Two months ago my husband and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. We love to hike for our dates, but typically have to find shorter hikes because of schedule restraints. For our anniversary, though, we went all out and hiked to the summit of my favorite mountain, Mount Timpanogos! (That's its silhouette you see in my logo.)

While we hiked, I of course thought about super romantic things, like how grateful I am to be married to such a wonderful man, and how crazy it feels that we've already been married for nine whole years! But I definitely also thought about birth as we hiked. Because... well, I think about birth A LOT. Being a doula will do that to you!

As I hiked, I thought about how giving birth is like summiting a mountain.

I chose the name of my business, Summit Birth Utah, after a conversation with a doula friend, Kjell. Previously, the name of my doula business had been Sara's Birth Services, and it just felt rather ho-hum. I was chatting with Kjell about she came up with her business name, Ride the Waves Doula Services, and she said that as she considered what she wanted to name her business, a friend had asked her, "What do you find peaceful about birth?"

I adapted this question to my thoughts about birth. What do I love about birth? 

I love birth because, while giving birth, you can discover your strength in a way that's unequaled by anything else. I love birth because it teaches us about the beauty and wonder of our bodies. I love birth because it builds strong mothers and families.

I also know, that sometimes, birth isn't this way. For giving birth to be a truly empowering and transformative experience, you need preparation and support. And that is what my work as a doula is all about. As I say in the About section of my website:

So I named my business Summit Birth Utah. 

​I'd love to be by your side, supporting you as you discover your strength through birth. To schedule a free consultation to ensure we're a good fit, contact me today!

I've been hearing a lot recently that expectant couples are looking for classes that encourage them to both be involved, together, in the birth experience. Look no further!
​
Mary Caplin and I are thrilled to offer our Childbirth Class Date Night again on Friday, October 9, 2020, from 7:00-9:00 PM.

This class is a two-hour deep-dive into how to work together and come closer as a couple as you prepare for birth and experience it together. Here's a sneak peek into what the class entails:

Before the class, we'll email you to ask about what you want to get out of the class and what your priorities are. We want to make sure to tailor the information in class to your specific needs! The sooner you register, the sooner we'll be able to plan according to your situation, plans, and preferences.

As the class begins, we'll briefly get to know each other, then start talking about how to prepare for a smooth birth. We'll give tips about what you can do in pregnancy to start preparing your body and your partnership to give birth.

Then, we'll give some ideas about what to do in early labor--and how to know if it's the real deal. We'll talk about the stages of labor and how there are sign posts you can look for, although your birth experience will be unique and not exactly like anyone else's.

Then, we'll break for dessert of local gourmet cookies and tasty ice cream bars, plus cheese and fruit for the healthier crowd. As you snack, you'll keep learning about the emotions of labor and how to communicate together before and during your birth. We'll talk about what to do when the unexpected happens during your birth and how you can come out stronger as a couple if you're thrown a curve ball.

We'll watch a couple of birth videos that show couples having a positive birth experience together, and talk about things they did to facilitate that positive experience. We'll practice some hands-on comfort measures and helpful positions for labor. Then, we'll answer your questions about the "pushing" phase of giving birth. We'll close by guiding you through a couple's massage (both partners get a turn!) and answering any final questions you may have.

Throughout the class, there will be plenty of opportunities to ask your questions and get them answered. It'll be an evening packed with learning and hands-on practice in preparation for birth! ​Head on over to the Events tab to register!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Will we be totally ready for birth after taking this class?

No. We pack in as much information as we can during this two-hour class, but to truly be ready for a positive birth experience, you'll need to spend more time preparing together. We'd love to support you as your doulas and meet with you for two-three more hours during pregnancy. In addition, we recommend physical preparation (we'll talk about that in class), and we'd be happy to tell you about our favorite book recommendations. (As a client, you're welcome to borrow as many books as you can read from the lending library!)


Do you have any promo codes I can use?

Thanks for asking! We are running a special where you can knock $10 off your ticket price for every couple that you refer, until the class is full. If you refer a couple, send us an email at utahcountydoulas@gmail.com to let us know, and we'll refund you $10 when they sign up!

AND the best part? If you choose to hire us as your doulas after the class, your $50 class registration fee can be applied directly to your doula services package!


I'm planning to have an epidural when I give birth. Will this class be useful for me?

