Ridge Meadows Doula Services

Your experienced Doula Collective (Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and beyond!)

Welcome to First Grade

 

Wait until they get to first grade they say…..

“It will get easier”,

“You will love the break”,

“Watching your child grow is so amazing”,

“They grow in the blink of an eye”,

“When did they get so big”

As I navigate the path of a parent of a first grader these were comments I heard in the months and weeks leading up to September. And guess what!? I don’t care…. I’m over here in the corner of the gym as the kids madly dash around in chaos trying not to cry. Yup, I was teary in Kindergarten and now I’m teary for first grade. It’s not that I don’t agree with many of the comments stated, it is simple the fact that my heart has so much love for this tiny human and my brain was going wild with all the “what ifs”.  What if my daughter be behind in reading or writing and her self esteem suffers? What the new teacher doesn’t have the core value of attachment or understand child development as well as her teacher last year? Will she have the sense of community she left kindergarten with last year? Continue to build strong relationships with peers?

Don’t get me wrong; I also felt happy, proud and excited as well, but the grief was the emotion that I was feeling the strongest.

My rational side knows my child has a good foundation, she is kind and funny and has already chose some pretty solids friends who’s families thankfully have similar values to us. I know my daughter will not be the best at everything and that is okay too. She will learn from it and try again.  My rational side remembers the fear and excitement I had in school and the love I had for many of my early teachers. And also, my bad ass mothering side knows I will advocate for my daughter and encourage her to advocate for herself and her education.

 

Conquering Postpartum Constipation with… Fiber?

Postpartum Constipation is a common complaint among new mothers- and it can last for many weeks after birth. There are numerous factors that contribute to this situation whether it is sleepless nights, lack of exercise or even less-than-healthy meals and snacks. And one thing for sure is that this is all unquestionably made worse by the post-baby reality. But fear not, one can simply start with a few modifications in her diet aka eating a lot of fiber.

  1. Whole Grains

If you want to a regular bowel movement (and I know you do), say good-bye to plain, white bread, also known as the evil refined grains. Integrating whole grain bread into your diet keeps constipation at bay. Whole grains such as brown whole grain bread, brown rice, brown pasta etc. are very high in dietary fiber.

  1. Oats

Having oats daily will definitely keep constipation away. Not only is it high in fiber but it is an excellent source of manganese, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. One way of integrating oats into your meals is by consuming oatmeal. But if you just absolutely dread the bland taste of oatmeal, add some fruits to spice things up a bit. There sure is nothing like starting the day with a warm, hearty breakfast.

  1. Go Green

Eating fruits and vegetables provides you with dietary fibers as well as vitamins and minerals to nourish you and your baby. Fruits such as berries, and broccoli, the “superstar” source of fiber will ease your troublesome circumstance without a doubt. Rough things up even more by eating your veggies raw or lightly steamed, since cooking them can reduce its fiber content.

  1. Dried Fruits

If you’re exhausted or simply just don’t have any spare time to make a snack, dried fruits is your way to go. It is extremely easy to whip up! Just grab your bag of dried fruits and there you go! Raisins, figs, dried apricots, and that senior favourite prune contains fiber that acts as a constipation relief. Toss your dried fruits with nuts for a good boost of omega-3 and extra flavour!

  1. Fluids, Fluids, and more Fluids

Drink plenty of water. There are no others words to stress the importance of drinking water daily. It is essential for a breast-feeding mom to be hydrated with her energy levels up. Drinking 8-10 cups of water softens your stool and makes it easier to pass. Also, a daily glass of prune juice can be helpful and some people find that drinking warm liquid after waking up aids things get moving.

 

Remember to never ignore the urge to move your bowels, no matter how uncomfortable it may be the first times. But the longer you wait, the harder the stool gets, which will make things more complicated. Make an effort to eat high-fiber foods and you will be rewarded with relief. Happy plumbing!

24 hours after your birth- a DOULA’s perspective

A doula’s life is pretty action packed. It’s full of emotions and hormones, physical exertion and sleep deprivation, skill and mental preparation. But what happens after a doula goes home? How does a doula recuperate, nourish her soul and take care of herself…. It’s a skill that takes time and seasoned doulas are much better at this aspect of the job description. So how does a doula bounce back after a birth so she can best support her next client?


Coffee- For me a good cup of coffee after a sleep makes me feel better. I have to make sure it’s not a sugar filled syrup-y drink or I surely will sugar crash later.


Spending time outside. Part of nourishing you soul is spending time outside. Breathing in fresh air, getting a little vitamin D, feeling the wind or sun on your face is all part of taking care of yourself.


Spend some time with your friends either in person or on the phone. Remember the world is more than birth. A challenge for birth workers is only spending time with other birth workers and only talking birth.  While chatting about birth is something that doulas are really interested in its not healthy to ONLY talk birth. Call a friend and ask about her kids, chat about the weather, current events or a new recipe… Heck, invite your friend to go on a walk, meet for coffee or come over. Anything that encourages you to stretch you mind.

Water, lots and lots of water.


Relax. After I’m finished at a birth I like to come home, plug in my diffuser and smell a scent that makes me feel good. The scent is often changing, but this has became part of my post birth routine.

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Lastly, visit your client postpartum. Talk about the birth, help with breastfeeding, share some postpartum baby advice and connect with the family you spend many many hours supporting.  Closure is so important.

the 411 one “rule”

The 411 rule is what most Childbirth Educators use when teaching a prenatal class. It’s in reference to going to the hospital. Ridge Meadows Doula Services believes there is more to this simple formula, we suggest parents don’t get hung up on the numbers and timing every contraction. We suggest you are mindful to the emotional precursors as well. With regard to waves (contractions), you will want to wait until your contractions are:

 

 

· 4 minutes apart or less.

· Lasting 1 minute long or longer

· Stay home with the contractions 1 minute long for 1 hour (or longer)

 

Emotional precursors that can also be signals are:

· Very serious

· Aren’t talking during contractions

· Are not walking during a contraction

· Are very focused only on their contractions and can’t be distracted

· They may be ritualistic behaviours

· They may start to make deep groaning sounds

While these are all guesstimates on when to go to the hospital, they aren’t perfect science. Each woman enters their birthing time and has a different experience. having a doula with you to help you relax and cope with waves (contractions) can be helpful. doulas have seen may births and can give you a good idea of when it is time to leave for the hospital.

 

Research Shows The Effectiveness of Doulas

A 2011 study from the Cochrane Collaboration Pregnancy and Childbirth Group showed clear evidence for the effectiveness of doulas in creating positive birth outcomes.

Hiring a doula is part of creating a birth you are happy with, asking questions, trusting your care provider and informed consent are all pieces to the pie. Research does indicate…

 

 

 

 

fewer medical interventions
less vacuum/forcep delivery
less analgesic use
less Cesarean Births
report more positive birth experience