Little Village Doula

11/21/2020

Sometimes you need to know You are a good mom. It’s exhausting right now and we are being tested like we have never been. But we will get through this and be stronger for having gone through it. 💗

(📸 )

05/22/2020

Heyyyy baby 😍

That little hand! Welcome earthside wee one 🤍


・・・ you are so loved 💥PS: join the waitlist - link in bio 💥

01/13/2020

This so so beautiful 😭😍

01/03/2020

This 1000x 😭🙌🏼

"I don't know how you do that."

"I could never."

"Your pain tolerance is so much higher than mine."

"You're so strong."

"You're so brave."

"You must have crazy willpower."

"I never could have done it without drugs."

STOP. Sit with me a minute.

My pain tolerance is average. On a scale from 1 to 10, my willpower is at 'ate chocolate cake for lunch'. The last time I 'ran' a mile, I couldn't even jog the whole thing.

I'm not remarkable. I'm equipped.

I see you, mamas. Mamas who went through trauma, terror, tension and pain. Mamas who endured forceps, episiotomies, pitocin, c-sections. Mamas with failed inductions. Mamas who have cried in the middle of the night over the bruises on your precious baby's head. Mamas who gave their all, and somehow still came out bruised.

Mamas who hear stories of beautiful, peaceful, 'natural' births, and maybe feel like they're a little bit less of a mama. A little bit less of a warrior. A little bit more of a failure.

I see you.

My births were beautiful not because I'm stronger than you, but because I was prepared. I was supported. I was peaceful.

If anything, you're the strong ones. You've been through so much. If I had been faced with the trauma you've seen, I would be scared, too.

Mamas, I'm here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way. Our bodies were made for this. Birth-- medicated or unmedicated, va**nal or surgical, hospital or home-- can be a beautiful, empowering experience for every parent. It should be. Emergencies should be just that-- emergencies. Few and far between. We shouldn't be left wondering why, if a healthy baby is the goal, we still feel so broken.

Birth should be as unique and varied as the people who experience it-- and just as beautiful, too.

We are warriors, every one of us. We hold the power of the very Earth in our bodies when we birth our children. Feeling that power shouldn't be unique, it should be universal. It shouldn't be something special for the 'elite'... It should be normal.

The experience of bringing our babies to earth should be as precious as they are.

All we need is the knowledge and support to make it that way.



Photo Cred: Britanee Jean Photography ❤️

12/19/2019

12/19/2019

12/10/2019

😍😍

The series is part of a campaign from the global nonprofit WaterAid.

11/27/2019

Synthetic Hormone - Pitocin. It should come as no surprise that there are unintended and poorly understood consequences.

11/03/2019

This is the best!

11/01/2019

😂😂😂😂 hope everyone had a great Halloween!

These dilation pumpkins are the scariest thing I’ve seen all night. 🎃🙀 🤣

It was set up by midwives at the Royal Oldham Hospital in Lancashire, England as part of a pumpkin decorating competition.

10/21/2019

Have you ever given thought to swabbing your baby’s face with your va**nal fluids? If not, you might want to give it some thought if babe is born via cesarean!

Since 1996, the cesarean rate for delivery has increased by more than 48%. Some being necessary, but majority being performed for non-evidence based reasoning.

Why?

There are many possible factors for the increased cesarean rates. The biggest reasons I see are revenue and convenience, if we are going to be quite frank. A facility in the US will gain far more revenue from insurance for completing a 'medically necessary' cesarean than a va**nal birth. Scheduled cesareans are super convenient for the provider, as well. They would not have to come in at random hours when a woman would go into spontaneous labor. I've personally seen some super creative 'reasons' Obstetricians state cesareans are necessary where they are not.... 😬

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3615450/

The providers being hired could also play a huge role. If your goal is a va**nal birth, you probably shouldn't hire a trained surgeon, an Obstetrician. If more women hired Midwives, these numbers would drop drastically. Especially out of facility midwives! Type of training is key.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/8272902/

So, what is va**nal seeding??

Vaginal seeding is also known as micro birthing. When a baby is born via cesarean and the baby is swabbed with gauze that was previously placed in the mothers va**na. After collecting va**nal fluid that contain crucial microbes and necessary bacteria, the gauze is swabbed on baby’s face, eyes and mouth immediately after delivery.

(Photos in comments with explaination and visual understaing)

WHY IN THE WORLD??!

Babies born via cesarean are at an increased risk for immune and metabolic disorders. Disorders and life long complications such as celiac disease, obesity, immune problems, asthma, type 1 diabetes, allergic rhinitis, and gastroenteritis.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5945806/

Their gut flora is not complete; cesarean baby has not been exposed to the necessary bacteria found in the birthing canal! This is an issue, despite what your doctor shares with you.

During a va**nal birth the baby is subjected to the mothers va**nal microflora; subjected to normal microbial seeding of the GI tract. This is something the cesarean delivered population is left with out unless they experience va**nal seeding.

It is shown that practicing the seeding after birth gives the cesarean delivered infant a similar start at life, gut flora/health wise, as their equal counterpart born va**nally. It gives them a healthier start at life, building their microbiome!

*Side note: Getting antibiotics during labor for being positive for GBS often wipes out this NECESARRY flora. This should be declined as well. Read more on why you should skip the GBS testing and antibiotics: https://m.facebook.com/story/graphql_permalink/?graphql_id=UzpfSTE3MDE4Nzg2NTY6MTAyMDQwNTAzMzYwOTQzMjY%3D

Applying antibiotic eye ointment after delivery is also contradictory to this necessary flora transfer. This should also be avoided.

If you google "va**nal seeding", you will see that many medical profiting organizations suggest you should not.

Why?

If you do provide your baby with a healthier start, you won’t be needing to rely on medical attention for all of the issues avoided. Conflict of interest.

Again, Revenue>Your well being .

Read through the studies below, make your own choice! If you may end up with a cesarean, this is a topic I would look into.

https://wellnessmama.com/77406/microbes-to-cesarean-babies/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4464665/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3110651/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5062956/

10/17/2019

Soon there will be closed doors and independence, and we will pine for the days when she needed to feel our hand on her back before she could sleep.

10/16/2019

09/29/2019

Check out these beautiful photos featuring one by my sweet friend Haley Arias Photography 😍😍😍😍

An international collection of images depicting midwives attending births at home births, birth centers, and hospitals. Honoring National Midwifery Week 2019 ( )

09/01/2019

Happy September everyone!! We just got home from a wonderful vacation with family. I’m sad summer is coming to an end, but I’m looking forward to a new season and all it will bring.
I still have availability to take one client in October, November and December!
If you are expecting and have ever considered hiring a doula, I’d love to be a part of your village. ✨