People Matter

August 27th, 2012 by tbailey

We often say being a doula is a calling, not a job or career. I think what we mean is that we are honored to be able to comfort a new mother during her labor. We are joyful when parents get to welcome a new baby into their family. We are excited to be able to offer our experience with breastfeeding and postpartum travails, if we can help a mother ease into her new life that way.

Because we are fascinated by this process of birth and new mothering, we study it and become more knowledgeable about it. We try to be a useful resource for mothers and new families. Yet, that isn’t the most important thing we do. We offer our support and comfort because people matter. New babies are people who matter. New mothers are people who matter. New fathers are people who matter. We do our best to help ease the way. We enjoy helping and being a resource. That’s what matters.

Posted in Doula to Doula, Emotional Support, Spiritual Support | No Comments »

Avoid Preeclampsia with the Brewer Diet

June 2nd, 2012 by tbailey

 

Dr. Tom Brewer, who authored the Brewer Diet, has been helping women stay healthy and avoid preeclampsia (also known as toxemia) for fifty years or so. Here is the official website: Blueribbonbaby.org . He says that the cause of preeclampsia or toxemia is known. It is not genetic, it is diet based. Here in Pittsburgh, we have too many women who suffer preeclampsia. It greatly affects the safety and comfort of their births. Here is the check-list for the Brewer diet.

If all it takes to have a toxemia free birth is to follow the Brewer diet, then what is keeping you?

Posted in Early Pregnancy, Information Support | No Comments »

The La Leche League Conference Was Great

May 3rd, 2012 by tbailey

We just had the Western Pennsylvania La Leche League conference with guest speaker Marian Tompson. It was wonderful to hear her speak. Not only is she one of the seven original founding mothers of LLL, she was also the first president as well. I was able to speak with her after her session and gave her a copy of my book: Doulas’ Guide to to Birthing Your Way, which I signed for her. As she thanked me for the book, she told me she was glad to see that I had put La Leche League Leader after my name as one of my credentials. She was also glad to see that Dr. Kennell had written the forward to the book. She knew Dr. Kennell and was glad to see he was still out and about.

At the conference I spoke on two topics: ”Influencing Breastfeeding Behavior through Advocacy & Action” and also “Communicating with Health-Care Providers: How to Be an Effective Health-Care Consumer”. I was able to speak about several ways women in Pittsburgh can help accomplish our goal of having a breastfeeding culture. It was a fun conference and it was great to see so many mom/baby nursing dyads!


Posted in About Doulas' Guide to Birthing Your Way, Breastfeeding Support | No Comments »

Two Great Upcoming Conferences

February 23rd, 2012 by tbailey

Two wonderful new conferences are coming. The first is the 12th Annual Family Centered Maternity Care Conference sponsored by “Heart & Hands” Doula Service. It will be on March 24th at the Monroeville Doubletree hotel. The day’s speaker is noted midwife and author, Tonya Brooks. She has caught more than 5,000 babies both at midwife centers and in homes. She is author of: “Giving Birth at Home” and “The Parent’s Guide to Perinatology”. She will speak about the home-birth movement, reducing inductions of labor, improving your chances of a VBAC more. Download the conference brochure here and sign up!

The second is the Western Pennsylvania La Leche League conference on April 28th and featuring La Leche League’s Co-Founder Marian Tompson. The conference is called: Mother to Mother Support:  Our Foundation Our Future. I will also be speaking at two sessions. The first is “Communicating with Health-Care Providers: How to be an Effective Health-Care Consumer” and the second is “Influencing Breastfeeding Behavior through Advocacy and Action”. Sign up for this conference here.

Both of these conferences will be fun and full of great information. Come to both and I’ll see you there!

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Making Borscht

January 11th, 2012 by tbailey

 

I decided to make soup tonight. I had carrots, potatoes, beef, yellow beets, red beets and cabbage and I found myself making borscht. I don’t think it’s because I have no imagination, rather, I think I have fond memories of borscht and when I have the ingredients at hand, that is what I want to experience again. I  love using the vegetables from our CSA (community supported agriculture). Also, my whole family enjoys borscht.

I also really enjoy the experience when I am able to attend a birth for a mom I have supported in birth before. There is something so satisfying about the honor of supporting a mother another time in labor. Her births are not the same, but they often do have a familiar flavor. As a doula, I have already developed a birthing groove with her. Some of my fondest birth memories, are of being with a mom for her subsequent births. Those memories are treasures of my heart.

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