16 Reasons We Recommend Tampa General Hospital for Childbirth {updated May 2021}
We have had great experiences with the medical professionals of Tampa General Hospital. We’ve been toured through the entire labor and delivery ward and NICU. We’ve been invited numerous times to speak at their childbirth classes as a guest speaker and to help in teaching comfort techniques to their students. Establishing relationships and building bridges…
How Does a Doula Aid in Labor
We’re often asked how a doula supports a laboring woman. The honest answer is: it depends. It depends on the woman, her needs, her birth style, and who else is in the room. No two births look the same, so what we do for one mom might look totally different for the next. Maybe she’s…
I’m Not Depressed – Why Do I Need a Postpartum Doula?
Are postpartum doulas for people with postpartum depression? Postpartum doulas are not postpartum depression doulas. Postpartum doulas support women after the birth of a child, with or without postpartum depression. From the Merriam-Websters online dictionary: postpartum: adjective | post·par·tum \ˌpōs(t)-ˈpär-təm\ 1. Relating to or happening in the period of time following the birth of a child. It…
The #1 Ingredient for VBAC Success
When considering a VBAC, (vaginal birth after cesarean) determining your best course of action depends on a variety of factors. This includes your risk factors, health history and your personal preferences. Having a sincerely supportive care provider is the top priority for your best chance at VBAC success. So, how do you find one? Let’s…
Do Doulas Replace Partners?
The answer is no, they do not. Partners are an extremely vital part of the birth team. Nobody knows you, your strengths, weaknesses, desires and the essences of what makes you unique as well as your partner. The connection and love between you and your partner is crucial during labor and birth. “A father’s [or…
Breastfeeding, Getting a Good Start with Skin-to-Skin
Last week myself and another postpartum doula on our team, spent five long days learning about lactation at The Lactation Counselor Training Course through The Healthy Children Project. It was eye-opening in so many ways even after having breastfed my own children for a combined total of more than 5 ½ years. So, I wanted to share…
A Postpartum Doula Is…..What? (updated in 2022)
Many people are just learning what a doula is. Some people are familiar with the idea of what a birth doula is. (A birth doula is professional, trained and experienced in childbirth, and offers physical, emotional and educational support to women in pregnancy and during labor and delivery.) But did you know there are also…
What Does A Contraction Feel Like? (updated 2022)
What does a contraction feel like? Will it hurt? You’re not the first one to ask these question. Every first time mom asks and many repeat mothers do, too! It’s very hard to imagine ahead of time what the physical sensation of a contraction feels like. Likewise, it is hard to remember what a contraction…
Letting Go, When Breastfeeding Comes to an End
When your breastfeeding relationship is coming to an end it can be a time of mixed emotions. You are not alone. While I was lying with my son tonight helping him go back to sleep (without offering the breast) I felt proud of both of us and yet a little bit sad. He is 2…
Lightning Crotch – What Is Effacement?
Recently, a laboring mother had us, her birth team, laughing and giggling with the words she used to describe the sensations she was having. A particularly funny phrase she kept using was “Lightning Crotch.” This is a stinging, burning, pins and needles type of feeling right in the crotch, not during a contraction but in between or…
My Pregnancy Loss
This is my personal story about pregnancy loss and it may be triggering for some. After my first son was born via emergency cesarean with a special scar, I longed for a VBAC and peaceful happy birth experience. Four and a half years later I was pregnant again. Soon after discovering I was pregnant the morning…
Jack’s Homebirth – VBAC after Special Scar
On the third anniversary of my son Jack’s birth I decided to share some photos. I have yet to fully finish writing down his birth story in detail, but these photos say a lot. They also give an idea of what a homebirth can be like. Buddha Belly Birth doulas support families in any location they choose to give birth whether it’s at home, a birth…
Shane’s Birth Story
Eight years ago today I gave birth to my first son, Shane. I have never published his birth story and it seemed appropriate today to share it. (*This story may be triggering for some.) “Sometimes the bad things that happen in our lives put us directly on the path to the most wonderful things that…
How Are You Choosing Your Hospital & Care Provider?
You will remember giving birth for the rest of your life. It is a sacred event that should be a loving and happy experience. There are many factors that will determine the outcome of your birth, including your health, genetics, any previous births, where you choose to give birth and who your care provider is.…
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