southern indiana – Doula Group of Evansville

Our 5 Favorite FREE Places to Play in the Tristate

When I looked at the list of required preschool items for my daughter’s school in Berlin, Germany, I was surprised to see rain boots, rubber overalls, and a raincoat on it. The Germans have a saying, “Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung.” (There’s no bad weather, only bad clothes.) Let me tell you from experience, they take this and the requirement for daily time outside in the fresh air VERY seriously, & it changed my life. Getting outside changes our moods and helps regulate our nervous systems. We <3 Evansville for so many reasons, but especially because of this areas great FREE outdoor areas to explore that are kid friendly! Here are our 5 favorites.

Mickey’s Kingdom Playground

If you haven’t explored this awesome accessible and fenced in playground on the Evansville riverfront, then what are you waiting for?? With an attached bathroom and lots of parking, this playground is so much fun. There is even an area for littler kids while your bigger kids run to the other side. If you are prone to anxiety when you can’t keep eyeballs on your kid, this might not be your cup of tea. The whole structure is parent accessible, so you can definitely chase your wild things all over too. Extra special bonus points: a giant T-rex statue, structures form recycled milk jugs, & the world’s largest solar powered CommuniTree too!

Smothers Park

With an into-the-woods theme and so many play structures to explore, this park right on the Owensboro riverfront is so much fun! In the summer there is a wet section that your kids will LOVE to get into, so don’t forget to bring some towels and maybe a change of clothes too. My kids LOVED to pretend they were hunting at this park, and crawling through the fishes mouth was always part of the agenda too. This park is not fenced in, so if you have a toddler that likes to run, you may want to bring a leash. (Zero judgement, a parent’s gotta do what a parent’s gotta do!) Smothers park is a perennial favorite of ours, and not just because the drive back to our house is about the perfect amount of time for a big kid quick nap.

Friedman Park

If your kids thrive in more wide open spaces, Friedman Park in Newburgh is the spot to check out! There is a trail through the grassland that that is beautiful and a fully paved path all the way around the park great for balance bikes & strollers alike. The playground isn’t fenced in and there are not too many places to hide from the sun, but this is a great spot for a spring picnic or water fowl watching on the nearby pond. Google will get you there fine, and yes, you do drive through a neighborhood to find it.

Burdette Park

There is so much to love about Burdette Park on the west side of Evansville. There are several play areas that aren’t so huge that you’ll spend your time searching for your kid while they’re on the structures. Short trails beckon if you are looking for just a little forest bathing to soothe your wanderlust another day. In the summer, the swimming area is super fun too. Did I mention the paved trail that goes from Burdette Park to USI? Its also relatively quiet, especially in the spring. Burdette has always been one of my favorite places to wear out the kids, and I’ve heard the chalets are pretty great to rent for overnights too.

Garvin Park

In the heart of Evansville, Garvin Park is one of my favorite places to wile away an afternoon outside with the kids. This park has multiple playgrounds with abundant shade. Parking has never been an issue for me, and there are always all kinds of events happening in this park during the warmer months. Garvin is right next to Bosse Field where the Evansville Otters play as well as next to Deaconess Aquatic Center. If you haven’t been to this park other than to drive around it at night around Christmas, then you really should come check it out during the day too!

These are our top 5 favorite FREE places to get outside with the kids in Evansville. Whether you are pushing your baby in a stroller or wrangling toddlers on leashes, getting outside, even when the April showers roll in, will help improve your mood. Don’t worry, you and your kids are washable! Grab some snacks and spend some time outside together this spring. It might just make you smile and wear your kids out too.

Welcome Heather Spain: Birth & Postpartum Doula

One of the most sought after doulas in Southern Indiana has joined the Doula Group of Evansville team!

Heather is a modest and quiet person until you get to know her a little better. She is a highly intelligent and compassionate doula who knows her stuff because of her professional and personal experience. She is gentle and kind, but isn’t afraid to tell it like it is when that is what is needed in the moment. Heather has been a doula friend of mine for years, and I am honestly honored that she has chosen to join our team here at Doula Group of Evansville. I have had the chance to trust my clients to Heather before as a back-up doula, and now I get to help her find her own clients too!

