Birth About It

08/24/2022

08/23/2022

Being a doula isn't just about showing up during labor. It's just as important to show up the days leading up to it. I answered the phone for a mama who called a handful of doulas before me who all turned her down because she wanted to try a va**nal birth after 3 previous C-sections. But in a world full of Doulas you have to find a way to stand out. There was no way I was going to turn this mama down. Little did I know that her labor would go on for three straight days and would end with another C-section. Corey called me saying she thought she was in labor because she was having contractions 4 minutes apart and they'd been going on for hours. I met her at the hospital, and sadly they sent her home a few hours after we arrived. I decided it was best for me to stay and support her through contractions because she'd never experienced such strong painful contractions in her previous births. We were together for three straight days and both of us had a total of 4 hours of sleep in total. Sadly her ob-gyn told her it was best to go ahead and schedule another c-section because her baby might not make it through va**nal birth. Being a doula means you support mama through the labor process, which looked a little different for this beautiful mama! The support she needed from me was needed when she realized that her dream of va**nal birth for her last baby was no longer possible. At that moment she needed emotional support more than anything. On the morning of her C-section, we woke up extremely early to go have her baby. Even with no sleep for three days as a doula, it's my job to show up and be helpful in every way possible. So that’s what I did! Mama had a beautiful healthy baby boy who was perfect in every single way! I learned more from those 3 days than I could have ever imagined learning. It's not always about the actual labor, it's the before, during, and after that means the most!!!

05/30/2022

05/04/2022

Placenta Print!!

11/23/2021

What’s your perfect birth look like? Who is there? What is going on around you? Where are you delivering? Lily was my planned home birth, my last baby. While being my third delivery there were many firsts for me!! Including having a doula and two midwives.

Lily was born June 4th at the bottom of my stairs surrounded by the best support I could ever ask for. Was that how I planned it? NOPE! I planned or had hopes that I would give birth to Lily in my bed so I was able to immediately bring her to my chest and do skin to skin. The funny thing about labor is things do not always go as planned.

I went into labor around 1 am the night before and labored all night alone with my husband in our downstairs bathtub as he slept on the floor in the bathroom. As 8 am rolled around the midwives were called. At 10:30 my best girlfriend arrived followed by my doula. It was perfect, I had everyone who I wanted surrounding me.

A few hours later, my labor progressed and my amniotic sack was broken by the midwife, but there were no signs of Lily. My blood sugar dropped drastically and along with that fear started settling in. The pain made me almost pass out. We tried many different positions, but she was not coming out. After several hours of pushing, we learned Little Miss Lily was posterior and that her head was lodged crooked preventing her from coming out. Even as a mom who’s done this before the pain seemed unceasing.

At this point, I was sleep deprived, fatigued, and felt my body was at it’s threshold. My midwife looked at me and said if I didn’t get up and walk down my stairs I would need to be transferred to the hospital. After lots of convincing and help, I made it to the top of my stairs. Two steps in I looked at my husband and told him I gave up I couldn’t do this anymore. Well, Lily had other plans, because as I took the next step it unlodged her head causing her to finally descend down as I made my way down step by step.

So as I stood at the bottom of my stairs surrounded by the best support I could have asked for, we got to see my sweet Lily come into this world! My beautiful doula took a photo in which I will always cherish!! Was that how I planned my last birth??? Heavens no!! Would I go back and change how it went??? Absolutely not. The love and support by the people I chose to be there filled my house with love, support and made each moment of pain and uncertainty worth it!!

10/15/2021

First Birth ✔️

Everything I could ask for and more! ✔️

10/13/2021

It’s your show!

10/04/2021

Let's talk umbilical cords and dehydration!

The umbilical cord carries nutrients and oxygen from your placenta into your baby's body and then carries waste material out. The umbilical cord has two arteries and one vein. The vein's job is to transport oxygen and nutrients from your placenta to your baby.

To honor and treasure this special connection, did you know the cord can be dehydrated into a lifetime keepsake? The cords shown provided life to my girls. A local placenta encapsulation specialist (or local doula) can assist or the dehydration process can be done on your own!

My middle child only had one artery and one vein which can be seen in the dehydrated cord. I was able to have my youngest child’s cord dehydrated as well. My doula formed it into a beautiful heart!

09/15/2021

The birth of my middle.

I wasn't expecting it to go as it did but I would never change it for the world. It showed me the beauty that is home birth!

I began to have contractions the whole last month I was pregnant with my sweet girl. They would be 3-4 minutes apart and would last for hours. This was extremely new for me. I only had contractions with my first born the night before my water broke. The fact that I had contractions for a whole month was confusing and a bit discouraging.

