Bright Heart Birth Blog

What CAN a doula do for YOU? Part II: Postpartum Doulas Do That

So, you are expecting a baby (or just had a baby!) and you keep hearing the word "doula" come up. Maybe it was mentioned in a book you are reading, or a Facebook group you are a part of, maybe your sister-in-law had one. "Get a doula!" they say. You nod your head, but what you are actually thinking is, "WHAT is a doula? Do I need one? What does a doula DO? What is a doula? The word "doula" is Greek derived meaning "woman who serves." A doula's job is to encourage and support you and your

Cesarean Awareness Month

April is Cesarean Awareness Month. Cesarean Awareness Month is organized by the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) to bring awareness to the number of cesarean births worldwide, provide education and support, improve maternal-health and prevent unnecessary cesarean births.   I just want to take a moment to say that birth can look a million different ways. We have to work with the cards we are dealt. The way we prepare and envision birth happening isn't always possible. What is

What Birth Support Looks Like

In interviews I am often asked, "What does your birth support look like?" The short answer is, "What do you want it to look like?" The long answer is, "That depends." It depends on a lot of things. Every person is different. Everyone's labor and birth looks different. This is not one of those one size fits all categories. The range of normal is a very expansive and wide range. Some people need a lot of physical support; massages, double hip squeezes, counter pressure and hand holding.