Our Non-Negotiables

Since 2014, I’ve been working here in Evansville, Indiana as a birth doula. That was the year that I formed the Doula Group of Evansville with a few other doulas. Though we’ve been through several different forms since then, the core values that we started with have always remained the same. I recently realized that we’ve never really publicly declared them, though they definitely come up in every conversation I have with potential doulas who want to join the team. We want you to know our values, because they are very important to us as a group. We come from a place of learning and acceptance, and aren’t trying to force anyone to think or do anything with these. The thought behind making these public is so you can know us better as a group. We want you to know where we stand and how we approach things, including how we do business and how we put our values into action in our services.

(Side note: Documentaries are one of my favorite things to watch. I recently watched a documentary on a cult, and the leader made all her insiders sign some document that detailed her non-negotiables. Let me tell you, that list scared me, especially as I’ve been using the term “non-negotiables” for a few years with regards to our values. I promise, this short 3 item list is nothing like that.)

1. Science is Real

I LOVE science! One of the reasons that I wanted to become a doula was because I was so upset about the gap between what we know and how maternity care is practiced. I read Henci Goer’s The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth during my pregnancy and my mind was blown. One of my favorite things about science is that it changes; with new information comes new ideas and eventually, new practices too. We learn all the time that new doesn’t equal better either, and that can be hard, especially as techno-loving Americans, but I digress.

When I say that we love science, what I don’t mean is that we believe there is one right way that works for everyone. I’m a social scientist with a PhD and I’m pretty sure they’ll come take my degree away if I say something so absurd as that. I’m also not saying that science has all the answers. What I am saying when I state that one of our core values is that science is real, is that we believe the scientific method is the best framework for understanding what is going on in reality. When we “do research” we’re looking for scholarly articles and trying to understand what the scientific consensus is, and we’re being picky about our sources. We know that anecdotal evidence is one source, but we want you to show us the numbers behind the assumptions. We ask questions like, “what is the absolute risk” instead of being persuaded by “the risk doubles” type of relative numbers arguments. We know that a scientific understanding can help us make more rational decisions based on actual evidence and not coercive language. Feelings are important, and knowledge can be powerful.

2. Anti-Racism

We work to actively proceed from a place of anti-racism. That means understanding that some of us have privilege in this world because of our presumed race, and racism is a massive problem. This holds especially true in healthcare, and everyone on this team has committed to learning about the effects of racism and how to affect change by working in and through an anti-racism framework. If you’re unfamiliar with anti-racism, this community curated bibliography is a great starting point for learning. We know that being “not racist” is not enough, and we are attempting to do better.

We also know that people deserve to have a doula on their team that understands their perspective from the inside and not from any sort of savior perspective. We have very intentionally built a team of doulas who reflect our community and the communities/families that we want to serve. We take that service very seriously, especially for BIPOC families who are at risk of experiencing medical racism that increases their morbidity and mortality as they welcome new babies into the world. We see you and are here if you want support and resources.

3. LOVE the Rainbow

We are cognizant of the ways that some businesses seem to want to capitalize on their lip-service to the LGBTQIA2S+ community, and that is not us. Some of us identify as part of the “rainbow community.” Several of us have children who identify with the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Everyone on this team is an ally/accomplice, and will ask you your pronouns. We approach our doula work with LOVE and know that LOVE is what makes a family. We will always do our best to make sure all our client families feel seen and heard by us. All the doulas on this team LOVE our LGBTQIA2S+ community, family, & friends, and that goes so much deeper than tolerance. We also specifically seek out learning opportunities to better understand how to be/do better at using inclusive language, Supporting Queer Birth, & how to be better allies/accomplices.

Who We Are

We are a group of doulas working to help make our community a better place for all families. We do that by helping families go from expecting through beginning. These 3 non-negotiable values are the starting points to everything that we do as a group, and how we choose to focus our working energy. You don’t have to believe the exact same things as we do, and we promise we have served all types of families who don’t believe these things at all. These are not a dogma that we are attempting to force on anyone; we just want to be transparent about our values. Most of all we approach this work with curiosity, love, and hearts for service. We seek to understand our clients so that we can better serve their specific needs. These non-negotiables are unapologetically part of who we are.

Welcome Our Newest Doula: Andi Conkright!!

We love growing our team to be able to serve more clients & Andi is honestly just the perfect addition.