Yes! The information in this class will be meaningful for couples planning unmedicated births as well as couples planning to have an epidural. The information we share about preparing for a smooth birth, stages of labor, and some helpful positioning tips are useful whether you're medicated or unmedicated during labor. Some of the information, such as other labor positions and comfort measures, may only be relevant before anesthesia is administered, but remember that you will be without anesthesia for some of your labor--we want you to be as comfortable as possible throughout all stages of labor!


What precautions are you taking to make this class safe in the time of COVID-19?

We want you to be safe and feel comfortable at our class! We're capping the class at six couples, so there will be a maximum of 14 people in attendance (six couples plus two teachers). There will be more than six feet of space between couples, and we'll have hand sanitizer on tap. If we (the teachers) come within six feet of you to demonstrate anything, we'll wear a face covering. Based on the comfort and preferences of class members, we may also wear face shields throughout the class.


The class content sounds interesting, but I don't have a partner. Can I still come?

You're absolutely welcome to attend without a partner. If you'd be more comfortable in another setting, we'd be happy to accommodate you with a private class. Just email us at utahcountydoulas@gmail.com.


I can't make it to the October 9th class. When will you be doing this class again?

We offer this class about every three months. If you'll still be pregnant in three months, we'd love to have you come to our next class, which will likely be in early 2021! If your birth is approaching sooner than that, email us at utahcountydoulas@gmail.com about coming to your home to teach a private class.


​This all sounds great! Where can I register?

You can register on the Events tab!

Floral Scents
​Several floral scents have been shown to likely relieve stress and/or lower pain scores during labor. Diffusing lavender, jasmine, rose, or geranium into your labor and birth space can help you feel more at ease and comfortable during labor. Something I've noticed about floral scents is that people often have strong preferences towards or against certain scents. So smell a few and find a scent that you like!

Citrus Scents
I love ​the smell of citrus! When I found the picture above of the sliced open oranges, I could just smell and taste their tangy sweetness! Studies show that citrus scents can also be helpful during labor. Specifically, bitter orange (citrus aurantium) may lower pain scores, and both bitter orange and sweet orange peel (citrus sinesis) may decrease stress and anxiety during labor. Sign me up!

Peppermint for Nausea
As much as I love citrus and enjoy floral scents, the essential oil that I use most--hands down--is peppermint. An unfortunate side effect of transition in labor (when your cervix dilates from 8 cm to 10 cm) that many people experience is nausea. The rapid changes--physical and hormonal--that your body goes through during this time often lead to an upset stomach. For many of my clients, when I put a few drops of peppermint oil on a cotton pad and give it to them to inhale, their nausea goes away. It's not always effective, but it's a very handy tool to have on hand!

This is the first in a series of blog posts based on interviews I’m doing with midwives who serve Utah County. 

Today's interview is with Roxanna Maurer of Angel Baby Midwifery. Roxanna has been a midwife since she graduated from Utah School of Midwifery in 1998! She lives in Payson, Utah and attends home births in Utah County. Roxanna is a warm, loving, beautiful person—I hope this post captures some of that for you!

Last month, I chatted with Roxanna as she took a break in the shade from landscaping her backyard. She already has a thriving garden, and is expanding it with fruit trees and other plants. She shared her wisdom about the importance of good nutrition during pregnancy.

​When Roxanna takes on new clients, one of the questions she asks them is, Are you willing to take responsibility for yourself and your baby? Roxanna says, “I can talk to you till I'm blue in the face. But it's pointless if you go home and don't do anything about it.” This is especially important to Roxanna and her clients since all of her clients give birth at home. “Part of having home birth means I'm willing to take responsibility for myself,” she says. “That means you prepare for the marathon of birth.” And if you’re preparing for a marathon, you can’t be stocking up on candy bars and Diet Coke. Nutrition is critical.

So Roxanna shares a handy acronym to help her clients remember the critical nutrition components they need every day. The acronym was developed by her good friend and fellow midwife, Nikki Sasser. She says, “if you want to be a birthing queen, you need a WHOPPER every day.” And let me tell you, Nikki and Roxanna do not mean one from Burger King! (It’s also great advice for outside of pregnancy!)

W stands for whole grains. Roxanna’s disclaimer about whole grains? “I don't mean General Mills cereal that says whole grain on it because let's just be honest… it's not.” For those who are able to eat grains, she suggests oats, quinoa, millet, and brown rice as some delicious, nutritious options.

H stands for hydrate. Roxanna recommends drinking half of your weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 160 pounds, drink 80 ounces of water every day. Coconut water is also a great source of natural electrolytes—like Gatorade, but “with all the good stuff and none of the junk.”

