Doula Paulina - Birth & Post Partum Utrecht

21/09/2021

In the Netherlands 1 in 3 first time mothers are induced.
I’d like to talk about inductions in the coming days.
Lets start with;

• Oxytocin receptors•

(One of the reasons) why inductions of labour may fail.
Did you know that when the body is not ready, you have up to 30% chance of having a c-section with an induction?

💕Towards the end of your pregnancy your uterus, your breasts as well as your baby make more oxytocin receptors.

🔐We never know when end of pregnancy will be. It can be between 37-42+ weeks in a physiological pregnancy.
These receptors serve a function. They are like a lock to be unlocked with key(oxytocin)🔓

Your 👶🏻 is the one that signals your brain that they are ready to be born by triggering an array of hormonal processes estrogen, progesterone, relaxin, beta-endorphins and prolactin which begin to prepare the body for birth and mothering.
Even hormones helping you cope with labourPain. 💪🏻Your body then starts making oxytocin -this hormone attaches itself to the oxytocin receptors.
And the oxytocin makes the uterine muscle contract starting
• LABOUR•

If there are No or too few oxytocin receptors an outside method to trigger labour will not work.
If there are AND all those hormones are already in the process of preparing your body for birth, then it will be easier to induce and an induction can be successful.

A failed induction; which then leads to “emergency”csection is nothing more than your body not being able to respond to synthetic oxytocin.
Because it’s not ready.
It’s a failure of the medication.
Not of the body.
But we call it a failed induction And it sucks because the body went through sometimes days of full contractions and (barely)no dilation to show for it.

The thing is.
It says nothing about if your body would have started making oxytocin receptors a day later and labour and dilation would have folllowed.
Even when you were 42 weeks.

If your body and baby are not ready - triggering things from the outside, even with stripping of the membranes, herbs. and accupuncture.
Hardcore medication.(such as misoprostol or synthetic oxytocin)
You ALWAYS risk painful contractions and a prolongued latent stage of labour

04/02/2021

The first hour after birth writes a blueprint baby's nervous system.
But also the woman's - she who has just become a mother.
We call it the golden hour. the sacred hour.
The motherbaby dyad is born here.
This is where we enter the fourth trimester and begin our journey in partenthood.
Read some beautiful suggestions how to make this happen from dr. Aviva Romm. and make sure you include the golden hour in your birth plan, no matter the type of birth setting preference you have.

https://www.facebook.com/AvivaRommMD/posts/3928970410495762

29/01/2021

•Instinctive asymetric labour positions•

Your body knows what to do to create space for your baby to find passage in the birth canal through your pelvis.

A woman’s labouring body is getting continuous
• feedback • about what position to take.

It’s like a dance with your baby being your dance partner.
They lead you follow.

So often I see women take these asymetric positions.

But for a woman to move and dance this dance with her baby she requires the right conditions.
A calm and safe environment.
To feel uninhibited and free.

As birth attendants we must quiet the chatter and interruptions to allow her to truly listen to her labouring body’s cues. Only suggest things when is needed, and sometimes of course it is. Then the woman might need some help with dance steps for her baby to follow suit.

In childbirth education we show labour positions to illustrate possibilities a woman has when she is free to move during labour.
But they might not be the positions right for you in your labour.
Seeing images of women Not on a bed and moving freely helps undo conditioning we’ve had through our lifetime, through movies and media.
But it’s the message behind the images..

See them as women dancing their babies through their pelvises, rocking their bodies to make passage for their babies.
Free flowing and instinctual.
And sometimes truly contortionist.

Did you take an interesting intuitive position during your labour?

Photos by

27/01/2021

• WATCHFUL ATTENDANCE •

What is the value of time spent with another human being?
What’s value of being seen?
It’s something that is not visible.
it is felt and experienced.
In labour watchful attendance- this time spent next to the woman is one of the most valuable tools to care for her.
Being with and next to her.
It’s what we doulas do professionally.

Time spent next to the labouring woman is not one of the parameters we measure to identify the quality of care that is provided.
It should be.
Says newly appointed Professor Ank de Jonge.

