Bundle of Joy Birth Services

12/23/2023

It's okay to want to keep your baby close.

12/08/2023

11/17/2023

Ha!

Somewhat literally here. 😂
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11/15/2023

See all that white goopy stuff around this baby’s eyes and nose? That’s vernix! Vernix is a biofilm that covers your baby’s skin during pregnancy and works to protect your baby after birth. Vernix is a protective coating for the baby’s delicates skin, it’s full of antibodies which are especially important if you’re birthing outside your home, and it helps your baby to regulate their temperature. Vigorous drying of your baby (which is often practiced in hospitals) can wipe this vernix off. If you’d like to rub your baby’s vernix into their skin, you might consider writing this on your birth plan and talking with your provider about it. If you’re birthing at home, maintaining this protective barrier is standard.

11/03/2023

So grateful to support so many beautiful births. Thank you, Julia, for the sweet gift.

11/03/2023

So grateful to support so many beautiful births.

10/30/2023

Check out Bundle of Joy's most recent newsletter! ✨💕

Fall/Winter 2023 Newsletter

10/08/2023

A totally supported family-centered cesarean birth. Mom, dad, baby, and I all invited into the operating room. Dad provides the encouragement mom needs as she goes through major surgery. Baby is face to face with his mama. I capture the sweet moments of the birth via photos. No matter what route your baby is born, you deserve to be supported and feel safe.

10/05/2023

So extraordinarily grateful for the brilliant women I learn from and with. The birth space should always be profoundly personal, respectful, and calm. A new baby’s first sights, sounds, and touches should be filled with the love of their mother and family. These women teach me how to be in this space at every birth we attend together.

10/03/2023

One of the biggest lies told to women during pregnancy and/or labor is that baby is too big! This plants a seed of doubt into parents’ heads that mama’s body physically cannot birth her baby vaginally. That’s absurd!
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This little guy was born at home.
12lbs 11oz at birth.
Mama pushed for 8 minutes.
Mama did not tear.
Baby had a 10 APGAR at 1 min.
No gestational diabetes, baby had no blood sugar issues.
This is NORMAL!
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Obviously, this cutie was on the bigger side of normal, but for the majority of women, our bodies make babies that we are capable of birthing! Baby being truly too big to fit through mama’s pelvis (Cephalopelvic Disproportion) is rare. Often doctors will use it as an excuse to induce women before their due date, perform a c-section, augment labor with medication, or say it’s the reason for “failure to progress”. Ultrasounds are notoriously inaccurate when it comes to estimating baby’s weight. It has about a 2 lb margine of error (meaning baby could weigh up to 2 lb more or less than what they estimate!).
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Most home birth midwives understand that babies and bodies vary and so do labor patterns! Patience is a necessity. For women in labor, the key is movement! Laying in a bed reduces your pelvic diameter by about 30%! Most babies go through a series of rotations to navigate their body through the pelvis. When a mama is stuck in a bed due to medications or policies, it makes it much more difficult for both babies and their mothers. What’s the best way to avoid being stuck in a bed? Stay home during early labor, rest and nourish your body as much as possible to prepare for active labor. Have supportive providers and a doula by your side who trust birth and believe in you.
Mama: Amy Fulton

09/02/2023

So very excited to be offering these beautiful healing teas made by my brilliant preceptor, Raizy Goldsmith, as part of Bundle of Joy’s postpartum care packages. Link in bio.