O is for omegas. Roxanna uses the acronym BACON to remember sources of healthy fat and omegas. Butter, Avocado, Coconut, Olive oil, and Nuts.

P stands for proteins. As your blood volume increases during pregnancy, it’s important to have adequate amounts of protein. Iron and B vitamins are also critical in promoting healthy blood quality during pregnancy and having the necessary stamina for labor, birth, and early parenting, Roxanna says. (Vegans or vegetarians may need to take a B-vitamin supplement, as B-vitamins are typically found in animal products.) What sources does Roxanna recommend for protein? Beef, chicken, fish, eggs, lentils, beans and rice, nuts and seeds, protein powder drinks.”Those are a variety of ways of getting proteins in your diet.”

The second P in the WHOPPER acronym is probiotics. Probiotics “colonize the gut and break down the food.” Roxanna recommends Standard Process’s Lactic Acid Yeast as a probiotic supplement.

E stands for enzymes. Probiotics help break down the food, and enzymes continue the process. “That's the purpose of enzymes, to help you digest your food effectively,” Roxanna says. A healthy diet only does you good if your body is able to adequately digest it! Multizyme from Standard Process and TerraZyme from doTerra are options for enzyme supplements.

Lastly, the R in WHOPPER stands for the Rainbow. Eating a rainbow of healthy foods invites lots of beneficial vitamins and minerals into your diet. Go through the rainbow, and try to incorporate foods of every color. Red berries and cherries or beets, orange pumpkin, yellow squash, green salads or smoothies, blueberries, and purple plums or grapes… you get the idea!

And there you have it! Roxanna’s WHOPPER for birthing queens! Changing habits and sticking to a healthy diet can feel overwhelming, but you can do it! Check out my Top 5 Tips for Healthy Eating During Pregnancy. And to encourage yourself, here’s Roxanna’s tip: “Take a picture of success that you've had in your life and hang it in your mind.” Keep going back to that success in your thoughts; refer back to it. As you recognize other successes you’re having, “bring that into your success gallery, and refer to that. I was strong here. I can be strong here. And if I'm strong here, what else can I do?”

Pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum time are full of decisions: choosing a care provider for your pregnancy and birth; defining and communicating your birth preferences; making choices about newborn medical procedures, feeding, and care; and more! Each of these choices is affected by a variety of factors!

​As a doula, I love supporting my clients through the process of making their own informed, empowered decisions. I love watching my clients research their options, consider all the relevant factors, and move forward with the best choice for their family and circumstances.
One of my absolute favorite tools for informed choice is the BRAIN acronym.

The BRAIN acronym guides parents through each part of making a choice. For each choice, it invites you to consider:

​Benefits: What are the possible benefits of making this choice?

Risks: What are the potential risks of making this choice?

Alternatives: What alternatives can we consider? (For each alternative, you can go through the BRAIN acronym again!)

Intuition: What is my intuition telling me is the best choice for our family?

Nothing: What if I do nothing?

Let's walk through an example of how to use this acronym. Let's say, for instance, that you're trying to decide where to give birth. The BRAIN acronym works best if you choose a potential decision and work through the acronym, and then do the same thing for each alternative choice. For this example, you may begin by considering the decision to give birth at a birth center. You'd start by looking into the options near you. (In Utah county, you can check out Utah Birth Suites, Two Leaves Midwifery, and Birthing Your Way. The Draper Beautiful Mountain Birth Suites birth center is also right on the border between Salt Lake and Utah counties.)  

Next, consider the BENEFITS of giving birth at a birth center. Perhaps you like the homey feel of a birth center (compared with a hospital). You may appreciate that a birth center offers a large tub, spacious rooms to labor in, and places for your family or friends to wait. During COVID specifically, birth centers are much less likely to restrict the number of support people you can have with you during your birth. There are also fewer routine interventions and procedures done in a birth center (compared with a hospital), and you're more likely to know everyone in the room. You may also want to read this blog post about the evidence on birth centers and  ACOG's Statement on Birth Settings, which lists accredited birth centers as one of "the safest places to give birth." Throughout your research, you'll find other benefits to list as you consider making this choice.

After thinking through the BENEFITS of birthing at a birth center, research the RISKS. Think specifically about your situation and the potential risks of birthing at a birth center. If you have a high responsibility pregnancy (what some may call "high risk"), a birth center may not offer access to medical care you need. If it's likely that your baby or babies will need additional medical care at birth, a birth center doesn't have immediate NICU access. If you are planning to use epidural anesthesia during labor, this option isn't available at a birth center. And you won't stay for 24-48 hours after giving birth, but will head home within a few hours of giving birth. What other risks might be important for you to consider?

