doulalife – Doula Group of Evansville

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!!

Birth Planning During COVID-19

Knowing what to expect can really help, especially right now.

Preparing for birth is important. Preparing to give birth during a pandemic can be even more important. Birth planning is something that I do with all my doula clients. Writing a birth plan is less about mapping out exactly how you want things to go, because birth isn’t about control. Birth planning is more about exploring all your options so that you can communicate them clearly to the people trying to help you.

Know Your Options

Learning what your options are is really important usually, but some of those options are more limited because of COVID-19. My friend Alice is a doula in Seattle, and she made this great video full of tips for giving birth during a pandemic and talking to your provider. One of my other favorite resources for information Evidence Based Birth made a FREE online birth class for this specific situation. I am writing a separate post about more general childbirth classes, but these are both really great situation specific resources for right now. It is really important that you talk to your provider about all your wishes and make sure you know what policies are in place wherever you are planning to give birth.

Supporting Your Partner

Birth planning during COVID-19 is important, and now more than ever it is important to learn how to help your partner cope with labor. Maybe you planned to have a doula present and now that isn’t an option. My friend Alice has a very inexpensive online class** designed just for partners, and I highly recommend it. She has even added a module on practicing labor! If you are looking for a book to learn more, I highly recommend The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin. She was one of the founders of my doula training organization and this book is an excellent resource. My doula friends in Quebec have also produced a FREE download on labor support that you might find helpful.

Helpful Experience

In the last 6 years I have attended over 140 births as a doula. Keeping abreast of all the local hospital policies is important to me, and am a certified childbirth educator. I have lots of experience, and I would love to sit down and talk to you about your birth plans. I am offering virtual birth planning sessions for $150 that include a 2 hour meeting to talk about your birth plans, a PDF copy of my 96 page childbirth education booklet full of information for you to learn about childbirth, example birth plans, email support to review your birth plan to get it just right, and bonus handouts including a birth themed coloring book. This doula would love to help you walk through your options and decide what is right for your family right now.

I have been able to attend one birth recently at a hospital, and it honestly was wonderful. The staff was honestly impressive and the entire experience wasn’t nearly as scary as I had imagined it would be. It was great to be able to support my client in person, but I don’t know how much longer that is going to last during this pandemic.

Birth planning during COVID-19 can help you feel more secure and ready. Knowing what to expect can take so much of the anxiety out of the process. I’ve been there, and I would love to help you.

P.S. If you haven’t heard, you can now stream all parts of the movie The Business of Being Born here if you are interested!

**This is an affiliate link and I will receive money if you click through and purchase the course. This is not a way I am planning to get rich, but a nice bonus for recommending products that I really do believe in to my clients. I’m happy to talk to you about it if you have any concerns.

The Induction Discussion

Ask good questions & know your options!

Induction of labor has been a very hot topic in the birth world, most especially since a huge study published in August 2018 seemed to say that if we just induce everyone’s labor, it will help reduce the cesarean rate. If you are a super geek like me, you can read the actual study here, along with Henci Goer’s full critique and dissection here, and the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative message about how to apply this study to medical practice here. Long story short: no, that is not actually what that study said and the circumstances that those included in the study had are NOT what most people are looking at when it comes to induction. I know academic discussions are not everyone’s cup of tea, and that is not the purpose of this post. I want to talk about ways that you can approach the induction discussion with your provider.

I would be remiss if I didn’t start with a little information about induction. There are 2 basic reasons that people choose to be induced: Medical and Elective. A medical induction means that there is a medical reason that it would be better for your baby to be born instead of continuing your pregnancy. There are plenty of important reasons that induction exists for the safety of parents and babies including high blood pressure, high levels of protein in your urine, blood sugar issues due to gestational diabetes, and many more. Some people choose to be induced for all kinds of reasons like family flying in from out of town, pain from the end of pregnancy, a history of very fast labors, and many more. Induction is forcing your body and baby to get the process started before they are ready, so it isn’t always fast, ESPECIALLY the 1st time. There are all kinds of ways to induce labor medically, though providers typically have a way that they like to get things rolling depending on what is already going on with your body.

What I really want everyone to do, is to have an informed discussion with their provider about induction. The old saying goes that if you don’t know your options, you don’t have any, and that is also true for induction. I always encourage everyone to have an open and honest conversation with your provider, ask great questions, know your options, and know the evidence for those options.

Here are 6 questions that might help you start the induction discussion with your provider:

Why are you recommending induction?

Some providers recommend everyone be induced at 39 weeks. Some providers only recommend induction for medical reasons. Asking why is a great way to start the conversation and communicate your preferences about whether or not you want to be induced.

2. Can you tell me what my Bishop Score is?

A Bishop Score is used to help rate the readiness of your cervix for induction of labor using five different measurements. How open is your cervix (dilation)? How soft is your cervix (consistency)? Is it pointed toward your back, middle, or front (position)? How thin is it (effacement)? How far down in your pelvis is baby right now (station)? All of this adds up to the score that will tell you how likely it is that you will deliver vaginally if induced. A score of 8 or more means you are favorable for induction. (Please note: this score is NOT a guarantee!!!)

3. What is your recommendation for how this induction will start and proceed?

Most inductions start with a medication to soften your cervix and get it ready. There are 2 medications that they use for this. Cervidil is essentially like a tiny tampon (with a string and all) that they place next to your cervix. Cytotec is a tiny pill that is cut into smaller portions and can be given three different ways: placed next to your cervix, swallowed, or allowed to dissolve under your tongue. You can read more about these drugs here and here if you would like.