New doulas have the BEST energy about them. They are ready to take on the world and help their clients have the best birth possible. There’s nothing like the passion of a new doula either, and when I met Andi for the first time, it was so very clear that she is a great doula in the making! She has the easiest most gentle smile and navigated me peppering her with questions with grace and poise. Though she’s young, she’s prepared and so very thoughtful in her approach to clients already. I was really impressed by her, and I invited her to join the team on the spot!

In Her Words

“I am a trained birth doula currently working on full certification. I was born in Evansville and returned to be closer to family after spending a couple of years living on the coast in Florida. My pregnancy and the birth of my daughter in 2021 inspired my journey to becoming a doula and made me fall in love with the miracle of life. I am passionate about holistic health and look forward to integrating that into my practices as a doula when applicable. “

Why did you want to become a birth doula?

I became a doula because the birth of my child proved to be the most powerful and impactful experience in my life. There is so much to learn about pregnancy and birth, and so many options that birthing people don’t even realize they have. It is so important to me to support and inform every birthing person to help them have an empowered birth.

Andi Conkwright, Birth Doula

What do you love about living in Evansville?

What I like the most about Evansville is the growing diversity and individuality. Different communities are expanding and thriving. I feel as though we are all becoming more aware and accepting of one another.

Where can we find you on a regular Saturday?

If i’m lucky my partner and I will go out hunting for mushrooms in the morning- something we love to do together. I’ll then spend my day with my daughter, exploring and laughing and loving.

Andi is a new birth doula who is looking forward to serving clients starting NOW! If you are expecting in Evansville, Newburgh, Owensboro, Jasper, Vincennes, Washington, or Henderson, she’d LOVE to talk to you about birth doula services. Don’t let the newness dissuade you, Andi has a team of 9 other doulas behind her helping her navigate all the twists and turns that she’ll be helping her clients navigate. Our team not only helps back each other up in case we need someone to step in on our behalf, but also is behind the scenes encouraging one another, answering questions, bringing each other supplies/food, and all kinds of other things you’ll never see. Andi will be on the list of approved doulas at The Women’s Hospital soon as well, just like all our other doulas! As we support our clients, so we also support each other. It’s a pretty great set up really.

Andi Conkwright, Birth Doula

So reach out today if you’d like to talk to Andi about doula services. She’ll surely wow you with her sweetness and knowledge about birth! Welcome to the team Andi. We’re so glad you’re here to help us serve more families in the tri-state!

A New Postpartum Doula on Our Team!

We are so very excited to announce the addition of the amazing Christina Renock to our team here at Doula Group of Evansville. Christina is a postpartum doula currently working toward her certification with DONA International. She lives in Newburgh with her 3 boys and very sweet dog. Like me, she moved to this area in 2012 after living abroad, and has been busy raising her family. Christina is a magnificent listener and has a marvelously calming presence about her that allows you to be fully at ease and vulnerable. That along with the facts that she is an excellent cook and ever so patient means she is honestly the perfect person to help our clients during that 4th trimester transition.

About Christina:

Christina is a DONA educated Postpartum Doula who is working towards full certification. She is passionate about empowering and collaborating with the individual, especially women, as they navigate their own health and wellness journey. Christina decided to pursue work as a Postpartum Doula because she believes one of the best things we can do for our communities is support women and families as they build the foundation for the relationships that will shape the emotional and mental health of the next generation. She has worked in natural medicine since 2009 and been a licensed massage therapist since 2013. Christina completed university in the United States and London, England where she studied herbal medicine, naturopathic medicine, and business management. She moved to the Tri-state in 2012 and now lives in Newburgh, IN with her 3 sons and their wide variety of pets. When she finds free time she enjoys cooking, gardening, and being active outdoors.

Postpartum Doulas

Postpartum doulas help families typically during the first 16 weeks after baby is born, to move more fluidly through the hazy beginning of life with a new baby in the house. These magical humans come and help you with light housework like straightening up, organizing, folding laundry, dishes. They talk to you about what is going on with you and baby, and offer unbiased and evidence-based advice and resources for you. They help you know what is normal and connect you with further resources if you need them. They know which local dentists do laser tethered oral tissue revisions and help you with meal planning/shopping/preparation. Honestly, they are one of the most underutilized resources here locally. I fully expect that once word gets out about how amazing postpartum doulas are, Christina is going to be REALLY busy.

