Karly Nuttall Midwifery & Hormone Health

03/07/2025

Not that anyone needs more bad news right now, but this is something to be aware of before and during pregnancy in order to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. I am never a promoter of paranoia or hyper vigilance but I absolutely support a little research and a few adjustments to habits.

09/30/2024

The first couple of weeks postpartum are usually the most intense with lack of sleep, trying to get the hang of breastfeeding, processing your birth experience, having your routines turned completely upside down, and the normal anxiety that comes with that fierce protection instincts you have for your baby. Having a Monitrice on your team during this time means that you have a midwife who is coming to your home regularly to monitor the baby’s weight gain, helping with breastfeeding, monitoring your vitals and healing plus it’s someone you can call anytime with questions like “is my baby breathing normally?” Sometimes just having someone to reassure you when things are normal and providing help when things have gone a little off course is all you need to thrive as a confident parent! Especially when it’s your first baby and you have no reference point for what is normal and what is not.

09/14/2024

I’m back from my break, feeling refreshed like you do after a relaxing vacation with loved ones. If anyone is looking for a last minute doula/Monitrice for September or early October, I’ll be here for at least the rest of the year!

08/25/2024

I’m on vacation for a couple of weeks but I will be back September 13th! I still have 2 spots open for midwife-doula (monitrice) birth support due dates in November and 1 in December. The service is tailored to your needs and desires so hit me up if this sounds like something you’re looking for!

08/19/2024

Calcium, like every other nutrient, vitamin or mineral, plays an important role in pregnancy and birth. It’s calcium’s time to shine so what does it do? Many things but today I want to talk about its role in postpartum hemorrhage. Most post partum hemorrhage happens due to uterine atony. This is just a uterus that is relaxing, rather than contracting and closing the open blood vessels at the placental site. Calcium plays a significant role in muscle contractility and blood coagulation. Some places actually use it during planned cesareans to reduce blood loss by about 1 1/2 cups. I started having my clients supplement with calcium in addition to getting the recommend daily allowance in their diet and saw an enormous decline in postpartum hemorrhage. There are a few reasons for hemorrhage so it won’t prevent all of them, but it’s a great start! I recommend taking an additional 800 mg daily from a supplement but calcium is also found in plentiful amounts in food, so always start there!

Also note: calcium is best absorbed with vitamins k2 and D3.

All of my services include prenatal nutrition counseling if that is something you want to talk about!

support

07/05/2024

07/02/2024

Y’all…thanks for such a warm and friendly welcome back to birth work!

Not that anyone asked…😂 but I wanted to clarify what a Monitrice is for anyone who might want that service.

A Monitrice is a midwife or nurse acting in the role of a doula. I’m still a licensed midwife in good standing but feel Monitrice work will better support my own health and wellbeing at this time as well as provide a very unique service for San Diego.

So how is what I’m doing different from a doula or a midwife?
As a midwife I can monitor vitals, including the baby’s heart rate during labor. I recognize efficient vs dysfunctional labor patterns and know how to get things back on track in most cases. Like a doula, a Monitrice is not a primary care provider for prenatal visits or during the birth and does not catch the baby or manage the labor once we move from home to the hospital or birth center.

After the parents return home from their place of burth, I start acting as a primary care provider. Postpartum, I come to the home 4 times in the first 2 weeks after giving birth. These visits are a combination of a midwife home visit and an hour of postpartum doula work, about 2-3 hours each. I check on the feeding, baby care, maternal mental health, vitals, discuss family planning, and can make recommendations for supplements if needed. I can also help with whatever is a priority for you! Light massage? Meal prep? Help with the laundry or holding baby while you shower? I’m happy to help with all that!

I think this position will evolve with time as I better learn the priorities of the families I work with.

06/27/2024

Hi hi! After a very long break I’m excited to announce I’m taking birth clients again! For now I will be exclusively taking Monitrice (doula) clients and postpartum clients but I will also be assisting at home births starting now. I hope to be getting to know many of you in the near future and am looking forward to serving San Diego in this capacity again! 💕💕