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The Ins and Outs of Being a Doula
A doula is a Greek word meaning "woman servant." Doulas are trained professionals helping and guiding a woman and her partner through childbirth. A doula provides a continuous presence during labor and delivery as she takes care of a mother's emotional and non-medical needs. ARE YOU DOULA MATERIAL? Do you pick up childbirth magazines, immediately turning to the labor section, and you aren't even pregnant? Do you long to talk to anyone who is pregnant? I was this way before I became a doula or labor assistant. When I was looking for a new career path after the birth of my second child, I came across a doula when I was waiting in line to register my son for preschool. I was in a certified doula training class a month later and have never looked back. Now, I want to help other women who are passionate about childbirth and want to pursue a life change into the doula world. Once you decide that you want to become a doula, you will never be the same person again. ALL NIGHTERS AND SHORT DELIVERIES No one can prepare you for the all nighters. This is the hardest part of being a doula. You are consistently offering massage, suggestions on positioning and explanations of medical procedures throughout the night. You do all this with a smile on your face and a positive attitude. Some labors will take you through two whole nights. Try doing this when you are not a coffee drinker. Some deliveries are long, some are short. This helps balance your doula practice. Thirty-six hours or 4 hours, either way you walk away from the delivery on a natural high. You feel on top of the world because you were apart of an extraordinary experience. You were able to provide assistance to a laboring mother and serve in a unique way. WHAT'S NEXT? The first thing you have to do is check into a certified doula program with CAPPA, Doulas of North America(DONA) and Lamaze International for local trainings. Get involved with local doula groups for support and friendship. Read everything you can get your hands on and talk to every pregnant woman you find. Julie L. Johnson is a wife and mother of three who has experienced every pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and breastfeeding situation there is and has lived to tell about. She is a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Certified Doula and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant practicing in Southern California. Her website http://www.birth-angel.com provides services and products to help ease transition through motherhood. The products also make great doula "Thank You" gifts or for a baby shower.
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Alternative Medicine Pregnant Running: Expectant Runners Share Stories and Advice When I became pregnant I planned to run throughout my pregnancy. I was addicted to running, had a low-risk pregnancy, and knew women were training through all nine months. I was sure I could manage to go out and jog a few miles each day. Pregnancy Planner - A Quick Guide Weeks 1 to 3 are the first weeks of pregnancy. Week 1 begins on the first day of your last menstrual period. You will have no pregnancy symptoms yet, it's too early right now. By week 4 nearly all of the organs and structure of the fetus have formed, you will start to feel the first pregnancy symptoms which will feel a bit like period symptoms such as tiredness and tender breasts. 10 Pregnancy Risk Factors that Every Pregnant Woman Should be Aware of Many factors affect the development of a fetus into a healthy child, some which are beyond your control and others that are within your control. Here are ten of the most common pregnancy risk factors that can be controlled or influenced: Train While You Gain - Why a Personal Trainer Can Make a Difference During Your Pregnancy The average woman will gain between 25 and 30 pounds during her pregnancy, but how many women do you know that have gained upward of 50 pounds or even more? Keeping your weight gain in check can be difficult when you are "eating for two,", but with the help of a personal trainer, you can ward off the inevitable excess baby weight. How To Eat A Healthy Diet During Pregnancy Perhaps the number one complaint of women trying to watch their weight during pregnancy is that they are hungry all the time. True, pregnancy does result in an increased metabolic demand on the body, which can cause you to be hungry. Many women also experience a number of cravings during pregnancy, which can make healthy eating challenging. Fighting the Pregnancy Blahs Every pregnant woman has experienced the pregnancy blahs. I can remember feeling so big and unattractive throughout my two pregnancies, and secretly wishing for the pregnancy to be over so that I could have my body back and fit into my normal clothes. It's sad to say, really, because pregnancy is such a beautiful experience and the fact that you created this little human being that is developing in your body should make you feel wonderful through every step of the way. Common Sense Approach To Weight Loss After A Pregnancy Every woman gains weight while she is pregnant. This is the way how it is and always has been. And it is as it is: It is also perfectly normal for a woman wanting to lose weight after a pregnancy. There is absolutely nothing wrong with aspiring to get yourself back into shape right after having giving birth to a baby. In fact - weight loss to a certain degree is certainly encouraged. Overweight just causes different health issues in the mid to long term. You Can Do Exercise During Pregnancy, but Dont Overdo It Don't get so lazy during your pregnancy. Move your