Four days before my due date I began to have contractions 3 minutes apart and they would last for 3 hours. This day they felt different and I knew I needed to go to the hospital because in my mind I was in labor.

Well, hospitals are run by a list of rules and time limits. If you don’t hit those limits they send you home. I stayed at the hospital for three hours trying to have my body progress. I walked around labor and delivery over and over, but just as I feared, they sent me home. In their mind I was not in labor.

At 12:30, we drove home. When 1:00 hit something changed, my body progressed into full-blown labor. By the time we got home at 1:30, I was contracting 46 seconds apart but in my mind, I wasn’t in labor because my water never broke.

As my contractions kept coming quicker and quicker I realized her head descended into my va**na. I could reach up and feel the top of her head with my fingers. I looked at my husband and said he needed to call 911. Then I flipped over and pushed, causing my water to finally break and Charlie flew out 3 pushes later.

My husband who is a software engineer caught little miss Charlie at home all-natural. That’s a crazy concept, right? Women are made to have babies. Our bodies are made to handle the extreme pain that is childbirth! Being able to have a healthy child at home showed me that it’s unnecessary to go to a hospital and that my body knew when it was time. There are no rules on how long it should or shouldn’t take to progress and have your baby!!

Charlie is now 4-years-old and is a sassy full spirited little one.

08/30/2021

Motivating Monday

Today I learned that one of the midwives that helped throughout my pregnancy with my third passed away. This beautiful woman was one of three amazing women who introduced me to how wonderful having a midwife is.
So today I thought I’d bring light to another extraordinarily remarkable woman who helped me understand how beautiful being a doula is to mamas. That woman is Kara. Kara was my first ever encounter with a Doula. She wasn’t my doula but she encapsulated my placenta with my middle child. She walked into my home days after I gave birth and her presence filled the room with such warmth. After talking for a couple of hours over two days I knew I needed a doula with my next birth.

So when the day came that I was pregnant again with my third, Kara was one of the first I called!!!! I knew I needed her to be my doula! Sadly, when it came to the day I went into labor she wasn’t able to make it but another doula in her team came. Kara showed up when I truly needed her most - during the days leading up to labor. The moments where I had contractions all night long for days, the moments where I thought I had nothing left to give and I cried on the edge of my bed in frustration. Kara showed up as my Doula. Those moments are moments I will never forget. Those moments were my first true experience with a doula. The first real understanding of what a doula truly does for you as a mama.

I will forever be grateful for all my interactions with Kara. Kara helped pave the way for me to take the steps to become a trained doula.

What was your first interaction with a Doula?

08/22/2021

Birth memory matters! What are some things that you remember from your births?

Wyatt - I remember I didn't know my water broke until I got out of the bathtub. I would unplug the heart monitor every 5 seconds to p*e.

Charlie - I remember feeling her head as she crowned, and then Jim catching her while we were alone at home! I remember looking up and seeing a bunch of firemen standing at the foot of my bed.

Lily - I remember Jim sleeping on the bathroom floor using a paper towel roll as a pillow in the middle of the night while I pre-labored in the tub! I eventually pushed her out while standing at the foot of my stairs after I thought I had nothing left to give!

As women, we will always remember certain things from each of our births. Whether the memories are good or bad.
My desire is to help you have positive memories and the best birth experience.

What would your ideal birth be? Who would you want at your birth?
Where would you want to labor? What smells or sounds would you want around you? What would the atmosphere be like? How would you want the lights?

It’s your birth! You make the rules!!

08/21/2021

Thank you for all the support for my page so far!!!

What would you like to see on my page?
Are there any questions you may have for me?

08/17/2021

Welcome to Birth About It!
I just wanted to tell you a little about myself.
My name is Frannie Massaro, I am a mom of three wonderful children and now a childbirth doula. After my last birth, I learned the true meaning of a fearless and powerful home birth. It made me realize what I truly was meant to do. I am so passionate about pregnancy and the entire labor process.

Fear-based births among women are far too common. My goal is to help show women their other options. I want to empower mamas to be fearless and encourage them to walk through labor naturally while feeling powerful in the process. I strongly believe women possess the natural ability to make the correct choices during childbirth. I would like to empower them to trust their mind, body, and heart. This motivated me to pursue becoming a trained doula. It doesn’t matter whether you are becoming a mama for the first time or adding another beautiful peanut into this world, I want to be your support person during the wonderful time.

08/16/2021