After thinking about the RISKS, ask yourself about ALTERNATIVES. Alternatives to birth centers include hospital birth and home birth. Some inns/hotels are also open to having clients give birth there (Aspenwood Manor in Provo is a beautiful option that is very open to this!) Again, for each of these possibilities, you'll want to go through the BRAIN acronym again!

Next, tune into your INTUITION. You are the only one who knows all of the factors in your unique situation. Do the work to familiarize yourself with the options and their benefits and risks, and then trust your intuition. Reflect, ponder, meditate, pray. Talk it through with your spouse/partner/doula/friend/mom/aunt/yourself. And trust that you can make the right decision for your family!

The last letter of the BRAIN acronym doesn't really apply in this scenario: doing NOTHING in your decision-making process about birth location would eventually lead to an unplanned home birth, which isn't a great option. (Planned home birth can be, though--stay tuned for an upcoming post about that!) In other situations, though, NOTHING, can be a worthwhile option to consider. Rather than consenting to having your water broken, you can choose to do NOTHING to intervene. NOTHING can also mean letting NATURE take its course, which is an option you'd want to carefully consider.

I hope that example exercise was helpful! I love that the BRAIN acronym is applicable for everything from choosing a care provider to induction to anesthesia to breastfeeding to potty training to choosing a preschool and beyond! It's a great tool for parenting!

I love that this acronym recognize and invites YOU to be the actor, the decision maker, the researcher (in consultation with care providers, medical experts, and others as needed) in your own story. Whenever there's a choice to be made, ask yourself: What are the Benefits, Risks, and Alternatives to the proposed choice? What is my Intuition telling me? What if I do Nothing?

3-5% of Americans are vegetarian, and I'm one of them!

(Well, strictly speaking, I'm a pescatarian. I do eat fish.)

People have a variety of reasons for choosing vegetarianism, from ethics to environmentalism to religion to health to personal preference. But when you're growing a whole new person, you may wonder: is it still safe and healthy, for both my baby and me, to continue being a vegetarian?

The answer is yes! You can continue being a vegetarian and still meet all of your and your baby's nutritional needs. It may take some careful planning and thoughtful eating, but you can do it!*

Just keep these guidelines in mind:

Be sure to get enough iron.
Iron is important for your red blood cells to do their job of circulating oxygen throughout your body! Eating a diet rich in Vitamin C will help you body absorb iron more efficiently. Vegetarian sources of iron include:

• legumes (lentils, beans, peanuts, etc.)
• eggs (if you eat them in your vegetarian diet)
• enriched grains
• leafy green vegetables
• dried fruit
• blackstrap molasses

Track your sources of vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12 is crucial to the healthy function of your nervous system, among other roles. Since vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal sources, you may need to plan carefully to make sure you're getting enough.
Vegetarian sources of vitamin B12:

• dairy products
• eggs
• nutritional yeast
• vitamin supplements
• fortified foods

Protein is important!
The American Pregnancy Association recommends 75-100 grams of protein per day during pregnancy. There are plenty of vegetarian sources of protein, so make sure to include them in your diet! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• nuts
• tofu
• fish or seafood, if you're a pescatarian (make sure it's fully-cooked, and avoid deep-sea fish that can have high mercury content, like shark, swordfish, king mackeral, and marlin)
• beans and other legumes
• yogurt
• eggs
• quinoa

Choose a variety of healthy foods.
Vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike should follow this advice: eat a balanced range of healthy food choices throughout your pregnancy. Limit unhealthy snacks and eat a rainbow of delicious, nutritious foods!

Always talk with your care provider.
As a doula, I love to provide informational support to my clients. However, I'm not a medical care provider, and I don't know your unique medical history. Be sure to have conversations with your midwife or OB about your diet and health throughout your pregnancy!

Now you have the Reader's Digest version of being vegetarian during pregnancy. If you decide it's the right choice for you, please do more research and make a plan for meeting your nutritional needs! You can start with the references listed below.
​
​
*Note: Some people may choose to take a break from vegetarianism while pregnant. If your intuition tells you that's the right choice for you and your baby, then do it!

REFERENCES:
https://americanpregnancy.org/your-pregnancy/pregnancy-nutrition-1008#:~:text=Pregnancy%20Nutrition%3A%20Protein,in%20your%20increasing%20blood%20supply.

​https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/4724-nutrition-during-pregnancy-for-vegetarians

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/vegetarian-and-vegan-mums-to-be/

​Your Vegetarian Pregnancy by Dr. Holly Roberts (available in my lending library)

So, your due date has come... and gone...

