Ridge Meadows Doula Services

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

Doula Stats

app statistics onASIAN MARKET

 

 

A Doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

 

A Birth Doula

  • Understands the physiology of birth
  • Understands the emotional needs of a woman in labor
  • Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
  • A doula will stay and assist the woman through the entire birth process
  • Provides emotional support and physical comfort measures
  • Encourages the woman’s partner to participate at his/her comfort level

 

If you are unsure if you want to hire a doula for your birth, simply contact us for a consultation and we can share some more information with you.

 

 

 

 

LABOURADE recipe (Electrolyte balanced drink for labour)

Instead of buying a sports drink that is loaded with excess sugar and food coloring, consider making your own electrolyte drink for your birthing time. This is a recipe provided by Transitions Midwifery in Maple Ridge.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1/3 Cup Lemon Juice

1/3Cup Honey

1/4 tsp salt

1 crushed calcium tablet OR 1/4 tsp calcium powder

2L warm water

Mix together. Warm water helps the calcium tablet dissolve and the honey mix together. Refrigerate after. Some clients make popsicle or ice cubes with the labourade.

 

 

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.

I 
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.