should hear what happened to me” or “Here’s what I would do if I were you.” And don’t say, “This is really bringing me down.”

If you want to scream or cry or complain, if you want to tell someone how shocked you are or how icky you feel, or whine about how it reminds you of all the terrible things that have happened to you lately, that’s fine. It’s a perfectly normal response. Just do it to someone in a bigger ring.

Comfort IN, dump OUT."

02/11/2020

Midwifery linked to better birth outcomes in state-by-state “report card” - UBC Faculty of Medicine

States with higher midwifery integration, like Washington and Oregon, generally had better results,

02/11/2020

Have a Homebirth? A quick survey to participate in!

01/11/2020

Love this

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Los Osos, CA
93442

Website

http://www.SloDoula.com/

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