Pushing — Blog — Doulas of Raleigh

I'm Scared I Won't Know When to Go to the Hospital

Sixteen years ago, my husband was speeding down the interstate trying to get me to the birth center. I remember gripping his hand and and yelling at him to go faster and not stop for anything. We had run to get into the car because our daughter was coming SOON. I had my nightgown on and no underwear….I really thought this baby was going to be born in our car. Long story short, I did make it to the birth center and she was born 30 minutes later. But what I wished I had done was head in to the birth center a couple of hours before. I wished I had had someone to tell me that it was time to go. Here's how you can learn from my mistakes!

Birth, Birth Doulas, Birthing Partner, Doulas, Hospital Birth, Labor, Pregnancy, PushingHeather ClementsOctober 10, 2024labor, labor support, birth, birth partner, doula, birth center, hospital birth, Doula, prodromal labor, contractions

When Your Birth Plan Goes Up in Flames

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.

The Number 1 Way to Prepare for Labor and Birth

Pssst….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.

Joy to the World (an Ode to Labor)

Tired of hearing the same Christmas songs over and over? We took matters into our own hands and wrote a little “Joy to the World“ parody all about labor and birth. Sing the words to the tune of the original song!

Birth, Birth Doulas, Birthing Partner, Hospital Birth, Holidays, Labor, Newborn, Pregnancy, Pushing, ChristmasHeather ClementsDecember 14, 2023labor, labor and delivery, early labor, active labor, Pushing, contractions

Why Should I Take a Childbirth Class?

Your 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.

Birth, Birthing Partner, Childbirth Education, Comfort Measures, Epidurals, Hospital Birth, Inductions, Labor, Labor Augmentation, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care, PushingHeather ClementsAugust 31, 2023pregnancy, labor, labor and delivery, comfort measures, childbirth education, childbirth

How Can I Use A Peanut Ball During Labor?

Doulas 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.

Why Am I Shaking?!

Labor can be a wild journey and that includes times when you may shake uncontrollably. Even if you are T-Swift’s biggest fan, you really can’t just shake it off. Take a look at our newest blog to find out common moments when you might shake during labor and a few tips to help.

Birth, Cesarean Birth, Childbirth Education, Epidurals, Hospital Birth, Labor, PushingHeather ClementsAugust 3, 2023labor, labor and delivery, active labor, transition, epidural, labor support, hormones, deliveryComment

What Are My Options for Fetal Monitoring

Most 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.

Birth, Childbirth Education, High RIsk Pregnancy, Hospital Birth, Inductions, Labor, Labor Augmentation, Pregnancy, PushingHeather ClementsJune 22, 2023pregnancy, labor, labor and delivery, active labor, hospital birth, birth, fetal monitoring

Breathing Techniques During Labor

Breathing well is one of the best ways you can can help yourself cope with your labor contractions. There are many different ways to help you or your support team guide your breath. Take a look at our blog post for more details.

Birth Doulas, Birthing Partner, Comfort Measures, Doulas, Labor, Pregnancy, PushingHeather ClementsJanuary 26, 2023labor, labor support, pregnancy, doula, birth partner, birth doula, breathing, guided relaxation, guided breathing, rainbow breathing, box breathing

Positions for Pushing With an Epidural

You 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!

Birth Doulas, Doulas, Epidurals, Inductions, PushingHeather ClementsJanuary 19, 2023epidural, labor, labor support, labor doula, Pushing, Pushing positions, hospital birth

Supporting Dads in Labor

Father’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!

Birth Doulas, Cesarean Birth, Doulas, Labor, Inductions, Pregancy, PushingHeather ClementsJune 3, 2022labor support, labor and delivery, Doulas, birth partner, pregnancy, emotional support, epidural birth, cesarean birth

Emotional Support in Pregnancy and Labor

You 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.

Birth Doulas, Cesarean Birth, Doulas, Inductions, Labor, Pregnancy, PushingHeather ClementsMay 19, 2022labor, birth doula, pregnancy, birth, labor doula, emotional support

Assisted Vaginal Birth

With many hospitals trying to reduce Cesarean rates more providers are offerering assisted vaginal births as an alternative. Assisted vaginal births can be done with the use of forceps or a vacuum extraction. Read more to learn about the details of these types of birth.

Labor, PushingHeather ClementsFebruary 25, 2022labor, labor and delivery, Pushing, delivery, birth, assisted vaginal birth, forceps, vacuum birth, ventrouse, vacuum extraction

(Don't) Let Her Rip

Whether this is your 1st baby or your 3rd, it’s normal to be apprehensive about potential tearing during birth. While we don’t have a crystal ball about who will and won’t tear we DO have a few tips to help minimize the chance. Take a look at this post for a few suggestions to help keep your perinuem intact.

Birth Doulas, Childbirth Education, Comfort Measures, Doulas, Labor, Pregnancy, PushingHeather ClementsMay 21, 2021labor, labor support, labor and delivery, Pushing, Pushing positions, perineal massage, pregnancy

Blog

Embrace your Journey with the Compassionate Support of Doulas of Raleigh!