Elizabeth Holcomb Doula Services of Northeast Alabama

09/03/2021

09/03/2021

08/25/2020

08/25/2020

🤣🤣🤣

Made by Danielle Jurek!

08/12/2020

When I was nursing my first little one, we had a black Chevy Nova and there was a hole lot of milk spray on the dashboard. It was clear that milk didn’t just come out from one single hole. You may have noticed this, too.⁠
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But years ago, midwives at The Farm in Tennessee, enrolled in nursing school, were told by an OB that it does come out of just one hole. Amongst them, several were breastfeeding, so they showed him – it’s a spray.⁠
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It's easy to be convinced that the person in the white coat knows more about how your body works than you do. But you know your body better than anyone else. You are the expert, you are the authority.⁠
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What I love about this story is that it reminds us that it’s the experienced women - the mothers and grandmothers who have done this before - that can often teach us the most. If our own bodies are the library; each other's are the university.⁠
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If you are a pregnant or new mama I encourage you to reach out to the experienced mamas, the grandmothers, and aunts, the healers, the wise women and sages in your circle. The women who have walked this path ahead of you - sometimes three, four, five times - so that they can tell you where it gets steep, where the pitfalls are, where to stop, rest, replenish. You don't have to carve your own trail when there are hundreds and thousands of footsteps to follow.⁠ I’m here for you, too.
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And what if your milk isn’t coming out in a spray right bod - because you’re struggling to produce enough? It’s so emotionally wrenching to be worrying about your baby’s weight while trying to establish feeding your baby and can be filled with so much anxiety and dread! Often I’m asked about herbs. These are my top 3 from my own wise woman basket:⁠
🌿 Fenugreek ⁠
🌿 Silymarin, an extract from from Milk Thistle ⁠
🌿 Moringa ⁠
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And please continue to turn to the wise women for support. Happy , mamas 🧡
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08/06/2020

P L A C E N T A❤️
the only temporary organ, a multifunctional organ, acting as baby's lungs to supply oxygen, kidneys to filter out waste, and as gastrointestinal and immune systems by delivering nutrients and antibodies.
• MATERNAL SIDE:
attached to uterine wall
• FETAL SIDE:
connected to baby via umbilical cord
✨The placenta detaches from the inside of the uterus after the baby is born, this leaves behind a wound 6-8 inches in diameter that needs time for healing to ward off infection and hemorrhaging—at least 4-6 weeks for the wound to completely heal.
One of the many reasons birth givers need lots of rest and community care to recover & heal✨
**that is an internal wound the size of a dinner plate but does reduce with the contraction of the uterus (involution)**
Be gentle with yourself!



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08/05/2020

Just another day of saying Happy World Breastfeeding Week!! ❤

07/30/2020

The theme for World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-August 7) is breastfeeding for a healthier planet! 🌍

I love this!! As someone who believes that worldwide female empowerment in addition to sustainable lifestyle choices, can help our Mother Earth, I’m looking forward to the content that will be shared! Sharing my knowledge and experience in breastfeeding is my FAVORITE part of my job. One reason I offer my lactation support for free!! Most people know how passionate I am about breastfeeding, but those of you who dont know I breastfed all 4 of my children,I breastfed through pregnancy, I breastfed a toddler and baby at the same time and I also have breastfed someone else's baby when they needed a break and the baby only would take the b**b.
If you have any any questions please feel free to message me!!
❤️🌍🤱🏼🤱🏽🤱🏻🤱🏿

07/10/2020

If there was one ritual I'd like to see banned before 40 weeks, it's the stretch-and-sweep, aka membrane stripping.

The routine stretch-and-sweep is performed during a vaginal exam at any time beginning around 37 weeks. Mothers are seldom told it was done.

A stretch-and-sweep involves having the provider's gloved fingers manually stretch open the cervix and then strip the baby's amniotic sack away from the cervical opening. The baby's amniotic sack is normally adhered to the opening of the cervix in a way that prevents infectious agents from reaching the baby. It's one of pregnancy's many safe-guards.

It's believed that manually dilating the cervix and separating the sack from the opening of the cervix will release extra prostaglandins that could stimulate labour.

Only prostaglandins don't trigger normal labour. It's a hormone that ripens the cervix. It's actually the baby's lungs that trigger labour when they secrete a protein just when they're ready for air-breathing. Then oxytocin from mama's brain brings on contractions.

A membrane stripping is intended to "prevent induction". What your provider is saying to you (if they tell you) is:

"I will perform a mechanical induction to start labour artificially so that you might avoid a chemical induction after your due date with IV oxytocin in the hospital."

Yes. A stretch-and-sweep is an induction that is meant to "prevent" induction. It is meant to bypass your baby's lungs and all of the safety mechanisms of human birth to get the baby out before the baby is ready.

It can hurt.
It can make you bleed.
It can cause your water to break meaning you now are expected to go to the hospital for a chemical induction.
It can introduce infection.

Some studies say that doing a membrane stripping doesn't shorten pregnancy. Other studies say it can shorten pregnancy by a couple of days. All studies say it introduces many risks to you and your baby.

07/02/2020

Hey!!
I just wanted to let everybody know I am still currently booked up with births through august!!! 🥰🤰
I still have some spots left for my placenta services & henna belly art!🙌
I will always have 24/7 unlimited free breastfeeding and bereavement support, never be afraid to call,message or text me.🤱.

06/25/2020

06/10/2020

June 6th is International Homebirth Day!❤💜

06/09/2020

Welcome to Pride Month 2020!

In my business i celebrate love - all love. I recognize that families come in all shapes and sizes, and i support all of them.

My wish for Pride is for you to have a fun, loved-up, generous and safe month. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

06/08/2020

06/05/2020

What struggles in motherhood have you faced as a black mama? Let’s start a conversation about this

*Though it shouldn’t have to be said - this is a safe space and any racist and rude comments will be an automatic ban*

Credit: https://instagram.com/_happyasamother?igshid=sh7mae7n8ln6

06/01/2020