Christina Renock, Postpartum Doula

Christina is currently offering these services:

In person daytime postpartum services
Prenatal & Postpartum massage in your home
Nursery Set-Up Consult
Virtual Postpartum Doula Support
1-on-1 infant massage lessons
Meal planning + online ordering for grocery pick-up

We would love to talk to you about how Christina could help ease your 4th trimester transition. Sometimes just having someone come to your house who is only there to help you and isn’t asking to hold the baby unless you want to hand them off is a GREAT thing. Never underestimate the power of someone who supports you without judgement and truly understands there is no one right way to get through the 4th trimester. Postpartum doulas support you how you want to be supported, and Christina will knock your socks off with her empathy, compassion, & resourcefulness. Contact us today if you’d like to set up a consult with Christina!

Pssst, if you are already a client with us, you can schedule a discounted massage with Christina!

Doula Group of Evansville: 2021 All Wrapped Up

2021 brought a few surprising numbers for Doula Group of Evansville.

2021 has been a wild ride for our group! We grew from a group of 3 doulas to our current size of 6 doulas. This growth is especially exciting because it has meant that we can serve more families in our community. We’ve all continued to learn and grow in our professional skills this year too, which has been so amazing to do together. We continue to be in awe of the families that invite us into their space to help, and are so grateful to be able to keep doing our jobs during this pandemic. We’ve seen some incredible things this year including one of the most patient providers ever during the pushing stage and healthy beautiful babies born at home without even a cervical exam. The most surprising statistic we found was that 42% of our birth doula clients were induced, but honestly, it shouldn’t have been surprising at all considering that a 40% induction rate is average in the USA currently.

Our Numbers

5: the number of hospitals where we attended births. Our birth doulas went to births at Ascension St. Vincent Evansville, Deaconess Women’s Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital Vincennes, Jasper Memorial Hospital, & Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. We didn’t have any clients deliver at Henderson Hospital or Daviess Community Hospital in Washington this year, but we definitely do go to births there too. We kept tabs on all 7 of these hospitals’ visitor policies this year as well, because COVID has kept them shifting throughout the year. Keeping up with those shifts has become much more a part of our jobs than we ever expected, but that’s doula life for you.

19: the number of providers we saw catch babies. That number includes 1 nurse midwife, 2 certified professional midwives, and 16 different OB/GYNs! This is one reason we spend so much time talking about the importance of providers. We SEE the difference provider preference and approach make when it comes to your experience of pregnancy and birth!! We know which providers are patient and kind, and which ones will tell you whatever you want to hear in the office and then change their tune completely when you are in labor. We know which providers ALWAYS cut an episiotomy and which are going to push you to induce at 39 weeks for any possible reason they can find. Are you looking for a provider who will sit and answer your questions at your appointments without their hand on the doorknob? We know some!!

43: the number of FREE weekly virtual office hours we had in 2021! This one hour a week is one of my favorite times to answer all kinds of questions. I’ve talked to people about becoming a doula, and made provider recommendations. Birth options & feeding issues have been the other main topics I’ve discussed with people who’ve stopped by to chat. I look forward to continuing this weekly chat, though I’m honestly thinking I will change the timing of it so that more people can come if they’d like. Perhaps an evening time?? I’ll decide soon and keep you all posted!

Gratitude

Beyond the numbers, we are 100% grateful for the families that have invited us into their space. We are so thankful to be able to talk to people as they prepare for the arrival of a new baby, and to walk with them through the journey from expecting to beginnings with their expanded family. As a group, we all honestly feel so very lucky to be able to doula in this community, and strive to be the best possible doulas we can be for each and every family we serve. The changes I have seen since 2014 have been remarkable, and I’m so proud of this team of rock star doulas that I’ve been able to gather around me in this group. My gratitude for their trust in me as their leader is enormous, and I strive to be worthy of that on a daily basis. Thank you!

Coming Soon…

We are looking forward to 2022 in a BIG way!! We’ve got some exciting things planned, and some changes are coming for our group too. Keep your eyes peeled on our social media and here for announcements about:

new doulas on our team
a free downloadable E-Book
new resources for our doula clients
online classes from us
outdoor classes (during warm months)
and more!!

We can’t wait to keep growing in 2022!

Psst, are you a birth worker who might want to come to a Spinning Babies training in Evansville March 12, 2022?? Come learn along with us!!

