SooozDoula

11/19/2025

Comfort measures for labor can keep you on a good path!

11/12/2025

I'm living proof of a breech birth! It's just a variation.
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Why Aren’t More Breech Babies Born at Home? by Karin Peacock
I have fewer than 100 births under my belt. As a student midwife, I am always asking questions and wondering about the “whys” of birth. The majority of my birth work has been done within the walls of a free-standing birth center attended by local CNMs and CPMs and only serving low-risk mothers. However, after recently witnessing my first frank breech delivery at a homebirth, I realized how relaxed, gentle and normal breech birth can be. I can’t stop asking the world, “Why aren’t more breech babies born at home?”
https://f.mtr.cool/eobovbvoup

11/09/2025

Thinking of a special gift, for that special someone, during a special time? Consider the gift of a doula!

10/19/2025

Our blueprinting begins pretty early on! Stay tuned for my upcoming blog piece on how to determine (or not) the s*x of your baby!
Just seven days after fertilization, male and female embryos already follow very different paths. Cornell University researchers found that in cow embryos—often used as models for human development—male embryos activate genes for rapid growth and energy use, while female embryos switch on genes tied to immunity, inflammation, and reproductive development.
These differences appear before hormones or organs even exist. That tells us s*x influences biology from the very start. In the study, scientists used RNA sequencing to compare gene activity in male (XY) and female (XX) bovine blastocysts. They found hundreds of genes expressed differently between s*xes.
Why does this matter to you? Because many diseases affect men and women differently—heart disease, autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions. If male and female development diverge so early, treatments and drug trials need to consider those differences from the ground up.
Also, this work could improve IVF success rates and livestock breeding programs, by tailoring approaches to s*x-specific embryo needs.
We often think s*x differences begin at puberty. But here’s what the data show: your biological s*x starts shaping your health far earlier. Knowing that allows you to ask better questions—and push for medicine that works for every body.
Shi, M., et al. (2025). Sex-biased transcriptome in in vitro produced bovine early embryos. Cell & Bioscience. DOI: 10.1186/s13578-025-01459-x

10/19/2025

Another fascinating fact regarding pregnancy! A 2019 study in Science Advances by Herman Pontzer from Duke University found that pregnancy requires about 2.2 times the body’s basal metabolic rate, meaning a woman burns roughly double her normal energy for months. The research compared pregnancy’s energy demand to extreme endurance feats like the Tour de France and ultramarathons, showing it surpasses them in sustained effort. Unlike athletes who endure for hours, pregnancy maintains intense metabolic strain for nine months, pushing the heart, lungs, kidneys, and metabolism to adapt, making it one of the most demanding endurance feats in human biology.

10/07/2025

I love a good piece of history, but this is pretty wild.
Women in 1915 being prepared for "twilight sleep" births. While these images may look like scenes from horrific procedures forced on them without their consent, twilight sleep was in fact something that women chose in the early 20th century, and many women's organizations fiercely advocated for in the USA.
Twilight sleep originated in a clinic in Freiburg in around 1903. At the onset of labor, the patient would receive a dose of morphine (a painkiller) and scopolamine, a drug which can induce amnesia and an altered state of consciousness. The patient was given minimal sensory input, often with earplugs and eyes covered, lying in a pod and sometimes restrained to prevent getting up. This served to prevent memories from forming. This protocol meant that as far as you were aware, you went to sleep and the next thing you remembered, you'd be handed your newborn.
Wealthy European women found this procedure very positive, and news of the "painless childbirth" spread to the USA. "Twilight Sleep Associations" formed, advocating for the procedure to be rolled out in the country and talks were given promoting positive experiences. Demand skyrocketed for the procedure. Many doctors were resistant to adopting the methods, although they were pitted against women's organizations demanding it. Eventually, more and more American doctors started to offer twilight sleep because it was so wildly popular.
Because of the mass appeal of twilight sleep, clinics in the USA frequently cut corners, not administering the drugs in the correct doses, and failing to maintain the quiet environment which prevented memories from forming. One New York twilight sleep clinic received frequent noise complaints due to the sound of the patients screaming.
Twilight sleep fell from favor almost as quickly as it rose to popularity -around 1916.
It may sound strange in the 21st century to think that people found ceding complete control to physicians and giving birth in restraints to be empowering, but at the time it was seen that way. Ultimately, all they wanted was no pain.
Images: Scopolamin-Morphine Anesthesia, 1915

08/21/2025

Science never ceases to amaze!
A baby expected to be born with a deadly genetic disease was successfully treated before birth — and is now a healthy, nearly three-year-old child.
This child was diagnosed in the womb with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type 1, the most severe form of the disease. SMA damages motor neurons, causing muscles to weaken over time, and is one of the leading genetic causes of death in babies. Most children with severe SMA don’t live past age three because their bodies lack a gene (SMN1) needed to produce a critical protein that keeps their motor neurons alive.
In the past, doctors could only treat SMA after the baby was born — but by then, damage had often already begun. In this case, doctors knew the baby was at risk due to family history, so they got special permission from the FDA to begin treatment during pregnancy. The mother was given a daily medication called risdiplam, which helps boost the production of the missing protein, during the last six weeks of pregnancy. After birth, the child continued taking the medicine orally.
Now, nearly three years later, the child is showing no signs of SMA. While ongoing treatment may still be needed, this marks a groundbreaking step in treating genetic diseases before birth — giving hope to many families in the future.

07/23/2025

Here's a great manual to labor!
This powerful side-by-side illustration reveals the critical role of cervical dilation in the birthing process. As labor progresses, the cervix thins and opens to allow the baby’s passage through the birth canal. A remarkable testament to the body’s natural design, this visual captures the incredible transition from womb to world.
Here’s a breakdown of the stages of cervical dilation:
1. Early Labor (0-3 cm):
- Cervix: Begins to dilate from 0 to 3 cm.
- Contractions: Mild and irregular. These may last 30-45 seconds and occur every 5 to 30 minutes.
- Duration: This stage can last hours or even days, especially for first-time mothers.
2. Active Labor (4-7 cm):
- : Dilates more rapidly from 4 to 7 cm.
- Contractions: Stronger, more regular, and closer together (every 3-5 minutes, lasting about 45-60 seconds).
- Duration: Typically lasts 4-8 hours.
3. Transition (8-10 cm):
- Cervix: Completes dilation from 8 to 10 cm.
- Contractions: Very strong and close together (every 2-3 minutes, lasting 60-90 seconds).
- Duration: This is the shortest but most intense phase, lasting 30 minutes to 2 hours.
4. Complete Dilation (10 cm):
- Cervix: Fully dilated at 10 cm, allowing the baby to move through the birth canal.
- Pushing Stage: Once fully dilated, the mother will begin pushing until the baby is born.
Factors Influencing Dilation:
- Parity: Women who have had previous vaginal births may dilate more quickly.
- Contractions: Effective, strong contractions aid faster dilation.
- Position and Size of Baby: The baby's position can affect how quickly the cervix dilates.
- Emotional State: Stress or anxiety can slow down labor.
Monitoring cervical dilation helps healthcare providers assess the progress of labor and make decisions about care.

06/20/2025

We've come a long way, baby!

06/17/2025

Babies are always a great source of inspiration!