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Jazzmin Nagy - Birth & Post Partum Doula, North Vancouver, BC (2026)

06/17/2022

Some of these make me laugh, none of them are true! Here are some common misconceptions about who doulas are and what they do.

Myth 1 - They only support unmedicated, vaginal births.
Doulas know that birth is not a one-size-fits-all kinda thing. From spontaneous, unmedicated vaginal births at home to cesarean birth, there are many directions birth may take us. A good doula knows how to adapt to meet your needs based on the specific circumstance.

Myth 2- You don't need a doula if you have a midwife
There's a reason midwives love working with doulas and it's NOT because we perform the same role! But we do compliment each other well 😉 A midwife's focus is on the overall health + safety of your baby (and you). While many of them love being able to provide hands-on comfort techniques, they have other responsibilities that trump their ability to be the primary caregiver of emotional + hands-on support. Doulas bridge that gap by being able to focus solely on you + your emotional and physical needs.

Myth 3- They will replace your partner
There are some couples who do want their doula to play a primary support role - but that's something to be discussed in advance. A good doula will find ways to make sure the partner is at the forefront of support. Birth is a bonding event and we want to allow plenty of opportunity for birther + partner to bond with each other rather than with a doula.

Myth 4- You'll achieve your desired birth
Using a doula doesn't guarantee you'll get the outcome you want. We wish it would. But using a doula does mean you're more likely to have positive feelings about your birth, regardless of outcome.

Myth 5- They deliver babies
First of all, the only person delivering a baby is the person whose body the baby is exiting from (!). Other than that, the role of "baby-catching" falls to: birthers themselves (yeah you can!), midwives, OBs, GPs.

Myth 6- They're all "hippies"
There is NOTHING wrong with those who identify this way - but of course doulas aren't just one "type" of personality! There's a doula match for every personality type!

🎆Any of these doula myths surprise you?

06/15/2022

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A little reminder for all those that might need to hear this today...

06/05/2022

.birth.couple What do you think??

Here are our thoughts:

Epidurals have become such a polarizing topic in the birth world - which is NUTS since it's literally just a medication. Let's all take a step back... does it really matter that much?
..I say that and I know that many of you have experienced birth trauma around an epidural. Maybe it didn't work properly, or caused unnecessary interventions. Maybe you wish you didn't get one. All of these things are legitimate. I personally do not like epidurals simply because they make me REALLY sick.

But our personal experience shouldn't dictate how we view others. Just because an epidural isn't right for you doesn't mean that it isn't right for someone else.

I'm just kinda tired of the social media posts that practically demonize hospitals and epidurals. There are many moms out there who have hospital births with epidurals that are fulfilling, joyful, and easy. Those adjectives are not exclusive to unmedicated births.

(I'm also tired of hospitals that demonize unmedicated birth... but that's another topic for another day lol)

❗Here's the deal: if you want an epidural - go for it. BE EDUCATED and know what to do if your labor stalls with one (we cover all of this in our Birth Class for Couples) - but seriously... it's fine to get an epidural.

❗If you DON'T want an epidural - go for it. BE EDUCATED and know how to manage contractions without medication (we cover all of this in our Birth Class for Couples, too 😉) - but seriously... it's fine to say no to an epidural.

Your worth is more than what type of birth you had.

05/28/2022

Yessss!! 🙌 For all of you who have a newborn at home, here are some tips for you: ⁠
⁠
🍽️ Let the dishes wait and take a long nap ⁠
🍕 Don't make dinner; order a pizza instead ⁠
🧺 Let the laundry pile up and take a relaxing bath ⁠
☕ On the way home, grab a latte or a coffee⁠
⏱️Take a minute to take care of yourself

05/25/2022

I often get asked in a doula consult; “Am I too late to be looking for a doula?” And my answer is always, “if you’re still pregnant, you’re not too late!”
But there are some benefits to hiring a doula earlier in your pregnancy;

⭐️You have more options for available doulas- All doulas have limits on the number of clients they take every month…for some it’s 5 or 6 and for others its one or two (I personally take one or two clients every month) Our schedules can fill quickly, and oftentimes get filled 5-6 months in advance when people hire us when they find out they’re pregnant.

⭐️The more time you have with your doula, the more you get out of the relationship- Your doula is available to you throughout your pregnancy. This can be taking advantage of their knowledge and skills in decision making, informed choice, or general knowledge of what to expect throughout your pregnancy. It can be reassuring to know that you have a sounding board and support system when you need it. Part of your doula care includes prenatal visits, which are tailored to you…its a great time to practice comfort techniques, breathing, prepare a birth plan, ask questions and get to know each other.