With-woman is the literal meaning of the word . In old English Midwīf.
It gives a peek in our Herstory and the most important need of a labouring woman.
A need as old as time.
As old as our species.
As old as women roaming the earth.
A primal need of being seen. Of been with.
Women always had midwives, doulas; birth attendants.

Time poverty(or lack of watchful attendance)
is what we experience when focus is placed solely on the biomedical and not the emotional and psychosocial aspects care of a labouring person.
A humanised care model where we take all aspects into account is proven to provide better outcomes for mothers and their babies.

“The woman is labour suite 13 needs watchful attendance”
how would our experiences change if this became norm?

01/01/2021

FULL HEART ❤️ NEW LIFE 🌱 NEW BEGINNINGS

My 2020 darling doula babies. This was your birth year, a year we will never forget. You wil be told stories how the year you were born was unlike any other and eventhough the childbearing year never is, this one was different yet.
Your parents, you know who you are. This was your year of either entering parenthood or growing your family and growing your heart beyond what you ever thought possible. All In one of the toughest years we've had to face. And You did it!

Darling Lola,Eli, Roger, Daren, Nilay, Noa, Julie, Tera, Chris, Filippa, Karolina, Meg, Ariadni, Agni.
It was an honour to bare witness to your first moments on this earth and to see how Amazing your mothers, each one having walked their own journey towards welcoming you, were. All were different, some held challenges in the pregnancies, some during your births - all were faced with strenght that will inspire me forever.
Ladies, i bow down to You.
You make my heart full as we enter the new year and the blur and mist that slowly comes over 2020 the memories of those moments never will.

This past year was strange, but all I felt as we exited it last night was a full heart. And then I turned to reflect as to why..
🤰🏻 14 births supported as a doula
🤱🏻5 families longer term during the transformational post partum period
🤰🏻3 pregnancy doula guidances(without birthsupport)
💆🏻‍♀️ 139 massages to pregnant and post partum women. And after miscarriages and stillbirths. so many through
🎀 43 new Mom bellies lovingly bound with Bengkung belly binds.
🐣 prepared 22 pregnant and their partners for life AFTER birth in my Post Partum Prep workshop
🐥14 private post partum preperation consultations
🇵🇱2 Polish childbirth education courses
🌍🇳🇱 11 Expat parents taught about the Dutch maternity care system
👶🏻Learned 42 parents the wonders of connection through baby massage privately or in groups ❤️

Every one of those numbers - is not a number, they are people - who I was honoured to cross paths with, maybe just the once but each meeting has a special place in my heart. Your stories of being pregnant and becoming parents in 2020 they all were special and they are sacred to me. I hope you felt seen and heard, because you were. Thank you for letting me be maybe just a brief visitor on your journey in 2020.

I Started collaboriaton with .doula.muziekdocent on the pregnancy course for single pregnant mothers

Started the year training Gentle Beginnings Academy to become part of

My post partum services were mentioned in the book „Mama’en”

Cohosted centering pregnancy groups, such fun times!

I am Humbled and with a Full ❤️ and exited for 🌱new year and new beginning and lots of new life.

05/05/2020

Het is internationale dag van de verloskundige, van de vroedvouw.
Dit mooie en lieve liedje van de Belgische Kapitein Winokio is voor hen. ❤️

13/04/2020

For the Lockdown Babies by Gráinne Evans

“Sure you were only a baby” I’ll tell her when she asks,
About that time in photographs when everyone wore masks.
“You don’t remember the chaos when the world was forced to rest.”
“You had all you needed in my arms and at my breast”

“You never even noticed” I’ll tell her then I’ll say,
“I held you as the weeks went by, we took it day by day”
“We were safe and happy, right where we needed to be”.
“I fed you snuggled in my arms, protecting you was key”.

“You were only a tiny baby” I’ll tell her and explain,
Why so many people were afraid, anxious and in pain.
“It wasn’t always easy, those isolating newborn days,
But feeding you flooded me with love, got me through the haze”.