“The Secret Menu”

Have you ever wanted to order something that wasn’t on the menu at a restaurant like they do in Ratatouille the movie? What about finding that ever elusive Unicorn Frappucino? Well, we firmly believe that when it comes to your pregnancy, birth, & postpartum, there should NOT be a secret menu. That’s why we’re here to both demystify some of the evidence based things you could be using/requesting AND to make recommendations for you too. Secret menu items might be all fine and good for fast food restaurants, but we’re not keeping these secrets from you any more!

**Note, some of these links are affiliate links and we may get a small compensation if you use them. We promise this is not how we are getting rich, and we only recommend products we really love!**

Secret Menu for Pregnancy Top 5

Pregnancy can be rough, but we’re here to tell you some of our favorite “secret menu” things that can make it a little bit better. Here are our top 5:

1. Compression Socks–yes they can be tough to get on, but they seriously help with swelling so much. Kindred Bravely has some that don’t even look like your grandma would wear them, & bonus this mom owned company has comfy cozy clothing for every step of your pregnancy to postpartum journey.

2. Slide on shoes–bending over to tie your shoes is overrated, & we’ve been hearing rave reviews of Hey Dude Shoes from lots of our clients.

3. Magnesium lotion is great for helping with restless legs, and our favorite is the lavender sleepy lotion from 8 Sheep Organics.

4. A good support belt will save your lower back as your belly grows & we think the awesome belts that Belly Bandit sells are soooo worth your investment.

5. Finally, our secret menu favorite thing to recommend is to take an independent childbirth education class that fits with your goals. We know of a ton of great online classes to fit every budget (including free), & if you want to try an in-person class, hit us up, because we totally do that!

Lamaze Classes for VBAC, Bringing Home Baby, Breastfeeding Basics, Labor Pain Management, Safe & Healthy Birth in 6 steps, or Labor Confidence (free).

Alice Turner has awesome classes including Supporting Her (specifically for partners), Birth A to Z (free), & FREE live Lamaze classes via her YouTube channel too.

If you’re looking for an awesome class for partners to learn how to help, The Birth Partner’s Ultimate Labor Support Toolkit is an excellent one!

Mandy Irby (The Birth Nurse) has a really great pre-recorded full Lamaze class that I like to recommend as well: Ultimate Guide to Taking Control of Your Childbirth. (Use coupon: BIRTHGEEKS for 15% off)

Secret Menu for Birth Top 5

Not all of these options are available at all facilities, but it never hurts to ask and even asking for these things helps plant a seed that people would like them.

1. Intermittent &/or Telemetry Monitoring can be soo helpful for movement while you are in labor! Intermittent monitoring is typically available if you don’t have any drugs in your system & everything is looking great with you & baby. Times for intermittent monitoring can vary, but typically 15-20 minutes out of every hour used as a metric. Telemetry monitoring is WIRELESS & AMAZING for sooo many reasons including moving, getting up to use the restroom, walking the halls, etc. ASK for these things!

2. Squat Bar–YES, they have them, & no you don’t have to use them to squat if you don’t want to. I like to wrap the center of a sheet around the bar & put the ends in your hands so you can put your feet on the bar and pull the sheet while you’re pushing. It works really well for some people!

3. A Roller Ball Massager is something that you’ll need to bring, but you can grab a cheap one at 5 Below to help with massage and counter pressure on your partner’s sacrum. It is one of my most used tools in my doula bag.

4. Eye Masks are great for both helping you focus internally on how you are feeling & coping with labor AND signaling to the people around you that you want to be left alone to concentrate. Psst, I really like to wear one when I’m trying to sleep during the day and my kids keep coming upstairs to ask me questions too.

5. Alternate Pushing Positions are NOT used enough, & I’m here to say that they need to be, even for people who have epidurals!! As a #birthdoula, I’m a HUGE fan of whatever works for you and your baby, but I hear soo much misinformation about pushing positions, & the constant assumption that flat on your back with your legs in stirrups is just how it is going to be, is frankly annoying and not at all supported by evidence or physiology for the most part. I’m here to say that you CAN push in other positions and you probably SHOULD at least try a few before you figure out what will work for you.

Secret Menu for Postpartum Top 5

Everyone wants to buy stuff for your baby, but all of our “secret menu” things are specifically for YOU!