​Now what?

First of all, let's be clear about EDDs, or Estimated Due Dates (also called Estimated Date of Delivery). You can tell from my italics that the term estimated is critically important in understanding due dates!

Where do due dates come from?
An EDD is calculated as 280 days past the first day of your last period. EDDs can also be determined by measuring your baby during an early ultrasound, which is a more reliable method.

Here's the thing about EDDs calculated as LMP (last menstrual period) + 280 days. There's lots of room for error with that approach. Many women misremember the first day of their last period and do their best to guess. Even if you're sure of your LMP, using this day to calculate a due date assumes that you ovulate on day 14 of your cycle and have 28 day cycles. The whole idea of EDD = LMP +280 days is also based on little sound evidence. Back in 1744, Dr. Boerhaave, a professor from the Netherlends, looked at data from 100 women and concluded that most people gave birth within about 280 days of their LMP (although he didn't specify whether LMP meant the first or last day of the menstrual period. In 1812, Dr. Carl Naegele further popularized this process of EDD calculation, but he used the last day of the period as the LMP. In the 1900s, obstetric textbooks started using the first day of the period as the LMP.) So the very process by which due dates are determined isn't very specific, and is based on very limited data!

It's tricky, then, if we take an EDD to mean much more than an estimate of when baby might arrive. As Rebecca Dekker of Evidence Based Birth concludes,

"Based on the best evidence, there is no such thing as an exact “due date,” and the estimated due date of 40 weeks is not accurate. Instead, it would be more appropriate to say that there is a normal range of time in which most people give birth. About half of all pregnant people will go into labor on their own by 40 weeks and 5 days (for first-time mothers) or 40 weeks and 3 days (for mothers who have given birth before). The other half will not."

Instead of fixating on a due date, you may prefer to refer to your EDD as a "guess date," or think more about your "due month" than a specific day.

Now that we have a better idea of where due dates come from and what they do--and don't--mean, let's talk about being "overdue."

As evidenced above, there's nothing magical about the 40-week mark. It's actually more likely that, if you wait to begin labor on your own, you'll give birth a few days past your EDD than on the due date itself. Babies aren't considered "late term" until you reach the 41 week mark, and "post term" doesn't apply until babies are past 42 weeks gestation. Induction for being "overdue" isn't recommended until you're at least 41 weeks pregnant.

It's almost as if pregnancy is trying to teach us the vital parenting skill of ​patience.

So, what's the takeaway?

Pregnancies aren't like final projects or rent due dates. No points are deducted or fees added for going past your due date. A due date just gives an estimate of when your baby is likely to be born, but really doesn't mean anything definitive. My advice is to schedule a week full of pampering and things to look forward to on your due date and the few days past it. Plan on getting food from your favorite restaurant, going for a walk in your favorite spot, connecting with friends or family. Practice some of those comfort measures that will come in handy during labor. Snuggle up with some great birth books. And know that your baby and your body will work together to signal when it's the right time for baby to come!

* * * * *

This whole business of calculating due dates and going past your due date is really quite complex. Now that you've been introduced to the topic, I recommend digging into it more with these two articles from Evidence Based Birth: The Evidence on: Due Dates and The Evidence on: Inducing for Due Dates.

REFERENCES:

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-due-dates/

​https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-inducing-labor-for-going-past-your-due-date/

https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/labor-delivery-and-postpartum-care/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date#:~:text=The%20date%20your%20baby%20is,last%20menstrual%20period%20(LMP).

https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/labor-delivery-and-postpartum-care/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date#:~:text=Labor%20induction%20may%20be%20recommended,This%20is%20called%20cervical%20ripening.

When I say the words healthy eating, what are your first thoughts?

Eating healthy can seem like such a battle! No one seems to agree on what "healthy eating" really means, old habits can be hard to kick, and being pregnant can sometimes be rough enough to feel like you can justify eating whatever you want!

Let's break it down to five simple things you can start doing right now to give your diet a healthy boost! Your body will thank you! You'll feel better, and you'll be more confident that you're giving your baby the best start you can!

It's so important to stay hydrated during pregnancy! Your body needs water to pump all of your blood (you have 1.5 times your normal blood volume during pregnancy!) around your body to get all the good nutrients to your baby and get rid of any waste. Being dehydrated can also cause pre-term contractions, which is a scare no one wants to have to deal with!

