Doula or Don't Ya

Doula or Don't Ya I'm a trained birth & postpartum doula from Methodist Hospitals Doula Volunteer Program in Sacrament

You need as much, if not MORE fuel for your body after baby๐Ÿฅ—๐Ÿ’๐Ÿซ๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ’ฆ๐Ÿ’ชAnd lots of rest!
08/27/2025

You need as much, if not MORE fuel for your body after baby๐Ÿฅ—๐Ÿ’๐Ÿซ๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ—๐Ÿ’ฆ๐Ÿ’ชAnd lots of rest!

Please check Jessica out if you are in need of any lactation services or just need evidence based information. Sheโ€™s tru...
07/30/2025

Please check Jessica out if you are in need of any lactation services or just need evidence based information. Sheโ€™s truly a wonderful person and professional ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿป https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=696047530086464&id=100090436681504&mibextid=wwXIfr

Calling all mamas (and mamas-to-be)!

At Growing Together, we're your go-to support squadโ€”from pregnancy, through birth, and into those surprising postpartum days. Whether you're wondering about breastfeeding, looking for a doula, or craving friendly expertise in those sleepy, messy, beautiful early days, we've got your back with virtual and in-person care throughout Sacramento & the Bay Area.

Follow us to get practical tips, baby care wisdom, and first dibs on new servicesโ€”because navigating parenthood is so much better together!

Find your team, find your village ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿป
07/14/2025

Find your team, find your village ๐Ÿซถ๐Ÿป

๐ŸƒHaving your partner in sync with you during labor is the best natural way, to get the endorphins and dopamine to flow t...
07/09/2025

๐ŸƒHaving your partner in sync with you during labor is the best natural way, to get the endorphins and dopamine to flow through your body, to keep labor moving. My FAVORITE thing to teach as a doula, is just that.
๐ŸƒThese positions during labor are best done with your loved one. Iโ€™d love to support you in learning how to effectively practice for the BIG DAY!

02/18/2025

๐—จ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—•๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐˜†โ€™๐˜€ ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐˜€๐—ถ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—•๐—ถ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ต! ๐Ÿ‘ถ

Did you know that how your babyโ€™s head enters the birth canal can impact your birthing experience? Here are three different head-down positions babies may be in during labor:

๐Ÿ”น ๐—ฉ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ฒ๐˜… ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป (๐—ข๐—ฝ๐˜๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐˜€๐—ถ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป) โœ…
Babyโ€™s head is fully flexed, with the chin tucked to the chest. This makes birth easier, as the smallest part of the head enters first!

๐Ÿ”น ๐—ฆ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฝ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป (๐—ฃ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น๐˜† ๐—™๐—น๐—ฒ๐˜…๐—ฒ๐—ฑ) ๐Ÿค”
In this position, the babyโ€™s head is not fully tucked but held more neutral. This can make birth take a little longer, but many babies still shift into a better position during labor.

๐Ÿ”น ๐—•๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ป๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป (๐—˜๐˜…๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ ๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ) โš ๏ธ
Babyโ€™s head is slightly tilted back, with the forehead leading. This creates a wider diameter for birth, which can make labor more challenging. Some babies adjust naturally during contractions, but providers may offer additional options if needed.

๐Ÿ’ก ๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ฝ?
Movement, relaxation, and hypnosis can encourage babies to settle into the best position for birth. Trust your body, stay mobile, and create a calm birthing environment!

Did your baby start in one position and shift before birth? Share your story in the comments! ๐Ÿ’ฌ๐Ÿ‘‡

Great for preparing for birth๐Ÿ’œ
02/01/2025

Great for preparing for birth๐Ÿ’œ

Call me โ˜Ž๏ธ ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ’•
01/31/2025

Call me โ˜Ž๏ธ ๐Ÿ˜‰๐Ÿ’•

Readโฌ‡๏ธ๐Ÿ””very easily confusing. There is a HUGE difference.
01/12/2024

Readโฌ‡๏ธ๐Ÿ””very easily confusing. There is a HUGE difference.

The 'fetal ejection reflex' is NOT the 'Ferguson reflex' (spontaneous pushing). Yet, I see the terms used incorrectly and interchangeably everywhere. I think this is a symptom of our current recirculation of surface-level misinformation in the birth culture. As a stickler for detail I twitch every time I see the term 'fetal ejection reflex' misused ๐Ÿฅด๐Ÿคฃ I usually save these types of longer rants for the Collective, but here you go...

FERGUSON REFLEX
Discussed in an article by James Kenneth Wallace Ferguson in 1941 (another female bodily function named after a man). AKA 'utero-pituitary reflex' relates to when the baby's head descends and stretches the cervix and pelvic tissues stimulating receptors in these tissues to create a feedback loop that increases oxytocin and changes the contraction pattern to stronger and more expulsive. This is the normal uncontrollable spontaneous urge to push.

