Skip to main content

Happy August Everyone!

It has been an action packed summer in our household.  I took a break from doula services to spend time with my family.  This year I had Momma Camp for my older two kids, resulting in various adventures every week. One even included seeing a different type of birth at Fair Oaks Farms. School is starting again next week, and Gracious Hands Doula Services is now taking clients for fall and winter.

Here are a few upcoming events you should know!

Understanding Birth Class August 18, 2018

This class is a great starting point for expectant parents learning about all the various aspects and options of birth.  The birthing process and methods used to encourage the natural progress of labor will be discussed.  Birth interventions, comfort measures, and labor support are also discussed.

Class enrollment is open until August 15th.  Register here.

Natural Comfort Measures Class September 15, 2018

Interactive lessons and hands on practice of comfort measures are discussed and practiced to help create confidence in labor and birth choices. Expectant parents will learn the natural progressions of labor and methods of labor management which support minimal medical interventions.  Various labor tools are available to try, including birth balls, Rebozos, massage tools, and more! 
Register here

In home lactation consultations available

Bringing home your newborn is a big deal. You are learning all about this new little person, often on little sleep following a grand effort of bringing this little one into the world.  If breastfeeding isn’t going as well as mom hoped, it can seem daunting to pack baby up again to go out to see a consultant.  Cue Gracious Hands Doula Services!  In home consultations including pre and post weight feeds, physical examinations, and hands on support are provided, along with an action plan for a better feeding experience. You can email gracioushandsdoula@gmail.com to set up an appointment.  Each visit is a flat rate of $45.
 
 Gracious Hands Doula Services supports the new mother through birth and beyond. 
Contact us today to see how we can best support you on your birthing journey. 

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Relaxation, Rhythm, and Ritual during the time of Uncertainty

As a doula I am often speaking with my clients about the importance of the Three Rs in Labor.   The terms coined by Penny Simkin refer to Relaxation, Rhythm, and Ritual as the essences of coping in labor in place of Fear, Tension, and Pain.   As our society is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have found myself turning to these techniques in my own life as a way to cope during this time of uncertainty.   I wanted to share these thoughts in hopes that like with birth, we can embrace the uncertainty one day/contraction at a time until the birth of healing arrives for our nation. Relaxation Uncertainty can make even the calmest person feel some stress.   The key to relaxation is understanding what is and isn’t in your control.   The simplest thing you have control over is your body and mind.   Check in with yourself.   Are you feeling tense in your body?   Are your thoughts racing?   Take time to acknowledge these feelings and ...

Feeding the hungry mother-Macaroni & Cheese

As a new mother... or even a veteran mother you sometimes find yourselves feeling hungry at random times of the day.  For myself 10 o'clock in the morning is the time when I realize that while I did drink my coffee that morning, the toddler stole my breakfast and I never got anything else during the hustle and bustle of the morning.  Post Toddler Theft Count Chocula Cereal   This in between time where breakfast no longer sounds appealing but lunch seems too far away, I find myself glancing through the pantry for a suitable snack to tide me over. While I am reading some great books about healthy food options for pregnancy and postpartum, today I was looking for something purely comfort food based that would take little effort and time. As a result, I present to you Microwave Macaroni N Cheese ! The ingredients are pretty simple.  Macaroni noodles, water, milk, cheese, salt, and pepper Find your largest mug that is microwave safe. Inside add 1...

The night the Operating Room went dark…

Have you ever seen an OR room with the lights turned off?   Everything put away in its place?   All is clean and sterile?   All is quiet?    Empty…? I must confess that in my own experience I had never seen it happen.   I am sure it is the case; an ordinary occurrence for the staff of the hospitals.   But for me, my view of an OR has been quite different.   When I visualize an OR, it is bright, filled with people, lots of noises, and it is very cold.   You often see more of the ceiling than you do of the floor, or even the surrounding walls.   The color of blue scrubs and screens fill one’s view. And yet…there was the night the OR went dark. It was a late night supporting a client that needed baby delivered in a hurry.   Everyone was prepped, mom was taken in, baby made her arrival, and mom slowly rejoined the conscious world as she felt her baby on her chest. I notice over my shoulder that staff were finishing u...