“You were a lockdown baby” I’ll tell her when it’s time,
“I was your whole world back then, just as you were mine”,
“And now, though it’s just a memory, I still smile when I see,
A rainbow in a window, put there for you and me.”

08/03/2020

Fijne Internationale Vrouwen Dag!
Here's to strong and SUPPORTED women! 🥂

Voor alle krachtige en prachtige vrouwen, die als ze het moederschap instappen verdienen om gedragen te worden door hun community, gesteund in hun keuzes en gewapend in kennis.

Hier een kans op gratis deel te mogen nemen aan mijn workshop bij studio Vandaan omdat het Internationale Vrouwen dag is en omdat we in vrouwen geloven, hun kracht, hun stem en de enorme prestatie die een kind op de wereld brengen is en ze willen vieren en eren tijdens de grootste transformatie van hun leven - die van het moederschap!

Klik op de post, like Studio Vandaan en geef jezelf of een vriendin op - als je komt, is het super leuk als je ook je partner mee neemt, want nieuwe moeders hebben ook de steun en liefde nodig van degenen die hen liefhebben, en partners die het proces voor de eerst keer mee maken is de kennis net zo machtig voor.

Dus klik en win het plekje! Je mag een workshop datum kiezen tm September die jou het beste schikt!

Collega Doula's- als je een cliente begeleid die deze prijs verdient, geef haar op!

Mijn praktijk ruimte ligt in Hoge Weide Leidsche Rijn - super goed bereikbaar vanaf de A2 dus als je uit Amsterdam komt is het ook nog super goed bereikbaar!

12/02/2020

Er zijn nog twee plekjes voor mijn workshop over wat te verwachten na de bevalling "Post Partum Prep".
Vrouwen en partners zijn welkom!

Ook als je al een keer bent bevallen, en de kraamtijd misschien anders is verlopen dan dat je had gehoopt- geef ik je tools die je kan gebruiken om dicht bij jezelf te blijven, durven je EIGEN keuzes te maken die écht bij jullie passen, en je herstel in rust en liefdevol te laten verlopen.
Het is mijn passie om over dit onderwerp te delen, en vrouwen in (voorbereiding op) deze mooie krachtige en kwetsbare tijd te ondersteunen.

meld je aan via studio Vandaan
https://www.studiovandaan.nl/wat-te-verwachten-na-je-bevalling/

Dit schreef een van de dames over onze Post Partum Workshop van doula Paulina. Het is nog pionierswerk want we zijn inderdaad een van de enigen die hier aandacht aan besteden. niet veel zwangeren kijken voorbij hun aanstaande bevalling en bereiden hun post partum tijd voor, gewoon omdat het al zoveel nieuws is. Heel begrijpelijk! Maar we weten uit ervaring nu ook dat als het wel lukt om er even bij stil te staan; de beloning erg groot kan zijn! We zijn zo dankbaar dat we dit kunnen betekenen voor dames : “Er zijn ontzettend veel cursussen en workshops die je voorbereiden op je bevalling, maar ik wilde mij juist ook voorbereiden op de periode daarna. Het was mijn allereerste zwangerschap en kindje. Wat kon ik verwachten van de eerste dagen? De eerste weken? Paulina geeft in haar Postpartum Prep Workshop allerlei informatie om de eerste 6 weken (40 dagen) zo bewust en fijn mogelijk te beleven. Zo leerde ik op een goede manier mijn/onze grenzen bewaken en mij daar niet schuldig over te voelen. Iets waar ik heel dankbaar voor ben. Ook kreeg ik tips om het herstel aangenamer te maken. Hoe belangrijk is dat wel niet! Mijn kraamtijd heb ik uiteindelijk als intens mooi ervaren en dat kwam mede dankzij Paulina's workshop!" ‘s Post Partum Prep vindt weer plaats op zondag 16 feb van 14-16.30 uur in Utrecht. Er zijn nog enkele plekjes. Interesse? Je vindt alle info op de website (zie bio).