FETUS EJECTION REFLEX
This term was initially coined by Newton, Foshee and Newton concerning experiments on mice. Michel Odent applied the term to physiological human birth in his article 'The Fetus Ejection Reflex'. In the article, Odent discusses his theory of physiologic fear where the fetus ejection reflex is initiated by a surge of adrenaline and catecholamines. This reflex results in an extremely fast birth ie. immediate ejection of the baby as an evolutionary survival mechanism initiated by a threat (predator) at the end of labour. In his article, Odent writes "The fetus ejection reflex must not be confused with the Ferguson reflex. The Ferguson reflex is triggered by the pressure of the presenting part on the perineal musclesโ€“in other words, local factorsโ€“while the fetus ejection reflex can start much earlier and is not triggered by local factors."
You can find more birth-related information on my blog, podcast, YouTube, articles, books, courses and collective at www.rachelreed.website

Iโ€™m baaaaack baby! The last year was EXTREMELY rough. I lost both of my parents, 3 months apart. Our youngest was strugg...
01/08/2024

Iโ€™m baaaaack baby! The last year was EXTREMELY rough. I lost both of my parents, 3 months apart. Our youngest was struggling mentally and needed a lot of support. We moved, our son moved to Texas ( heโ€™s back nowโ™ฅ๏ธ)

Life was hard & doula life got put on the back burner unfortunately. I just couldnโ€™t emotionally, mentally or physically serve & support the way many needed & I wanted! Buuuut I am ready & looking to get back in slowly. Looking to start Road Map to Labor workshops in March!

Thank you to all who follow this page and have reached out. I ๐Ÿ’ฏ appreciate you๐Ÿ™

To kick things off letโ€™s try to get back in touch!
Drop your heart โฌ‡๏ธ Letโ€™s DOULA this!

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1200 Barnhill Lane
Lincoln, CA
95648

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Insights

My name is Joni Tuttle, I am 40 years old and have been married to my best friend for 17 years. We have 3 wonderful children 19, 16 and 9. I have been A native to the Sacramento Valley my whole life. I was blessed that I got to stay home and raise my beautiful babies for so long. But now, they are much older and the timing was finally right for me to pursue my passion. I have had amazing support from them and many wonderful friends and family and Am very thankful for that. So, I thought iโ€™d share with you all how and why, I wanted to became A Doula.

I was A young Mom of 19 years old, and about to give birth for the first time in 2000. I was scared and totally overwhelmed with the whole process. Terrified my body would not perform its instinctual job, of making A human and giving birth. I watched every medical show, read every book I could get my hands on to help make myself feel secure. It helped A little but over all, I was left feeling more anxious and confused. My Mom and then partner did their best to reassure me, it would all be OK. My Mom reminisced about her labor with me, but to be fair it was A scheduled C-section in 1979, so not much to go on from that, she was knocked out in what I imagined, was A psychedelic kind of coma. But letโ€™s be real , neither of them had A PHD behind their name, so most of their advice or stories they told, I threw out the window lol.

I delivered my baby girl vaginally, 6 1/2 hours after going into labor, 2 weeks before my due date. With help from an epidural and A lot of vomiting, which helped to push her out ( who knew epidurals made you nausea's ). I survived, she was healthy and beautiful! What more could I of asked for right?! God gave me, the best gift ever! But after the initial exhaustion wore off, I was left feeling down and A little disappointed. Not to mention hours later, I still was numb and couldnโ€™t feel my feet. Another fun side effect from the epidural. I wanted to get out of that dang hospital bed but couldnโ€™t. Mostly, I figured my downed mood was postpartum rearing its ugly head. But after some thought it donned on me, the birth of my daughter was so medical and sterile. We were alone during a lot of it, unless A machine buzzed or alarmed, we did not see anyone until it was time. We were just sorta left to โ€œlyโ€ there and labor alone. I felt like I missed the whole amazing birth process, so many women talked about. I felt gypped. My baby was perfect but lethargic for 2 days after. I could barely get her to stay awake long enough to eat. I had no idea that it too, was A side effect of the epidural drug. It just was, what it was.

Looking back now, I know I definitely would of wanted to experience the feeling of my contractions and being able to be free to move about if I wanted too. To have someone there encouraging me, that I could do this with out drugs and let my body lead me, instead of fear taking over, would of been amazing! I did not know my options back then almost 20 years ago. I had no idea what A Doula even was. But by about 2004-2005 it started to become more popular and I could see it wasnโ€™t just A โ€œhippieโ€™ thing. That more and more families were hiring them. I become totally enthralled and just knew this was my calling. I felt empowered, I could help these people one day! After years of dreaming about it, I finally put my energy into motion and did it! Weather you are looking for A Doula or thinking about wanting to become one, Iโ€™d love to be apart of that, for you.