Did anyone prepare you for feeling so completely blindsided by how your birth went? Yeah, you’re not alone. It is hard to be happy with your experience when your birth plan gets thrown out the window. Read our latest blog for some empathy and validation.
Read MorePre-eclampsia is diagnosed when you have high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy combined with protein in your urine. Pre-eclampsia is very serious and needs to be treated by your care provider. Read our latest blog to find out more about what to expect when you receive this diagnosis.
Read MorePssst….we have a secret and we want to share it with you! You may have questions about how to best prepate yourself for labor and birth. While there are certainly books to read, podcasts to listen to, stretches to do, etc…we are going to tell you the top way to prepare for birth.
Read MoreFirst, know that it is OK and sometimes perfectly normal for folks to hang out in the same place in labor for awhile. It’s also normal for you to want to get the show on the road. Here are a few things to try if your labor has stalled.
Read MoreYour sister took a 12 week long childbirth class while your best friend didn’t take any class at all. Both of them tell you their way is the right way. Everyone from the hospital to Instagram influencers are telling you what they think is the right way to give birth while all you want to know is what will contractions feel like and when should you go the hospital. Good news….you can learn all that and more in one of our childbirth education classes. Take a look at our newest blog post to see why you should take a childbirth class with Doulas of Raleigh.
Read MoreDoulas like to say that peanut balls add a bit of magic to your labor. A peanut ball is probably one of the best tools available for your use in your labor and delivery room. This tool can help you have a smoother, quicker labor. Take a look at a few ways you can use a peanut ball during labor.
Read MoreIt takes twooooo baby…it takes twoooo baby…..for me and you…..it takes two….two doulas that is! Doulas of Raleigh always pairs labor clients up with a team of two labor doulas. Read on to find out some of the reason why two doulas is better than one.
Read MoreMost care providers will want to keep an eye on your baby while you are in labor. There are several options available for fetal monitoring. Some fetal monitoring needs to be continous and some fetal monitoring can be intermittent. Check out our newest blog post for your potential options.
Read MoreJune is Cholestasis Awareness Month. Cholestasis, or ICP, is a complication of pregnancy that causes extreme itching on the hands and feet as one of the most common symptoms. While a diagnosis of ICP is serious, may people have positive birth outcomes if it is treated. Take a look at our newest blog to learn more.
Read MoreYou have anticipated meeting your baby for months and your due date arrives…and your baby has not. Most first time mothers go into labor, on average, around 41 weeks and 3 days. You may be OK with waiting until your baby decides on their birthday. Once you get to the 4o week mark, there may be some additional things you can do. Read our latest blog to find out what to expect.
Read MoreMay is Preeclampsia Awareness Month. Symptoms include high blood pressure, swelling in the face or limbs, blurred vision, headaches, and sensitivity to light. Call your care provider immediately if you experience any of these symptoms. If you are diagnosed with preeclampsia you may have a different path to birth than you planned. Take a look at what you might expect if you receive this diagnosis.
Read MoreYou may have heard that you are totally numb if you have an epidural. You may have heard that you can only push on your back with an epidural. The good news is that is no longer the case! Most epidural placements now offer good pain control without confining you to being on your back. This means that you are able to push in different positions within your hospital bed. Take a look at some of your options!
Read MoreAccording to data from a 2018 study, nearly 42% of first time mothers were scheduled for an induction. Sometimes those inductions were medically necessary and sometimes the birthing person chose to schedule an elective induction. You may find yourself discussing and scheduling induction with your care provider for a number of reasons. Regardless of the reason, we have some tips to help your induction be a better experience for you and your partner.
Read MoreThe Welcoming Hour, sometimes called the Golden Hour, begins as soon as your baby is born. Read our newest blog post to find out what to expect and what you can do to get maxium benefits for you and your new baby during this first hour of your baby’s life.
Read MorePostivie pregnancy test..check. Secured an amazing midwife…check. Hire an amazing doula? Ch..wait…now why do I need one if I already have a midwife? This is a common question and we answer it today in our blog!
Read MoreCheck out this blog post to see what you can expect during labor if your Group Beta Strep (GBS) screening is positive.
Read MoreFather’s Day is just around the corner so we thought it was a great time to talk about how labor doulas support Dads/birth partners during labor. Doulas are not just for the laboring person! Check out all the ways a labor doula can support the dad-to-be!
Read MoreYou might think that labor doulas are only there to support you during your labor. You might think labor doulas only support the physical aspects of labor. The good news is the labor doulas are so much more. Take a look at the ways you can get emotional support from labor doulas throughout your pregnancy, labor, and birth.
Read MorePeanut butter and jelly…milk and cookies….chips and salsa….doulas and epidurals…all these things just go together! Hold up, you say, what do you mean doulas and epidurals go together?! Yep, it’s true. Check out this newest blog post to see how having both a doula and an epidural at your birth just might be a perfect pairing for you!
Read MoreMaybe you’re 42 weeks pregnant. Maybe your blood pressure keeps creeping up. Maybe you will have less anxiety if you have a date on the calendar. Regardless of the reason, you may be thinking about scheduling an induction date for your baby. If your care provider is discussing the possibility of an induction with you and you are feeling a bit overwhelmed with the idea, check out this post where we break down the most common methods of medical induction.
Read More