After your cervix is ripe there are different options to proceed, and you may want to discuss things like: a foley bulb for opening your cervix mechanically, your feelings about artificially breaking your water, pitocin for getting contractions going. These are all options that should be considered beforehand so you can be an active and informed participant in your care.

4. Are there alternatives to what you are suggesting?

As with most things, providers have a way that they normally do things, this is their job after all. Sometimes there are alternatives that are not always presented. For example, some people get their contractions going using nipple stimulation for a release of natural oxytocin. This is something that you will want to talk to your healthcare provider about before you just start trying to do it at home though. Not everyone wants to know all the options, so providers sometimes shorthand the discussion. By asking this question you show that you are curious and trying to have an open conversation with them.

5. Will you be there?

You spent 9 months getting to know your provider, and some people honestly choose to be induced to ensure that their provider will be the one who is present at delivery. I completely respect that. I think that part of the induction conversation always should include knowing who is going to be there and what their schedule looks like. (BTW: one of the nice things about having a doula is that no matter if you get induced or not, you will know and have spent time with at least one of the people in your birthing space.)

6. What kind of timeline are we looking at for this?

Scheduling things is great, and managing expectations for induction is also important. What I see most often locally is people admitted to the hospital in the evening for cervical ripening and then the active portion of the induction starts in the morning. If you don’t need cervical ripening, then often you are asked to arrive in the morning to begin the process. Induction can be quick, but it isn’t always. You will want to know what happens if your provider goes home and who will be overseeing the induction and possibly the delivery then. If they break your water, do you have a deadline for delivery? Will you be allowed to eat and drink at all during your induction?

As with every decision regarding your care, you will want to use your B.R.A.I.N. as a starting point for any interventions. Talk about the Benefits, Risks, and Alternatives. Also check in to see what your Intuition is telling you, and don’t forget to ask what happens if we do Nothing! Induction doesn’t have to be scary and you also shouldn’t be afraid to say no if you don’t want to do it without it being medically necessary. Only you can decide what is right for your situation, and I promise that as your doula I only want you to have the best information to make an informed decision and I will support you unflinchingly and with all the encouragement you require.

3 Evansville Dates to Go on While You Are Still Pregnant

Fun ways to connect with your partner in the EVV before baby arrives!

The end of pregnancy can be really challenging. You might be uncomfortable with a baby kicking your bladder and sending you to the bathroom 5x an hour. You might be anxious wondering when labor is going to start. Maybe you are counting down the days until your induction and hoping things get going before then. You might be hot and hormonal and ready to not be pregnant anymore, and staring at the full moon wishing the old wives tales were right. (The next full moon will be Friday September 13th, in case you were wondering.) Instead of wishing the end of your pregnancy away, I want to give you three fun dates to go on in Evansville while you are still pregnant.

First Fridays at Haynie’s Corner are so much fun and filled with art, music, all kinds of local businesses, food trucks, and sometimes even some shenanigans! I always make sure to stop by Sixth Street Soapery even if only for the amazing smells and to see Mary Allen’s smile! Walk down and grab some lemonade next to the fountain and listen to some live music. Peruse some local art and if you get hungry there are food trucks and all kinds of great spots to sit like Sauced and Walton’s International Comfort Food. If your feet are feeling swollen and you are sick of waddling around, you can even hitch a ride on an Evansville Pedicab to rest and still feel the wind in your hair. The First Friday of every warm month, this is where it is at, so check out the Haynie’s Corner Arts District page if you want to find more cool stuff going on in this little slice of fun in Evansville.
If you’d like to still get out of the house and do something fun with your partner, but maybe not with such a crowd, perhaps you would consider a cooking class at Thyme in the Kitchen. You could sit a while at White Swan Coffee Lab, get a sweet treat at Milk and Sugar Scoop Shoppe, then stroll around window shopping along Franklin St. This date gives you and your partner time to connect doing things together, learning, and talking about whatever comes to mind. Connecting to your partner is such a great thing to do before a baby gets thrown in the mix and things get more complicated.
Maybe events aren’t your thing at all, and you’d prefer a quieter evening out with your partner. If you love movies and being waited on like the Royalty that you are, my husband and I LOVE treating ourselves to a movie at Royal Suite. No, they won’t pause the movie for you, so definitely don’t pick a long one, BUT they will bring you food when you push a button and that is pretty great. Bonus: their seats recline and you can elevate your feet! When we’re feeling really wild, afterwards we pick up some snacks at Aihua International Market and head down for a stroll on the Evansville Riverfront Park. There might even be some kids playing at Mickey’s Kingdom Playground and you can join them in a swing just for fun! Having a bit of fun together before your baby comes is a great way to connect as a couple.

Connection is an important thing in any partnership, and marking the passage of major milestones, or even in anticipation of them, is a great thing to do. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on a giant vacation to connect with your honey before you give birth. After the baby arrives, life shifts, and making sure your relationship foundation is solid before you start rocking it is a great thing! Dates are one of my favorite ways to connect with my partner, and making time for them isn’t always easy, but is always important.

What are your favorite things to do around Evansville at the end of pregnancy? What special plans are you making with your partner for before baby arrives?