Boston Labor Nurse

03/10/2025

Epidural or No Epidural? That’s NOT the Question!

Feeling overwhelmed by all the conflicting opinions about epidurals? You're not alone! If scrolling through endless articles and forums is stressing you out, my free live virtual class is exactly what you need.

I bring decades of hands-on experience—from working as a nurse-midwife in Ireland when epidurals weren’t available, to supporting births in a U.S. hospital where most people opt for one. I’ve had an epidural for one of my own births and gone without for another, so I can truly speak from both sides of the experience.

This class goes far beyond just “epidural or not.” We’ll cover:
✅ When to get an epidural (timing matters!)
✅ How to minimize side effects
✅ Innovative ways to cope with labor if you choose an unmedicated birth
✅ Do you need a doula if you plan on getting an epidural?
✅ How to advocate for yourself and make informed choices

I’ll also be sharing a helpful video, and there will be plenty of time for your individual questions!

No judgment, no agenda—just solid, practical information to help you have the best birth experience possible.

📅 Join my live virtual FREE class on 3/15@09:30 am https://www.bostonlabornurse.com/classes

Have questions? Drop them in the comments! ⬇️

03/01/2025

Yes! Pregnancy is such a unique window of neuroplasticity, making it the perfect time to introduce mindfulness and meditation. The research on how reducing maternal stress benefits both mom and baby is incredible—lower cortisol levels, improved emotional regulation, and even potential positive impacts on baby’s temperament. The GentleBirthApp goes beyond traditional self-hypnosis by integrating cognitive behavioral therapy, sports psychology, and mindfulness techniques, helping parents build real resilience and confidence for birth and beyond.

MBIs (Mindfulness Based Interventions) are demonstrated scientifically to improve mood while reducing anxiety, depression, stress and pain. Mindful meditation is associated with fewer preterm births and is an incredibly effective coping strategy for the challenges of parenting. It’s a life changin

01/25/2025

😊Calling all Pregnant Women who plan to Breastfeed.

🍎I will be offering Four FREE LIVE Virtual classes for those Pregnant and those who support them starting 1/28.🍎

The first class will focus on ‘Breastfeeding in the Delivery Room”
Babies are awake and alert immediately after birth so that is a great time to start breastfeeding. If that first experience goes well and you know what to do to continue like this, it makes breastfeeding so much easier.

🤦‍♀️But your nurse might be too busy with other patients to give you all the help you need.
Or you might be too tired and distracted by all that is happening around you that you might not be able to absorb what she is teaching you.🥲
So it is really helpful if you understand what you need to do to help your baby nurse and also know how to better advocate for yourself and your baby.😉

I have wonderful videos to share and as a longtime Labor and Mother/Baby Nurse have lots of practical tips to offer that will make breastfeeding much easier and more comfortable for you and your baby.
👍 You can sign up here for one or all four classes as I will be discussing different topics each week.

https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/5bb4bd74

01/23/2025

Our Conversation was Incredibly Helpful.

Recently Sunday Helen (not her real name) had a complimentary call with me as she was overwhelmed and anxious six days after having an unexpected cesarean section and looking for help. She had been up all-night cluster feeding, and she was also worried about her blood pressure as it was elevated after she had her baby.
She had been unable to find a postpartum doula, and she asked me, “What if I cannot care for my baby because I have high blood pressure?”.
It’s nice to know good people to recommend and I was happy to help her.
But what I suspect Helen appreciated most from me was my being reassuring and expressing that she was experiencing and feeling was so normal rather than the practical tips and I was able to give her.
Having a baby is HARD, especially that first month and even more so during the first week.
But I thought Helen was doing amazing well given that she had been planning for an unmedicated vaginal birth but instead ended up with cesarean because her baby was not tolerating labor well. Her baby appeared to be thriving so I could reassure her to expect that everything would get much easier. I remember feeling so vulnerable and having difficulty coping when I had my first child. I suspected her blood pressure wasn’t too high in the hospital or else she would be on medication, and she found that thought comforting.
Four days later Helen emailed me saying the postpartum doulas I had connected her with were great and thanked me for my time, compassion and support. She said our conversation was incredibly helpful.
Later that week I had a lovely coffee with Karen Dennis, the owner of Mother’s Helpers Doulas. I am impressed with the way Karen talks about her clients, her experience and how experienced her staff are. I am delighted to add her to the list of people I can recommend.
We talked about women needing to prepare for birth and often they don’t know how challenging it can be.
This is the reason I am offering FREE Virtual Coaching during Pregnancy classes. I want women and their support people to be better prepared for childbirth and caring for themselves and a newborn baby during those early difficult days.
My first class is will be on 1/28 and will focus on making breastfeeding more comfortable for you and your baby in the labor ward. I will also be discussing the most common worries new parents have about their newborn and with short videos. I’ll be drawing on my years of experience as a labor and mother baby nurse. There will be a different topic each week. I will describe these topics later.
There is a link in the comments section to sign up for a class.
There are still some openings if you want to sign up for a 30 minute complimentary “Ask Ann” session.
Newmom’s

01/11/2025

Group Coaching for Pregnant Women.

Do you know anyone who is pregnant, anxious about giving birth and maybe worried about their mental health at this vulnerable time in their life?

Suggest they attend my virtual Coaching during Pregnancy Group where they will receive tons of helpful practical information that will lower their stress level and increase their confidence and coping.
I will be offering 4 sessions on Tuesdays 1/21, 1/28, 2/4 and 2/11.

The first week will focus on making Breastfeeding in Labor and Delivery a much more enjoyable and comfortable experience for you and your baby and discussing caring for your newborn baby during those early days of parenthood.
I will share some amazing short video clips and alleviate some of the most common fears new parents have.