⭐️Takes the pressure off- As your pregnancy progresses, so does the pressure of ‘to-do lists’ and appointments. Hiring a doula sooner in your pregnancy takes the pressure off of thinking about it later on, and adds one more skilled support person who can help you free your mind to focus on the important things…you and baby.

However, even if you decide to hire a doula at the last minute, it’s not too late! Of all the ways birth outcomes could be improved, continuous labor support is one of the most important and basic needs for birthing people. Research has shown that labor support from doulas is both risk-free and highly effective. So whether you’re 10 weeks or 37 weeks, its not too late to hire a doula!

05/22/2022

Repost I Won’t Hold Your Baby

…unless you ask me to, in which case, I will snuggle and cuddle your baby as much as you want me to.

I never ask my clients if I can hold their baby. In fact, I rarely ever touch my client’s baby if I can help it. Sounds sort of like the opposite of what you might picture of a doula, right? We must all be birth crazy, baby obsessed women who just want to cover babies in kisses and love and get an emotional high from attending births?

Not this doula.

I LOVE attending births. Call me crazy, but getting those middle of the night calls is one of my favorite parts of this job. I get to listen to someone at their most vulnerable times- the excitement, the hesitation, the nervousness of the unknown. Being able to provide some comfort, reassurance and continuity of care to the people I work with is so important to me (and them!)

Rushing off in the night, quietly getting myself ready, getting in the car and heading off to their home or hospital makes me feel like I’m on a secret birth mission that nobody around me knows about. When I arrive I fall as seamlessly as I can into the rhythm of the birth and start supporting my clients in whatever way they need most.

When the baby arrives I step aside and leave room for the new parents to discover their baby. I try and grab some photos (I’m not a birth photographer though, so keep your expectations in check!) and then I only step in if my client needs me for some reason.

Why does that matter? Why won’t I ask to hold your baby? Simply because: they are yours, not mine. I want you to be able to hold your baby as close as you want, for as long as you want without anyone interrupting that time. There will be enough people coming along in the next few hours and weeks who need to take that baby out of your arms for whatever reason, and tons of friends and family who will offer help by “holding the baby”.

Instead, I want to hold you, whether that’s in my arms, in my heart or my thoughts. By supporting and “holding” you, I don’t need to hold your baby. But if you ask me to, I would LOVE to.

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05/12/2022

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As I was looking at my garden last week, I noticed w**ds beginning to sprout up through the soil. I ignored them, because who has time for that? Well, just a few short days later, they were sprouting everywhere, wrapping around my plants and taking over!
I thought about that as a metaphor for our minds as we prepare for birth…one w**d that says ‘I’m not strong enough’ when left to grow, will begin to sprout other w**ds, that eventually leave you feeling powerless and fearful.

Let’s pull those w**ds and not give them an opportunity to take over!

❌I can’t- this phrase is common. We allow ourselves to be patients instead of taking charge of our care. Know your options and be informed. This will change your mindset from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I can, and I understand the benefits and the risks of that choice.’

❌I’m not powerful enough- let’s shift that mindset to all the things you have done, all the things you are capable of! I can do hard things. I can handle anything for a 60 seconds. I can create a plan so I feel powerful and safe

❌I don’t need a plan- Having a plan doesn’t mean you’re bound by it, it creates a sense of autonomy, safety and empowerment towards your care, no matter what path your labor/birth takes. Knowledge.is.power.

❌It’s going to be exactly like my moms birth- sometimes we get bound by others experiences…there stories become ours. Birth is unique and has countless variations, choices and paths…carve your own path, write your own story

❌The epidural will solve everything- It might solve your pain, but it also comes with risks and considerations. Think about your goal in Childbirth, and write it down…this goal will help you make autonomous decisions

❌My care team will make the right decisions- Maybe? Your care team may suggest a procedure or intervention but it doesn’t mean that’s the only option, or even the best option. Only you know your values and lived experience to make an informed choice. Research has found that a positive birth experience has nothing to do with the length of labour or the interventions used, it has to do with whether or not the birthing person felt supported and part of the decision making.