If plain water isn't your favorite, try adding a squeeze of lemon or lime, or mix it up with some herbs or fresh cucumber slices. Aim for at least 8 glasses of water per day. You can do it! Carry around a water bottle, and make sure you have water cups or bottles in various rooms around the house so there's always water within arms' reach.

I also find that when I drink enough water, I make healthier choices about what I eat. So that's tip #1!

It can be so frustrating to feel like you have a mile-long list of "off-limits" food and drinks. Instead of worrying about what you shouldn't eat, you'll feel much happier if you focus on the healthy food choices you are making. Rather than agonizing over missing out on sweets or soda, shift your focus. Plan out a yummy, nutritious breakfast. Stock up on healthy snacks. Find food that you enjoy that is also good for you, so you worry less about what you're missing out on and focus more on enjoying the good food you're feeding yourself and your baby!

As I kid, I LOVED vegetables.

Yep, you read that right. Loved them! And I still do! In the summer, I would eat toast with tomatoes for breakfast and tomato sandwiches for lunch. My sister and I would play truth or dare so that we could dare each other to go pick us fresh peas from the garden. Broccoli has always been a favorite. Salad is legit my FAVORITE food. No joke. Yum... just writing this is making me want some!

What's the trick? I really believe it's because I grew up with a GIANT garden and got to taste the best of the best of vegetables and enjoy their freshness and flavor. Finding good-quality, fresh produce can make a huge difference in how enjoyable it is to munch away on fruits and veggies.

Summer and fall are a great time to find your local farmers market and buy some delicious food! The Provo Farmers Market is on Saturdays from 9-2, and at my visit last week I got some DELICIOUS peaches and plums and saw a huge variety of garden-fresh vegetables. Put it on your calendar and check it out! Note that there are some changes from the "norm" for COVID-19. Wear a mask and follow the one-way traffic signs so that it can stay open all season!

Protein is critical during your pregnancy! Find out what your favorite proteins are, and make sure you eat plenty every day. (The American Pregnancy Association recommends 75-100 grams per day!) Try pairing two incomplete proteins (e.g. rice and beans, peanut butter and whole grain bread) to get a complete protein. Here are some ideas for proteins to get you thinking:

• Chicken and other poultry
• Meat
• Fish
• Nuts and nut butters
• Lentils
• Beans
• Tofu
• Eggs
• Yogurt
• Quinoa

...And many more! Here's a list of other protein sources with the amount of protein in one serving so you can start adding up your favorites!

​And check out this post for more about being a vegetarian during pregnancy.

Find some favorite healthy snacks for when you're craving junk food. I often find that if I want a sweet treat, an apple with peanut butter will hit the spot, and I feel way better after eating it than I do after giving into cravings!

If you sometimes eat too many cookies or potato chips, don't throw in the towel on your healthy eating plan. Keep moving forward with nutritious choices and give yourself grace to be imperfect--we all are!

Many of you may know that in addition to birth, my other passion is language. I believe that language is powerful and influential, and I dig into why this matters in the realm of birth over at my other website, Birth Words. I have a variety of offerings through Birth Words, from a podcast to classes for birthing families and birth professionals, and lots more.

I thought I'd update you all here with news from the Birth Words August newsletter, because there are a couple of exciting announcements relevant to birthing families! Check out the relevant bits below:

*NOTE: Check out the browser version of the full newsletter HERE!* 

A new FREE PDF download for you!

​6 Questions for a Better Birth

Six questions about language to ask yourself as you prepare for or support the BEST birth possible.
​
Visit www.birthwords.com to get this PDF in your inbox!

Birthing families, this one's for you!

............................................

(do you hear the drum roll?)

I've got a book coming for you!

Birth Word for Birthing Families will take your mind and heart on a journey from pre-conception through postpartum. At every stop along the way, we'll think about the impact of our words and the language that surrounds us.
​
If you want to be the first to know when the book will be available, sign up here!

This post is the fourth in a series about comfort measures for labor that appeal to each of the five senses. Today, we're focusing on the sense of touch! Check out these six ways that touch can help you manage labor.

Light Touch
(Photo by Isaac Ordaz on Unsplash)
In early labor, it may feel nice to have someone (your husband/partner, doula, friend, etc.) to lightly run their fingers along your arms, shoulders, back, or other places. The backs of the fingers work well for this, and the light, stroking motion should feel like a pleasant tickle, encouraging you to release any tension you may be holding. A head massage tool, like this one, gives a similar sensation for your scalp. Some people (e.g. me) love it, and some people (e.g. my husband!) hate it. ​