It’s no secret that hospitals are busy places, there often isn’t enough time for teaching and new parents are often too exhausted and overwhelmed to absorb much new information anyway.

So having the information I plan on sharing with you will be so helpful for you when you begin to take full responsibility for the well-being of a precious tiny human being who is going to rely on you for everything.

This first group will be free and welcome pregnant women and those who support and love them.

01/08/2025

I feel privileged to be virtual group leader twice a month (through Postpartum Support International) for over a year now for women who are experiencing mental health challenges either during their pregnancy or after they have their baby. This is a peer to peer online support group where women can connect with others experiencing similar challenges, talk about their experiences and learn about helpful tools and resources. PSI is an amazing organization and offers over 50 FREE VIRTUAL support groups per week. I will put a link to these groups in the chat.
As part of my commitment to ongoing training, I attended an excellent two day training last June titled “Petinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care

09/12/2024

Excited to share the results of this study that was published in the International Journal of Perinatal Education recently. I am also proud that the App will be free for those on Medicaid (or equivalent insurance) starting September 24th and will include further information in the comments section.

It’s an exciting day for the GentleBirth Team! Our research has just been published in the International Journal of Perinatal Education. In a nutshell - the more time you spend using the GentleBirth app during your pregnancy - the more likely moms are to have a positive, empowered unmedicated bi

05/12/2024

Happy Mother’s day not just to Moms but also to those of you who are pregnant!

Are you a Mom to be who is excited but also very nervous about having a baby?

Would it help you to have a 1:1 zoom coffee with me to answer questions you may have about birth itself and also help you focus on the information that will benefit you the most?

It’s so easy to waste time going down the google rabbit hole searching for information and end up more confused than ever!

Social media can be helpful but I often find those who rely on it too much end up missing vital chunks of information and sometimes scare tactics are used to get your attention.

My goal is to reduce fear and anxiety around childbirth by empowering you with really good information and high quality professionally produced videos that are easy to understand as well as introducing you to brain training techniques you can use to remain calm confident and in control during labor and birth.

In honor of Mother’s day I am going to offer a small number of complimentary “Ask Ann” sessions. One piece of wisdom I love to share is that there is so much you can do to influence your labor and birth experience to go the way you want it to if you know how. As you can see from my website www.BostonLaborNurse.com I have a very broad background to draw upon and utilize for your benefit.

Start your journey to prepare for Motherhood here.Offering compassionate, non-judgmental 1:1 support, education and guidance during your pregnancy as you (and your family) prepare for childbirth. Explore Our Classes PREPARING for BIRTH, BABY and BEYONDI can teach you brain training techniques that w...

04/02/2024

Excited to be partnered with InJoy Health Education and making their Apps" Understanding Birth" and "Understanding Your Newborn" available on my website Boston Labor Nurse -see link in the comments below.

03/06/2024

Looking forward to offering a Grandparent's workshop through Boston Doula Circle tomorrow. Some of the topics I will be discussing include changes in birth and baby care since Grandparents gave birth, perinatal mood disorder and how Grandparents can best support the new parents.
I am looking forward to sharing photos from my blog which show a more comfortable way to nurse (and one which causes less problems) than the usual upright nursing positions we are accustomed to seeing. I want to emphasize focusing on Mom's comfort by encouraging her to relax her head, neck and shoulders against the pillows and Grandma handing baby to Mom with baby's tummy facing Mom. Women tend to instinctively make a nest for their baby with their hands when baby is handed to them like this and the angle of incline is up to Mom. Some women may choose to lie back completely with her baby lying on top of her as shown in the other photo. This position allows her hands to be free, is very comfortable if Mom has a sore bottom and is less work for Mom because baby is able to do most of the work. If you watch the video I made and posted here on 8/12/2023, you will see a fascinating video of the breast crawl.

Yes, it is strange to think of what we would consider as a helpless newborn baby being in any way independent. But they are more capable than we realize, and if we know how to recognize and foster their abilities rather than do everything for them,

02/02/2024

So happy to share this beautiful picture of Baby Manuel with Mom Sole and I was privileged to be part of her birth journey. She wrote "As a new mom, I was anxious about childbirth and eager to prepare myself as best as I could to have a safe and happy experience. Ann met with me every two weeks to check in and shared a lot of helpful material regarding labor and delivery, nursing, and baby care in the first months of life. One of the most helpful things she introduced me to was the Gentle Birth App. This app uses meditation and hypnosis to prepare women for the physical, mental, and spiritual transformation that comes with motherhood. The different audios provided by the app helped me cultivate a positive and relaxed mindset about labor and delivery, which really paid off when my baby finally decided to arrive in this world. I used my favorite audio when I was in labor, and it really helped me relax, focus, and deal with pain without feeling overwhelmed or scared. There are many good things that I can say about Anna’s mentoring and help. Being from another country (Chile), she helped me navigate the US healthcare system and know what to expect. Finally, I loved Anna’s flexible approach and her openness to dedicating time to the topics I was interested in. Thank you, Ann! My baby Manuel, my husband Hernán, and I will be forever grateful."

09/23/2023

Last Monday I was at a conference called "Calming An Overactive Brain" which rated mindfulness practices very highly. That conference was sponsored by the Institute for Brain Potential.
This article by midwife Tracy Donegan on the benefits of mindfulness practices as a way to change pain perception in labor and our relationship to stressful thoughts and feelings is so interesting.

Mindfulness: an intervention to promote maternal and infant wellbeing By Tracy Donegan, Midwife and childbirth educator in California and founder of GentleBirth Small pilot studies exploring pregnancy and mindfulness suggest this intervention is associated with lower levels of psychological distress...