1. Milk Collectors are awesome for catching that extra liquid gold that might otherwise end up in your bra, but be aware that there are passive collectors like Milkies Milk Saver on-the-go & active ones like the Haakaa silicone pump. If you have a tendency to overproduce, be aware of if you are demanding more or just collecting.

2. The fancy peri-bottle made by Frida Mom is Ah-mazing if you’ve had a vaginal birth. Seriously!

3. #Cesarean or not, a belly binder can be your friend in those first days when your abs & organs are all still rearranging.

4. Clothes that are especially made for nursing your baby and being comfortable are important, & Kindred Bravely has some of our favorite pieces (& you can 10% off by using our link.

5. Our favorite pillows for nursing are from My Brest Friend, and not just because of the awesome pockets, though those are great too.

We truly hope…

We truly hope to keep breaking down the secret menu for our clients and community. If you don’t know to ask for these things, you might not get them. Keep learning and pushing for change, you know we will too.

Welcome Tamika Wilson!!!

Here we grow again!!

It is with great joy that we announce the arrival of a fabulous new doula to our team: Tamika Wilson!! I have talked for years with Tamika about becoming a doula, and 2021 was the year that she was finally able to attend a DONA birth doula training. Tamika has personal and professional knowledge that she is sure to wow her birth doula clients with at every turn, and we are honestly honored that she has chosen to be part of Doula Group of Evansville.

In Her Own Words:

“I was born and raised in Birmingham, Al. but currently reside in Newburgh, In. with my husband of 15 years and 4 beautiful kids. I am a military spouse and also have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s of Science in Management. I am a DONA trained birth doula currently working towards my certification but I come with tons of personal experience in the birthing world. Since moving to Southern Indiana I noticed a huge gap in representation for low income women and women of color, this drove my passion to pursue birth work. Being a birth doula has given me the opportunity to better serve my community, become an advocate for all women but particularly women of color, and help educate mothers on all of their birthing options. Few Things About Me: My favorite color is blue, I’ve always found blue to be a very calming color. My favorite food is basically any type of southern cuisine, Although we have made roots in the Midwest I will forever be a southern girl at heart. In my free time you can usually find me Uber-ing my 4 kids around town going from [insert sport of the season] to cheer competitions, or just hanging out with my family.”

Special Offer for New Clients

Tamika is fresh out of training & looking forward to serving clients! For her first 3 birth doula clients, she is offering a 50% discount off of her services. These clients will pay only $450 for 2 prenatal visits with Tamika, unlimited contact during their pregnancy, in-person support for labor & delivery, and one postpartum visit. Don’t delay, because honestly once the word gets out about how amazing Tamika is, she’s sure to be booked solid!

Measuring Change: Local 2020 Hospital Statistics

That numbers are out for 2020, and they might surprise you.

Statistics tell us part of the story of how a hospital cares for their patients and about the culture of a place. They do not tell us the entire story in any way shape or form, but they are a way to measure change and track goals. Leapfrog is a group that tracks statistics about hospitals around the country using a survey that 75% of hospitals participate in each year. Today was the day that they published this data for 2020.

You can find the 2018 Statistics in this post we wrote. I did not write a post for 2019’s statistics, but I think we all remember April 2020 right? You can look these statistics up for yourself here, because you really don’t have to just take my word for it.

Definitions & notes for you:

This Cesarean Section data is for NSTV (research speak for 1^st time parents, 38+ weeks pregnant, with a single head-down baby) cesarean rates and does not include repeat cesarean deliveries or 1st time cesarean deliveries in people who have had previous vaginal deliveries. This is an important distinction. Leapfrog Group uses the Healthy People 2020 goal of 23.9% for primary cesarean deliveries in this category. I want to note here that the WHO stated target NSTV cesarean rate is 10-15%, so that is something to also think about when looking at this data.
Early Elective Deliveries are defined as elective induction or cesarean sections before 39 weeks. This does not include medically indicated early deliveries, therefore the goal is for these to be less than 5%.
Episiotomies are a cut made to the perineum during the birth process. While sometimes necessary, routine episiotomies are not evidence-based practice, and Leapfrog sets their goal as less than 5%.
The numbers in (parentheses) are the previous numbers reported in 2018. I did not include numbers for Good Samaritan Hospital previously, so apologies to our friends in Vincennes for the lack of change comparison possible in this table.
New numbers that reach or exceed the Leapfrog goals are in blue.