05/10/2022

Excited to open up my books again for this year! Very limited availability for Fall due dates, so please contact me soon to secure a spot 🤗 250-540-7637

04/30/2022

Theres often confusion between an anterior or posterior positioned baby, and an anterior or posterior positioned placenta. Both are different but this post will focus on the position of the placenta.

An anterior or posterior placenta quite simply refers to the section of the womb that it has implanted into, either the front or back. The placenta can also implant at the side, top or bottom of the uterus. If it implants at the bottom and covers the cervix, this is called a placenta praevia and restricts a baby from being born vaginally it the cervix is completely blocked. If its low down in the uterus, but not touching the cervix, it's called 'low lying'.

Wheb you have an anterior or posterior placenta just depends on which direction the fertilised egg decides to go in once its reach the uterus. Having a posterior, anterior or fundal placenta doesnt bear much significance in terms of the birth. There are some anecdotal reports of fetal movements not being felt as early with an anterior placenta but I havent found many studies that support this conclusively.

I had an anterior placenta with my last two babies and didn't feel movements until around 22 weeks, a real contrast to my others who I felt between 14-18 weeks.

What are your experiences of placental position and baby movements?

04/20/2022

Using one of two emojis 😇😈 What was your baby like during their very first bath? Did they love it or hate it?

Many hospitals/midwives will offer a baby bath during your postpartum stay which is usually 1-3 days following birth. It's part of the educational checklist before you go home ✔️ and is probably the most common question we get asked following the birth of your little one, "can we bath/shower baby now?"

As parents, you can make the decision on when to bathe your baby and who is the one to do it. There are several benefits of delaying your baby's first bath as shown in this post.

If you’ve ever seen a newborn baby, you might have noticed that its skin may be covered in a cheesey white like substance (I’m sorry if this now puts you off cheese 😅🧀). This substance is called vernix. Vernix covers the baby’s skin during their time in utero, protecting it from being wrinkled by amniotic fluid (Imagine what we would look like if we were in water for 40 weeks straight) *insert prune emoji

Did you know, the vernix your baby swallows in utero may also help nourish its developing gut microbiome? Vernix is a wonderful substance with so many beneficial properties. It makes sense to not wash it off straight away.

So how long should you wait? Research recommends waiting at least 24-48 hours.

Also just a quick note, baby lotion, washes etc are not needed especially in those initially few weeks. If you'd like to use them however opt for something natural without fragrance (a lot on the market have fragrance or perfum/e in them which is not good for baby's developing microbiome)

04/09/2022

Fri-YAY feeling!!
📷

04/04/2022

Hey cesarean mama, can I tell you something?

You did it. That sweet baby in your arms, you did that. Your body stretched and changed and gave itself over in unexplainable ways to make that little life come true.

You laid yourself on a table in a sterile OR, let someone cut you open, vulnerable, strong, capable, sacrificial, to bring that little one earthside.

You looked to me when that baby came out, tears running down your cheeks, as I assured you that ‘yes mama, they’re okay’.

You let me dig my hands into your belly, massaging a tired uterus, pushing on the space where your body was just cut open, even while you gasped in pain.

You shuffled your way across the room, with trembling legs and tears in your eyes, because each painful post operative step brought you closer to taking that baby home.

You slowly and cautiously rolled yourself over in the middle of the night, grimacing in pain but reaching for that baby, answering the call of their constant hunger.

You ran your fingers over the staples and steri-strips, the scar fresh and pink and puckered, wondering how it would heal, what mark it’d leave behind.

You tucked that baby snugly into its car seat, applied counter pressure on your tummy while you gently lowered your swollen body into the back seat next to them, and then you drove away, mouthing ‘thank you’ out the window while I waved you goodbye.

All of that, mama, you did that. You were brave and strong and capable. You showed me faith and trust and sacrifice. You were quietly gracious, both when it went the way you wanted - and when it didn’t.

You did what so many just keep on doing - you laid yourself down, in that beautiful unassuming way that mamas always do.

Do you see it, mama? I so hope you do. You are a mama. You were and are and always have been equipped for this - and I’m not sure I’ll ever witness anything more stunning.

Well done mama. You and your story makes me marvel.

with love,
your labor nurse

••••

Beautiful 📸 from - a mama in this community - after her cesarean birth 🤍 happy !!

Jazzmin Nagy - Birth & Post Partum Doula

06/17/2022

06/15/2022

06/05/2022

05/28/2022

05/25/2022

05/22/2022

05/12/2022

05/10/2022

04/30/2022

04/20/2022

04/09/2022

04/04/2022

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