Gracie Cooney- Birth Doula

08/27/2022

03/13/2022

I just wanted to make a post to say that I do not keep up with this page, if you would like to get in touch please send a text or email. :) Thank you! (Photo by Kendra Farris Photography )

08/16/2020

Great news!!!

History has been made in Kentucky! We now have at least four Licensed Certified Professional Midwives! And we expect several more licenses to be processed and issued this coming week!
This marks the first time since 1975 that credentials have been issued in Kentucky to Direct Entry Midwives.
Kentucky families demanded a legal pathway for their midwives, and now it has become a reality!

07/07/2020

Love this visual! And what she says- ultimately the goal is to give birth to your baby in whatever position feels right to you in the moment, but this can be helpful to have in your mind! :)

You see this... now turn your phone to landscape, either way... can you see the difference in the angle that the baby and pelvis make?

Your baby has a more direct exit if you are in an upright position.

If you are laying on your back, your baby has to travel round a bend to be born, which can take slightly longer in many cases.

The priority is your comfort and your instincts, you get in the position that feels right for you at the time. It is always worth baring in mind though, that it can help to change position 😊

Have you had any thoughts about birth positions?
・・・
Thank you
📸

06/03/2020

I found this helpful in thinking about raising my own babies. 🧡

Good ideas here...

05/21/2020

So good. I love when partners are right there with their women while giving birth. As a doula I try to encourage the partner to be involved and present and help them feel confident in their ability to care for their love.

Let’s talk about something I hear all the time ... it’s usually told as some sort of joke, but there is an edge of truth and real fear in it ... when it comes from birthing people it usually is something like... “well, we want to save SOME of the romance in our marriage ... he doesn’t need to be THAT involved, if you know what I mean...” meaning that she doesn’t want her partner to be shocked or even “grossed out” by seeing their baby being born. Partners have their own version of this joke. But let me tell you, from a person who has attended hundreds of births, there is nothing more romantic you can do than have someone’s baby... birthing people have this glow that one only gets when oxytocin is flowing.... and the look of honest admiration that partners get it absolutely priceless. .....We have been sold an idea that we have to remain mysterious, and our beauty is for the consumption of others, defined by others ... but let me tell you that there is nothing more beautiful than the raw vulnerable sacrifice a mother makes... it’s undeniable, and visible in the way he looks at you.

05/13/2020

So beautiful.

05/11/2020

Giving birth while there's a COVID-19 outbreak is stressful. And many new parents feel incredibly alone.

04/25/2020

To all the mamas of new babes.

Irish poet Gráinne Evans, mother to three, shares a glimpse of how we might look back on with a newborn.

04/02/2020

There’s is understandably a lot of interest in home birth right now. I don’t believe a homebirth should be a choice you make purely out of fear of the hospital, but because you feel that it’s the best choice for you and your family. This is a helpful read for anyone in Kentucky who may have questions about switching to homebirth during this pandemic. 🧡

If you have planned a hospital birth but are now considering home birth due to the COVID-19 virus or the recent change in your hospital’s support person/visitor policy, this post is for you! …

01/02/2020

Warm water is a wonderful way to manage pain during labor! 🙏🏻 Norton women and children’s and UofL have inflatable tubs that you can labor in, which is wonderful. But know ahead of time that you won’t be able to actually push your baby out in the tub. Tree of Life birthing center in Indiana is the only place where you can actually give birth in the water, unless you opt for a Home birth with a midwife- who will doubtless have a portable birthing tub for you to use. 💦

Researchers from the University of Michigan say the risk of infection and ICU admissions for newborns, and of postpartum hemmorhage for women, are the same

12/26/2019

What a beautiful birth. I don’t really have words for this but I think it speaks for itself. Merry Christmas! 🧡

12/22/2019

Repost from my friend Melissa Abernathy Birth Doula. Want to have a glass of wine this Christmas but breastfeeding? Read this to your loving but concerned family member. 😉

12/11/2019

Don’t get me wrong, frankincense is fantastic, we could all use a little extra gold, I honestly don’t have much experience with myrrh-but I hear good things. 😉 Anyway, this gave me a chuckle. Praise the Lord for the meal train website, am I right?

12/06/2019

This week I had the honor or attending the birth of my niece. I was there as a doula and while it was meant to be a homebirth there we some complications and sweet baby girl was born via cesarean. It was my first experience where a natural vaginal delivery was not the outcome- and I’m so thankful to have been welcomed into that space to serve and love on my sister. It was a privilege to witness her prepare for a homebirth, labor at home faithfully and bravely, make the hard decision to transfer, and welcome her little one into the world in a way she hadn’t intended- all with such grace and joy. I’m so proud of her. Sometimes our plans don’t work out the way we hoped they would, but none of the planning was wasted and this story happened exactly how it was meant to. (Photo and story shared with permission)

12/06/2019

Do all things in love. (This from Spinning Babies)

11/22/2019

Visitors- if you see dishes in the sink, don’t ask, just wash them. Laundry needing to be folded, fold laundry while you visit instead of holding baby. Make this first visit all about loving on the new parents. Please wash your hands and be prepared that the new parents might not want you or anyone to hold their child yet. Also, if you bring a meal be ok with not getting your container back for a little while, or plan to pick it up yourself.

A good visual to post before baby arrives.

11/19/2019

I get asked what the difference between a Midwife and a Doula is quite often. There is a MAJOR difference so here’s some handy little charts to explain the difference and the scope of practice for a Doula. I’d love to hear if this surprised you or if you already knew this information!