Aces Doula Services

01/28/2021

Sale time! From today until Valentine’s Day, I am running a 20% off any package purchased!

12/03/2020

When you’re pregnant and you feel a small gush of warm fluid, you may think “this is it! Time to call everyone!” Or “oh no, this cannot be, it’s too early.”

In the famous words of Dr. Dre, hold 🆙 wait a minute ✋🛑...

Pregnancy changes cervical fluid quite a bit, and it’s not unusual to have large amounts of clear, thin, even watery cervical fluid show up on your underwear or run down your leg.

Also consider that it could JUST be p*e. Our pelvic floor has a lot of pressure on it during pregnancy, it’s not crazy to imagine that we could have a little p*e leakage. And p*e can be clear and odorless if we are very well hydrated especially.

So you aren’t sure, what’s next?

Having Amnicator test strips or swabs at home can eliminate confusion. They are cheap and you can get them on any birth supply website. If you’re unsure on your results, take another one, or two to give you clarity.

Go p*e, then put on a pad. If you continue to saturate pads, it’s likely that it is your sac that broke!

Consider the following as well:

-If it is just a small leak of amniotic fluid, does that indicate that it is truly labor time? Probably not. Leaks are likely to reseal.

-If it is your amniotic fluid and your water fully breaks soon, but you’re not having any contractions, would you want to alert your providers at this time or would you want to wait? Usually when you alert your providers, you are put on a timeline to deliver by X amount of hours without intervention, so maybe it’s actually best for you to wait until your contractions begin!

That being said, if you have a history of premature labor, or incompetent cervix, you may not want to wait around or take chances guessing and that is totally valid. If it would be life or death for your baby if this is your water that has broken, go in to either ease your peace of mind or get intervention to cease the labor.

How long was your water broken before you had your baby? Was the water breaking your first sign of labor or did it happen much later? Did you know only 10% of women have their water break before labor begins?

12/01/2020

Alright guys we are coming into December! I’m running 10% off all month long on all services! Now accepting new clients.

10/07/2020

As someone who had HG throughout their ENTIRE pregnancy, I am here to say it isn’t always beautiful. Sometimes it is hard, sometimes herbal remedies work, sometimes they don’t. Sometimes it is IV fluids, and hospital admissions because the dehydration is so bad, but in the end it is worth it. HG is over looked by SO many providers. Pregnancy can be beautiful, but it’s okay when it isn’t. ❤️

Hyperemesis Gravidarum is NOT morning sickness. It's debilitating and can leave you unable to eat, drink or perform any normal activity for months.

When you have hyperemesis gravidarum, you vomit a lot, sometimes almost constantly. This can lead to problems like dehydration and weight loss. Morning sickness often fades by the end of the first trimester, but hyperemesis gravidarum usually lasts longer.

It generally strikes between the 4th and 6th week of pregnancy, and may be at its worst around weeks 9 to 13. The vomiting is so severe, most women are unable to go about their typical daily activities. Symptoms usually get better by the 20th week, but not always.
Doctors don't know what causes it, but they believe it's related to a rise in hormone levels.

Women who had the condition during their first pregnancy have a higher chance of getting it again during the next one. There’s no known way to prevent it, though taking a multivitamin before getting pregnant may help a little.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/TheBirthImpact
www.TheBirthImpact.com

Mother & Photo Cred: Kimberly Hopkins Photography

09/04/2020

08/26/2020

YOU have the power to decide what you want. This small list is just the tipping point of choices YOU get to make. You and only YOU are in charge of what happens to your body, and Your baby in a delivery room!

You have intimate knowledge of your body, your partner has intimate knowledge of you, Doulas? We have intimate knowledge on birth!

You should be informed of these interventions entail.

You should know the benefits and risks

You get to be make the decision.

Ask questions. Inquire. This is your baby. Your child. YOU ARE EMPOWERED!

Grab up your doula, go over these so you know what they mean. Establish your birth plan and what you want and don't want!

Contact me to go over your birth plan and discuss your needs and wants!

(This list is not made up things I am saying you should or should not decline, simply a list of information for you to be knowledgeable, informed, and empowered)

08/04/2020

Wow! Look how amazing this is! It’s amazing what out bodies do and create!

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!

08/04/2020

Hospital policies are simply that, just policies. The only person who decides what happens to you in a delivery room is YOU! You can say no, ask questions! Hire a doula, they will help educate and support you with any choice you make. It’s YOUR birth!

07/31/2020

Yes! This!

Did you get an episiotomy? have you witnessed one being performed?
Did you understand what was about to happen because the procedure was completely explained and consent was sought??
Here is what I have seen in 12 years as a midwife: the woman is pushing her baby out, there is some kind of unwelcome delay from the perspective of the care provider and they choose to do an episiotomy (cutting through the v***a to mechanically enlarge the va**nal opening), the practitioner says ‘I’m going to cut you/give you a little snip to get this baby out, ok?’... the woman may or may not give the practitioner the ‘go ahead’, she may or may not even know what ‘little snip means’ ... but she gets an episiotomy anyway.
Some practitioners believe that if a woman looks like she is about to have a significant perineal tear during childbirth then they should cut an episiotomy BUT we know that when we reduce episiotomy rates we also reduce the number of women experiencing severe perineal/va**nal trauma (seems common sense, but anyway, there is research on that)
Making a decision on the spot, whilst pushing out a baby is not the time to decipher if you want an episiotomy or if you even need one ... make educating yourself about episiotomy a priority during pregnancy so you are clear about what you want and know before going in... and as always, your choice has supreme authority
Research papers: Juang et al (2017) selective vs routine use of episiotomy for va**na birth. Cochrane database of systematic reviews.
Hannah Dahlen in ‘the conversation’, episiotomy during childbirth: not just a ‘little snip’
**nalbirth

07/30/2020

Are you or someone you know pregnant? Aces doula services is excepting clients!

07/27/2020

Check this out!

07/27/2020