Polly Birth Doula

29/09/2025

an incredible study found that women who ate 6 dates a day in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy were..

74% more dilated when they arrived at the hospital
had a 77% shorter first stage of labor
and were 42% less likely to need a c-section

so what makes dates so powerful?

dates are packed with nutrients that actually prepare the cervix and uterus for labor. they influence oxytocin receptors, which means the body responds more effectively to the natural hormones that trigger labor. they also contain prostaglandins that help ripen (soften and thin) the cervix and tannins that encourage stronger, more efficient contractions.

on top of that, dates provide natural sugars and fats for energy during labor, plus calcium and serotonin that support the body through the intense work of birth. some studies even suggest dates make the uterus more sensitive to oxytocin leading to smoother, more effective contractions and shorter labors.

this is also why women who eat dates late in pregnancy are far less likely to need a c-section.

the most common recommendation is to start eating 6 dates a day from 37 weeks until birth.

i’m a midwife and a home birthing mama, and i was encouraged to eat dates in my own pregnancy, and honestly, i think it helped me.

share this with a pregnant mama or save it for later 🥰

did you eat dates in late pregnancy? what was your experience?

The Breastmilk Queen - Amy McGlade

03/05/2024

Hi, seeing I’ve gotten quite a few more followers lately I would like to introduce myself. I’m a certified labor and birth doula. And training to become a postpartum Doula as well.
I’m currently in Nova Scotia Canada. But plan to be back in Belize toward the end of the year.

03/05/2024

Do you know about the Flying Cowgirl birthing position? 🤠

This position is an effective technique that moves the p***c bone away from the spine, opens the inlet, and helps baby enter the pelvis.

This dramatic position can be done in bed while lying on one side for three to six contractions before switching to the other side.

Arching the back and stretching the knees away from the abdomen shifts the pelvis forward, allowing baby to rotate and/or drop into the pelvis.

Have you or someone you know tried the Flying Cowgirl? Let us know in the comments!

14/12/2023

“Is he sleeping through the night?” asks a stranger.

“She’s too clingy. You really need to stop picking her up.” says a friend.

“Is she a good baby?” asks a woman at the park.

“He should be self-soothing by now. Consolidated sleep is critical for healthy brain development.” proclaims a sleep trainer.

“You’re creating a rod for your own back.” exclaims a grandmother.

“I hope you’re putting her down drowsy but awake.” advises a mother at a meetup.

“Feed, play sleep! Feed, play, sleep!” chants a daycare worker.

“You’re not nursing him to sleep are you? That’s a bad sleep association. How do you expect him to learn to fall asleep on his own?” questions a health nurse.

“Oh, he’s just manipulating you, dear. He’s got you wrapped around his tiny eight-week-old little finger.” says a mother-in-law.

“If you don’t put your three-day-old baby down to sleep in a crib on his own you’re risking suffocation and death. It is the only way babies are safe from SIDS.” states a paediatrician.

These are the loud lies of infant sleep that our culture repeats from one generation of new mothers to the next, as if on autopilot.

Without questioning the roots or validity of these statements.

Without an understanding of the biological needs of babies.

Without knowledge of what normal infant sleep looks like.

Without an appreciation for how most cultures around the world care for their babies (and why).

These mistruths are dangerous, not only because they’re false, but because they’re full of unrealistic expectations that set a new mother up to feel like she’s failing. To doubt her own abilities. To worry that there may be something wrong with her or her baby.

These mistruths when repeated often enough lead to fear, paranoia, worry, anxiety and guilt. This is the opposite of what new mothers need."

https://ed.gr/d4611

26/03/2023

27/06/2020

Did you know all of these positions are just variations of normal? Why are so few Midwives and Doctors trained nowadays to deliver them vaginally?

Did you know all of these positions are just variations of normal? Vertex, or head down, is the most common position for a baby to take. And many providers are not trained in vaginal breech delivery, though it can be very safe and uncomplicated. A transverse position would require a cesarean delivery, if baby can not be coaxed out of that position. Which position did your baby prefer?
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Posted • .ly Did you know that babies can be in many different positions, mama?

Babies spend a lot of time moving around in the belly. As your due date approaches, your baby will hopefully end up in the head-down position (but if they don't, there are ways to encourage them to flip!) Tap the for “The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama” to learn more about your growing baby.

06/12/2019

We emphasize in our classes for this reason! “Informed consent is not easy. It is often not possible to convey all the knowledge required for informed consent in the limited amount of time available during a prenatal appointment or at bedside.
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Pregnancy is an exaggerated vulnerable state and there is often limited capacity to absorb hard or scary information.
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Professor Kenneth Boyd in the Journal of Medical Ethics says It is possible that the consent process acts as a “social filter,” placing vulnerable and excluded individuals at a disadvantage.
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Boyd also points out that fully informed consent is not possible where the individual is vulnerable, either through illness, dependence or discrimination.
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Knowing this, what can we as Doula’s and educators do? How do we hold sacred, the pillar of informed consent for families as they navigate the healthcare system? Slow down, slow everything way down.
🤚
“Is this an emergency or do we have some time to process what you’re saying?”
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“Would you like some privacy?” “Would you like us all to leave the room while you think this over?”
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“Do you have any further questions about the procedure? Do you need some time to do some research on you own and formulate those questions?”
🤚
Remind people that they are the expert over their own bodies and they are the experts over their babies. Even if the person has a white coat on and knows more than they do it is absolutely OK to ask questions.
🤚
Given adequate space, time, and information birthing people have a higher chance of saying yes when they truly feel like they understand what was happening and saying no, I don’t want that or I need more time or I’m in shock, scared and it is hard for me to take this in. If this is not an emergency I need 10 minutes to think about this.
🤚
These are the cornerstones for high satisfaction after a birth. A satisfying birth experience is not one absent of medical technologies and interventions. A satisfying birth experience hinges on did the person feel seen, heard, valued and respected as they navigated our complicated healthcare system”❤️ by Graphic by

25/11/2019

This is amazing right? Keep kissing that baby of yours!

“Kissing your baby changes your breast milk. Did you know that the undeniable urge to cover your baby in kisses serves a biological purpose? When a mother kisses her baby, she samples the pathogens on baby’s face, which then travel to mom’s lymphatic system. Mom’s body then creates antibodies to fight those pathogens, which baby receives through breast milk. What?! Amazing, right?”

http://www.mothering.com/articles/10-things-might-not-know-breastfeeding/ 📸: Dusktildawnphotography

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27/10/2019

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/breathing-for-pain-relief-during-labor/?fbclid=IwAR0SKMO31j2qsdgljCFE5pxWxPt8T7lpRnpT2ahb5Y7o4BWCzGEGIob91A8

Many childbirth classes teach breathing for pain relief during labor. But is there evidence that this is effective? Which breathing techniques work best?

13/01/2019

I’m curious, did any of you Mamas use this in your labors and births? Please tell me how if worked for you?

How does nitrous oxide work during labor? How does laughing gas compare to other pain relief? Are there side effects? Find out in this comprehensive post!

12/09/2018

I can say with experience it’s so magical to listen to my baby’s heart beat. But how often do I want to expose it to the Fetal Heart Monitor? Great post!

It is MAGICAL to hear your baby's heartbeat! A home fetal heart monitor lets you listen in whenever you like. But that's a really bad idea. Here’s why...