Doula Heather Spain

Her Experience:

Heather has extensive doula experience both at hospital and home births. She is a highly skilled and trained doula who takes her role very seriously, but knows how to laugh at just the right times too. As a mom of 4, twins sandwiched between 2 singletons, Heather brings a TON of personal experience to the job as well. She’s had to juggle all the things, and she’s looking forward to helping all types of families learn to do the same from pregnancy announcement and into the 4th trimester. Heather is a former board member of our local Moms of Multiples group and fervent reader of all things lactation. She brings her knowledge and fantastic giggle to every interaction you have with her, and her organization skills are legendary. Heather is also an experienced placenta encapsulator, and will be tackling that role for us as well!

About herself:

“I have been a DONA trained birth doula since 2017 and have worked in many capacities within the birthing community. I was raised in Evansville, where I still live with my husband of 11 year and our four amazing children. Their unique births sparked my passion for working with birthing people and their families in all stages of their journey.”

See, I told you she’s modest! I would thoroughly embarrass her if I wrote all the amazing things I think about her here. Please suffice it to say that Heather is a one of a kind dynamite doula who knows her stuff!

Availability

Heather is available to start taking clients as early as mid-September for both birth and postpartum. That continuity of care from 1st trimester through 4th trimester is one of the greatest parts of Heather being able to do both birth and postpartum work! Want to meet Heather to see if she’s the right one to help you welcome your new little(s) into the world? Contact us today: doulagroupofevansville@gmail.com or 812-250-9590.

5 Induction Truths

An induction is discussed with every pregnant person at some point, & these are 5 truths you may not hear anywhere else.

1. Sometimes Induction is Necessary.

High blood pressure, blood sugar control issues, protein in your urine, health concerns for the baby, and more can make it healthier for your baby to be better on the outside than on the inside. These are very valid medical reasons to be induced. Some providers prefer inductions to take place because of suspected big babies, low fluid, getting close or passing your due date, and other reasons. As we know from the evidence, these are NOT medical indications for induction.

2. You CAN Say No.

If everything is fine with you and the baby, then it is perfectly ok to say no to an induction. Even if you are in the hospital for an induction, you are STILL allowed to say no to anything that they offer, and you should be having a true informed consent and refusal discussion for each and every procedure. This includes breaking your water, starting medications, cervical exams, internal monitoring, the type of cervical ripening medication, and ANY TIME someone wants to touch you! Signing up for an induction does not mean you leave your autonomy at the front door. You’re still the boss applesauce!

3. Induction Increases Your Risk of Needing Cesarean Surgery.

Yes, there was ONE study that found that inducing everyone at 39 weeks reduces the cesarean rate, which actually was really problematic. I have discussed this previously along with a BUNCH of other scholars, however there is far more research that says the opposite. I really appreciate Dr. Sara Wickham’s resources on induction for help making informed decisions. This is something that needs to be discussed before you agree to any induction, no matter why it is being advised.

4. Induction Affects More Than Just When the Baby is Born.

Induction is forcing your baby and body to do something before they are ready to do it on their own. Most due dates are an estimate, and none are expiration dates, as babies keep developing even after they are born. Induction interrupts the hormonal physiology of birth, as Dr. Sarah Buckley has published on extensively. Interventions also affect breastfeeding, which can make feeding your baby more challenging after an induction. This needs to be part of the discussion when you are weighing the risks and benefits of whether to choose an induction.

5. Induction Can Take a LONG Time.

Especially for first time parents, induction can take a really long time. Locally most inductions start overnight with a cervical ripening medication and then proceed the next day. Will you be allowed to eat and/or drink during that time? Will you be allowed to take a shower? Will you be on the monitors the entire time? When are you allowed to get an epidural if you want one? Will your provider be there the whole time? What kind of time limits will they put on your progress? Will there be breaks? Can you bring your Fire Stick to keep watching your current favorite binge-worthy show? Ask questions to help yourself make the most informed decisions regarding your care!

The bottom line is this: If your provider is recommending induction, have an open and honest conversation with them using the BRAIN acronym:

Benefits–what are the benefits to this?
Risks–are there any?
Alternatives–what else could we try?
Intuition–what does your gut say?
Nothing–what happens if we wait?

Only YOU get to decide what is the right choice, and we want to make sure everyone goes into birth and parenting with their eyes wide open from the beginning. Want to do some more digging before making a decision about an induction? Asking for TIME can be the most empowering way to step away from what can be a high pressure feeling power imbalanced situation when you are sitting there with your pants off talking to your provider. We talk to clients about this all the time, so feel free to give us a call for a consult if you want a little help!