Hospital	NSTV Cesarean Sections	Early Elective Deliveries	Episiotomies
The Women’s Hospital Newburgh, IN	26.2% (22.9%)	6.8% (1.7%)	11.5% (14.8%)
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville*	25.3% (27.2%)	0.0% (.8%)	5.9% (6.8%)
Owensboro Health	29.5% (29.7%)	.7% (1.4%)	5.7% (12.7% )
Deaconess Henderson Hospital**	25.5% (26.1%)	0.0% (2.4%)	2.8% (2.4%)
Memorial Hospital & Healthcare Center Jasper, IN	11.1% (12.8%)	5.9% (0.0%)	7.9% (9.8%)
Daviess Community Hospital Washington, IN	17.9% (15.2%)	0.0% 1.9%)	8.2% (13.1%)
Good Samaritan Hospital Vincennes, IN	20.7%	4.0%	14.2%

*Previously St. Vincent’s Medical Center of Evansville
**Previously Methodist Hospital of Henderson

What the Numbers Don’t Say

What these numbers don’t say is what an incredible strain 2o20 was on all hospitals, including in maternity care. While there were clearly jumps in early elective deliveries at Memorial in Jasper and The Women’s Hospital in Newburgh, we don’t know when those happened. Were those elective deliveries in March and April last year when everything was locking down due to the growing pandemic and people were truly scared for their lives? Conversely, maybe the pandemic was an easy excuse to push for early elective induction too. We can’t know that from the numbers. These statistics represent thousands of birth stories that we can’t know just by reading them.

These statistics are also not the only ones worth looking at when making decisions regarding your care. Other important factors such as VBAC success rates, availability of lactation help, availability of anesthesia, proximity to your home, provider access, insurance coverage etc. Sometimes that last one ends up being the deciding factor no matter what your preferences are on location.

How to Use These Numbers

First use them to think about where you want to deliver. You do have options and choices on where to go, and we would be happy to talk to you about our experiences at these places as well. Know that these are overall statistics that paint a generalized picture, and start there. Even if you don’t have a choice on where to go to birth, because we know that happens, these statistics can help you look at the norm where you will be delivering. They can help you know what to expect and watch for during your delivery.

Next use the numbers to start a conversation with your provider. Where do they deliver? What are their personal statistics compared to the facility? How do they feel about episiotomies?

We ALWAYS encourage everyone to have open, honest, and frank conversations with their providers. Don’t be intimidated by the white coats, they are people too. Keep it positive and be inquisitive, and go with your gut when it comes to making decisions regarding your provider and location for delivery.

We look forward to comparing 2020 with 2021 when those numbers come out!

What is the first question that comes to mind looking at this table?
Do any of these numbers surprise you?
Which of these statistics most line up with what you previously thought about these facilities?

Online Prenatal Yoga with Mandy Rodenberg

Mandy Rodenberg now has her prenatal yoga classes online in a FREE YouTube channel.

So many in-person events have been cancelled during this pandemic, and prenatal yoga has unfortunately been one of them for safety concerns. Mandy Rodenberg turned that lemon into some great lemonade by recording her yoga classes for students to watch and move along with her for FREE on YouTube! The first time I met Mandy, I felt and instant connection with her, and I am certainly not alone. I have had so many clients tell me that her soothing calm voice helped them during their pregnancy, and her prenatal yoga classes are an amazing chance for them to connect with their bodies and their babies. Mandy is a gifted yoga instructor, and all around fantastic human. Mandy let me ask her a few questions, and I think you can see from her answers why so many people love her.

Q & A:

Doula Group of Evansville: Why are you passionate about the restorative and healing properties of yoga practice, especially for the perinatal period?

Mandy: During my 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2009, we were asked to write a paper on ways yoga benefits and heals the body from injury. My teacher at the time allowed me to instead write about how yoga movements ease a mother throughout pregnancy and childbirth. My research solidified my passion for helping bring yoga together with the most life changing and amazing experience a woman will go through. Prenatal yoga will help moms start to understand the connection of mind and body and how and what movements make her body feel safe and nurtured and comfortable. She can use these tools to breath through a tough labor or even preparation for caesarian. She will learn to mother herself.

Doula Group of Evansville: What special training have you taken for prenatal yoga instruction & why is that important?

