Category: pregnancy

pregnancy

Last Precious Weeks….

schmidtkathryn

Those last weeks of your pregnancy are very important for your babies development.

Those last weeks are also very trying on your body and mind.

You could have trouble sleeping or trouble staying off the toilet from having a baby who is lower than it has been your entire pregnancy. Braxton hicks contractions could be making you wonder is this the real deal or not? Those pesky Braxton Hicks contractions are preparing you for labor and delivery. Take them as a chance to practice your breathing. Take a big deep breath when it starts and breath normally throughout the contraction then a deep breath at the end.

Those last weeks help your babies brain, lungs and liver get the time they need to develop.

March of Dimes says “Babies left to gain more weight have an easier time regulating their temperature”.

Some things to help occupy your mind are:
  • Pamper yourself
  • rest
  • catch up on your favorite show
  • prepare a basket of necessities for when you are feeding your little one
  • prepare your hospital bag
  • have one on one time with your significant other

Of course there are times when waiting it out, is not an option.

Sometimes health issues arise in Mother or baby. If those times arise remember to breath and look to your birth team for support. You got this!

Remember these last weeks may be rough but your baby and body know when it’s time. Remember to breath through those contractions. You can handle anything! You are strong! And it’s never too late to hire your birth doula.

– The Nurturing Doula, LLC

Katy Schmidt

805-791-8325

thenurturingdoula@hotmail.com

♥Nurturing families through pregnancy, birth and parenthood♥

March of Dimes- https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/why-at-least-39-weeks-is-best-for-your-baby.aspx

all, pregnancy

Baby’s making my back hurt!

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“Chiropractic care is health maintenance of the spinal column, discs, related nerves and bone geometry without drugs or surgery. It   involves the art and science of adjusting misaligned joints of the body, especially of the spine, which reduces spinal nerve stress and therefore promotes health throughout the body.” (http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-health/chiropractic-care-during-pregnancy/ )

Chiropractic care during pregnancy can be very beneficial. Make sure you speak to your health care provider before beginning any chiropractic care. Some benefits of chiropractic’s during pregnancy are maintaining a healthier pregnancy, a balance in your pelvis, can possibly control symptoms of nausea, may reduce your labor and delivery time, and can relieve back, neck and joint pain. With a balanced pelvis your baby has room for development and room to move into the optimal position for birth. Also this may make a breech or posterior presentation at birth less likely. If your baby is not in the optimal fetal position your Chiropractor may suggest the Webster Technique.

The Webster Technique is a chiropractic sacral adjustment to help align the mothers pelvis and nervous system function.

Which balances the pelvic muscles and ligaments, reducing torsion in the uterus. Originally this technique was used to help a baby get into the optimal position.  Recent studies have shown this technique has more than just positioning benefits. This technique may help with sleep, low back pain, relaxation in the mother, and a possibility of a quicker labor and delivery. It is important to know that the Webster Technique is not guaranteed to change the position of the baby. It simply allows the baby the room it needs to turn. Some Chiropractors do this adjustment 3-4 times before calling it quits. There could be an underlying cause to the Webster Technique not working for you and your baby.

I talked with my go-to chiropractor in Lapeer, Dr Teresa Cummings, about chiropractic care in pregnancy.

This is what she had to say.

“Chiropractic can be valuable throughout all the stages of pregnancy. It can help with the aches and pains of a normal pregnancy. Chiropractic can help decrease pelvic pain, sciatic pain, rib pain, back and neck pain, and headaches. By keeping your pelvis and sacrum in the proper alignment it may also help make labor and delivery a little easier.

There is also a chiropractic technique called Webster’s Technique which helps the correction of breach babies. With Webster’s Technique the chiropractor adjusts the sacrum and releases the round ligament on the opposite side. This allows the uterus to come into a more neutral position allowing baby to turn.”

Chiropractic care is as important in pregnancy as when you aren’t pregnant. Take care of yourself!

Katy Schmidt
thenurturingdoula@hotmail.com
805-791-8325

facebook.com/KSThe.Nurturing.Doula

pregnancy

Who’s on your team?

schmidtkathryn

What are some reasons a mom and partner would hire a doula?

I asked some of my mama’s why they did and here are their responses:Hardwork-001

Hello all Mommies and future Moms, The main reason I chose to hire a doula at first is that my husband was in the Marine Corps and was stationed about 2500 miles away from any of my family. On the off chance that their flights didn’t make it in time, or Heaven forbid my husband should rapidly deploy I wanted a person who knew about labor and deliveries to be there with me.

My husband knew this, but I was unsure where to find one as I was in an unfamiliar place with few resources on how to get one. That’s when the most miraculous thing happened, My birth angel AKA my doula Katy who was a fellow marine wife introduced her self to my hubby and asked if we would be interested in her services.

I was ecstatic! I of course said yes. But after meeting Katy, she was not what I expected, she did no pushing to sway my birthing plan, She helped to teach my hubby what to expect, and she gave us access to any education we were inquiring about the labor and delivery and after care of a child. I had Preeclampsia and had to be induced, I was very nervous about this as that was not in my plans. Katy calmed me down and we discussed what options I still had and she reminded me that it was ok if the plan changed a little. The day came that we went to the hospital for the induction. Katy came to my house before to help me get ready. She then helped to position, distract, and even continue to educate during my labor. It was an intense 30+ hrs of induction and was nothing like I had imagined.

After taking my daughter out she was not breathing well, so she went to the NICU. I was so scared and then Katy whispered in my ear that it would be ok and she had prayed for my daughter.

After we got home the care didn’t stop there, she checked in on me quiet a few times and has since been full of education and tips to try. I would want a doula on our second child as well because they really do help make labor bearable and will remind you to advocate for yourself, which if any of you have ever been in labor you would know you are not in your normal state of mind. Katy shared what was and is one of the best moments of my life. So why hire a doula, you might ask? It’s simple she is everything you need.

I would hire a doula for many reasons. My first would be for emotional support. Having a baby with no medication requires a different kind of patience.

Having someone to remind you of your goal and the plan you set for your childbirth does wonders.

My second reason would be for guidance of different relaxation techniques. When the contractions get tough to get through you have some one to help you find techniques that work for your pain. My third reason would be to have someone help you advocate for yourself and help stay as close to your birth plan as possible given there are no extenuating circumstances. Hiring a doula goes beyond what you will pay.

The moment of your child’s birth is something you will never forget and having someone in your corner before during and after is priceless.

I would hire a doula because of the support and knowledge she can offer the family and I. She takes time to make sure mother and family understand what is about to happen. She checks on everyone involved and makes sure all are comfortable. Not only is she a doula she becomes a dear friend.

So I chose to hire a doula 1 for comfort. Having someone there other than my mom who “understands” 2. To have the ability to make my own choice with my labor, not having to be pressured into something or being too afraid to question what was going on. I’d ask you and you’d figure it out for me lol.

3. Support. Pregnancy labor and postpartum I knew whatever I was dealing with you had my back and were concerned about me and my son.

4. After having a doula I have actually been researching the thought of becoming a doula myself, I knew I wanted to stay in the Obstetrics field but now I feel I have more of a direction to look.

 

These are just some of the reasons moms choose to hire a doula. Whats your reason?

~Katy Schmidt

The Nurturing Doula, LLC

thenurturingdoula@hotmail.com

805-791-8325

facebook.com/KSThe.Nurturing.Doula