body if you want to delivery your baby easily, do some exercise! Some studies show that women who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to have easy labor and deliveries and faster recoveries. Stress And Pregnancy Stress Relief During Pregnancy If you truly want to ensure a great pregnancy, you should work on keeping a healthy and positive physical, mental and spiritual state. There is substantial evidence which suggests that a mother's physical and mental wellness during pregnancy can affect not only the outcome of their pregnancy but the well being of their child later in life. You relationship with your baby begins at the moment of conception. Kegel Exercise for a Healthy Pregnancy With Kegal exercise, your pregnancy can be more comfortable before, during, and after your baby is born. With the proper kegal exercise, you can strengthen the vaginal muscles and allow for smoother pregnancy. Kegal exercises strengthen your pelvic muscles, which become weakened during childbirth. This could lead to bladder control problems. Pregnant Mothers and Starbucks Many mothers are addicted to caffeine and cannot handle going without during the nine months of pregnancy. The damage done to the fetus is a very critical issue in this time of development. Occasionally we see pregnant women come into Starbucks and buy a cup of coffee and wonder if we should say something. We do not of course and mind our own business. They are probably well aware of the risks they are causing their future child. Maybe they do not believe the reports or figure one more cup will not hurt. And maybe that one cup itself will not, but day after day we see them there again. Life After Birth LIFE AFTER BIRTH: THE FIRST 6 WEEKS Is A Baby Allowed To Play In Its First Month? What should you do to have a happy pregnancy? Many things you could do, but what most pregnant women rarely do is having a vacation. Get a life and try to relax a little bit. Or take an extended weekend just to refresh and recharge your batteries. Maintaining Balance During Your Pregnancy Pregnancy is a beautiful time. And it is also a time for out-of-control hormones which can get a little stressful and chaotic. But there is good news for women who are planning to become or already are pregnant. A variety of wonderful hormone-balancing treatments are available today. You don't even need a prescription to obtain such pregnancy hormone medication. Feeling Sexy During Pregnancy Some people think that the word sexy and pregnancy do not belong together. I have to disagree. In fact, I have heard many men say that a woman is her sexiest and most beautiful when she is pregnant! Calcium and Pregnancy Studies show that most women do not get enough daily Calcium. And many pregnant women do not realize that the typical prenatal vitamin only contains 4-20% of the RDA of Calcium. Calcium is essential for strong teeth and bones, muscle contractions, nerve function and blood clotting. Calcium-deficiency results in decreased bone density (which in turn leads to osteoporosis and increased bone fracture risk), hypertension, preeclampsia, and increased cavities. There is also clinical evidence that correlates Calcium-deficiencies with preterm deliveries, low birth weight babies, high blood pressure in baby and cesarean sections. Our bodies cannot produce Calcium, therefore we must consume it. The Recommended Daily Allowance of Calcium for pregnant or, breastfeeding women, is 1,200 mg. Good sources of Calcium are listed on the bottom of this article. There is, however, much more to getting your daily allowance than just consuming 1,200 mg of calcium. There are many factors that contribute to how much calcium is actually absorbed by the body. For example; Fetal Development Month by Month Month 1: Your first month of pregnancy your baby will accomplish many things, first and foremost, conception, fertilization, and implantation. After a woman ovulates, the egg is normally fertilized within 24-48 hours. The single fertilized cell begins to rapidly divide and at this point in time is called a zygote. Many amazing things happen at fertilization. Your baby's entire physical attributes are determined including gender, hair color, and eye color. Between days 7-10 from fertilization implantation usually occurs. Implantation should occur within the uterus if it does not this is considered an ectopic pregnancy. The amniotic sac, umbilical cord and yolk sac are already beginning to form. By the end of this month your baby is approximately 2mm long and beginning early stages of development. Glutathione for a Healthier Pregnancy All parents-to-be nurture the dream of a healthy pregnancy and baby. Weight Loss After Pregnancy - The Importance Of Setting Goals One of the best things you can do is set some goals for yourself. Goal setting is an important aspect of any successful weight loss strategy. The type of goals you set will depend on the amount of weight you have to lose and your personal fitness goals and desires. Very Early Signs of Pregnancy - Do You Know the 10 Pregnancy Signs? Very early signs of pregnancy - are there 10 pregnancy signs? Yes, there are signs that indicate very early that you are pregnant. Some women will experience one or two of them, others will have several of the very early signs of pregnancy. Once you have conceived, it will take about a week for the fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. As implantation happens, it's now possible to experience one or more of the 10 pregnancy signs and begin to know you are pregnant. Around this time, hormone levels begin to change, and the body reacts to these new hormone levels.
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