Mandy: I completed my 200 hour teaching certification in 2010 here in Evansville with Chris Crews as my teacher. Before I was even pregnant, I participated in a prenatal yoga class with another local teacher, Leslie Ward. I began teaching prenatal yoga in 2011, 6 months after giving birth to my daughter. In 2015, when I traveled to visit friends in Denver, Colorado I completed my Prenatal Yoga Certification at Belly Bliss Yoga. The training empowered me to focus on what pregnant mothers CAN do, instead of focusing on what they can’t. The teachers covered more that just the basics of yoga. One taught us about birth trauma and how to listen without taking on the emotions, but witnessing them for her. One afternoon class was all about the benefits of doulas and they put us through a simulation to help us to better understand the empowerment a doula gives the mom. The training was so much more than I expected. Truly though, my best teachers are my pregnant moms. By them reaching out to me, letting me know their own struggles and discomforts, I am able to be a better teacher. I usually teach live classes in 6 week sessions, and no two have been the same in all 5 years. I did also have the pleasure of teaching while I was pregnant with my second child, that was the best.

Mandy Rodenberg, prenatal yoga expert

Doula Group of Evansville: What sparked your interest in creating a YouTube channel to house such awesome resources?

Mandy: My husband, Andrew, and I both teach yoga at several locations here in Evansville. We were both home during the shut down in March and were wondering how we could continue to stay connected to our clients. We decided to try making videos that we could make available to everyone. We have resumed some in-person classes this past summer, but we have some clients that don’t feel safe returning to class. With our videos we hope to stay connected to our clients in hopes they do return to class when they feel safe. My prenatal yoga classes at Deaconess Women’s Hospital have not yet resumed since the shut down. The need to limit the number of people coming into the hospital is paramount to the safety of moms and babies, so all classes have been canceled for the time being. This year has been so stressful for everyone, I knew pregnant moms would need yoga and relaxation now more than ever.

Doula Group of Evansville: How did your own pregnancies, births, and postpartum experience influence your yoga practice?

Mandy: I am an anxious person, and had no idea until my first yoga class. I sat on my mat with my legs crossed and the instructor said to quiet your mind and focus on my breath. I had no idea that I was thinking all of the time. I still struggle with it. That was my biggest challenge with the birth of my first child, just trying to fully relax, to give in. I was fortunate to have great birth experiences with the support of my husband though. My pregnancies were both pretty blissful. I walked 3 miles nearly everyday and practiced my yoga, more so with my first pregnancy for obvious reasons. My second pregnancy I had the wonderful opportunity to teach prenatal yoga to a lovely group of mommas. I loved how we all mothered and supported each other. They would call me afterward to talk about their birth and give me support for my big day, which by the way I was still nervous about even though it was my second birth. My experiences guided me to form a style of yoga that simply focused on learning how to make your own body feel better through movement and relaxation. Sure my practice builds strength and flexibility too, but listening to your own body’s cues is what will help you through your toughest moments in labor, birth, and even motherhood. Yoga has helped me in every aspect of my life, but especially for motherhood. The postpartum period, or fourth trimester was really challenging for me. I realized that I just couldn’t do everything I could before. I think of my yoga practice the same way. I do what I can and when I can’t always roll out my mat, I try to be kind to myself about it. It’s hard. We moms have so much on our plate. I try to live my yoga, by breathing at traffic lights, watching my children play, enjoying nature, and trying to be in this moment.

Doula Group of Evansville: What is your favorite way to connect with clients in a virtual space?

Mandy: I have so far had most of my connections with clients through facebook messenger and posts. It warms my heart to have someone describe to me how they benefited from one of my classes. Comments help me to understand my audience’s needs. You can always click on the like button at the bottom of the screen and subscribe to my channel. Likes show me the most popular videos, and I can make more like them. You can leave me more personalized feedback in the comment section below on each video. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for this opportunity, Hillary to connect with moms. Ladies, you are in good hands with The Doula Group!

Prenatal Yoga Benefits

According to the Mayo Clinic, Prenatal Yoga has the following benefits to practitioners:

improved sleep
reduced stresss and anxiety
increased strength, flexibility, & endurance of muscles needed for childbirth
decreased lower back pain, nausea, headaches, and shortness of breath

Online learning is so quickly becoming the norm, even for childbirth classes. We are looking forward to a time when we can meet in person, but for now, online learning is where it is. We know that you will find Mandy’s YouTube channel a great stand-in until she can resume teaching in-person prenatal yoga classes. Have you tried prenatal yoga?